62 



REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Upon January 1, 1890, a new system of recording the correspondence was adopted, 

 having been submitted to a preliminary trial of several mouths to test its applicability 

 to the special wants of the office. Every letter or invoice received is assigned a cur- 

 rent number, and is entered at once in a book for the purpose, a caid index facili- 

 tating reference to the letters tiled chronologically. All out-going letters are entered 

 in a similar book. 



The collection of scientific and other directories. Government year-books, and lists 

 of members of learned societies, has received a number of valuable additions, and it 

 is hoped that with increased funds at command and a diminution of more pressing 

 needs this collection will be made an important feature of the Exchange Bureau. 



Perhaps the most serviceable information to those having occasion to make use 

 of the service is that contained in Exhibit A, appended, showing the number of 

 shipments each month to the various countries with which we are in correspondence. 

 Very respectfully yours, 



William C. Winlock, 



Curator of Exchaiigts. 

 Mr. S. P. Lang LEY, 



Secretary of the Sinitlisonian Institution. 



Exhibit A. 



Transmission of exchanges to foreign countries. 



