66 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 193 9 



number are sent directly to their destinations under Government 

 frank, the franking privilege between the United States and certain 

 foreign countries having been arranged by the United States postal 

 authorities and those of the respective countries, A list of the coun- 

 tries with which this privilege is in effect is as follows: Canada, 

 Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, 

 Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Newfoundland (including 

 Labrador), Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Salvador, Uni- 

 guay, and Venezuela. 



Shipments to Spain are still suspended. However, efforts are be- 

 ing made through diplomatic channels to resume exchange relations 

 Avith that country. 



Last year mention was made that packages for the National Li- 

 brary of Peiping, the Engineering Reference Library, Nanking, and 

 the Library Association of China were being forwarded to the 

 temporary address of those organizations in Hong Kong, in accord- 

 ance with the request of Dr. T. L. Yuan who is officially connected 

 therewith. Up to June 30 there were transmitted to those libraries 

 251 boxes weighing 54,800 pounds and containing more than 36,000 

 packages of publications presented by individuals and establishments 

 throughout the United States. In acknowledging several large con- 

 signments. Dr. Yuan writes as follows: 



May I take this opportunity of expressing to you once more our sincere 

 appreciation and grateful tlianljs for the most efficient manner in which you 

 have assisted China in the great task of rebuilding our intellectual edifice. 



Arm in arm with resistance, the Chinese people are carrying out an exten- 

 sive program of reconstruction, particularly in the Southwest. We have taken 

 special steps to see that the publications are placed in centers where they will 

 be used to the best advantage. You may be sure of the special care and 

 thought which Chinese libraries will give in preserving them and in making 

 them available to the largest number of interested readers. 



Just before the close of the year Lingnan University Library, 

 Canton, informed the Institution that it had moved to Hong Kong 

 and requested that publications for that library be sent in care of 

 the Fung Ping Shan Library, Bonham Road, Hong Kong. 



Packages for all addresses in China other than those referred to 

 above are forwarded to the Chinese Bureau of International Ex- 

 change in Chungking. 



The chart (fig. 1) shows the relative weight of packages trans- 

 mitted through the International Exchange Service between the 

 years 1850, when the service was inaugurated, and 1939, divided into 

 periods of 5 years. The decrease in the weight for the 1915 to 1919 

 period was due to the disturbance of international relations incident 

 to the World War. 



