18 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



been expeDded from the Smithsonian funds for the support of the inter- 

 national exchange system in the interests and by the authority of the 

 National Government, namely, $38,141.01 in excess of appropriations 

 advanced from January 1, 18(J8, to June 30, 1886, for the exchangee of 

 official Government documents, and $7,034.81 in excess of appropriations 

 from July 1, 1886, to June 30, 1889, advanced for the purpose of carry- 

 ing out a convention entered into by the United States, or an aggregate 

 of $45,175.82. 



A memorandum setting forth the above facts and requesting that 

 steps be taken to procure the return to the Smithsonian fund by Con- 

 gress of the sum last mentioned ($45,175.82) was transmitted on the 

 20th of May, 1890, to the Hon. Benjamin Butterworth, of the Board of 

 Eegents, to be laid by the latter before Congress in due form. 



The exchange work has shown the usual increase, no less than 82,572 

 packages having been handled during the year, or 6,600 more than 

 during the year immediately preceding. The number of societies and 

 individuals for which exchange accounts are kept is now 16,002. 



The actual cost of the exchanges for the fiscal year, taking in ac- 

 count bills rendered and moneys received up to September 21, 1890, 

 for services rendered between July 1, 1889, and June 30, 1890, was 

 $17,401.23. Of this sum $15,000 were appropriated directly by Con- 

 gress, $1,986.14 were repaid by several Government bureaus to which 

 appropriations had been made for the purpose, $28.40 was received 

 from State institutions and other sources, leaving a deficiency of 

 $386,69, which was paid from the Smithsonian fund. 



In my report for last year I had the honor to submit detailed esti- 

 mates showing the necessity of larger appropriations by Congress if 

 the Exchange Bureau is to be placed upon a satisfactory footing. 



The chief increase in outlay would be to secure a more prompt service 

 and to increase the number of exchanges that are received for the Li- 

 brary of Congress, in return for the Government exchanges sent 

 abroad. It is probable that the number of the latter would be largely 

 increased if special efforts were made to that end. 



An improvement in the promptness of transmission to Europe has 

 taken place within the last few years, but packages are still unduly de- 

 layed by reason of the fact that we are not able to pay for rapid trans- 

 mission. The exchange boxes go by slow freight and we are in most 

 instances dependent upon the courtesy of the steam-ship companies for 

 free freight. The greater number of the publications now transmitted 

 are for the benefit of the Government and it seems unjust to continue 

 to make use of such j^rivileges originally granted in the interests of 

 of science. The entire sum asked for was $27,500. 



Our exchange relations with foreign Governments have undergone 

 no material change on account of the treaty at Brussels proclaimed 

 January 15, 1889, to which allusion has been made in previous reports. 



lu order to carry out in good faith, as far as our own country is con- 



