REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



105 



Tho total number of ( onospondoiitis i.s now l(l,'.)7:?, (iluj^silied as follows: 



Foreign societies. 4, 194 



Domestic societies 1,U70 



Foniign individuals 4, lit'A 



Domestic individuals 1, !^>i^)(> 



Total 10,U7;5 



GRAND DU("IIY OF BADEN. 



The Grand Duchy of Baden was one of tin; governments which were tho first to 

 accede to the proposition for international exciianges conveyed l)y Professor Henry's 

 circular letter dated May IG, 1807, and two cases were shipped to Karlsruhe through 

 the Suiithsonian agent at Leipzig, on the lilth of June, 18715. After that time ex- 

 changes with Baden were discontinued until the visit of Mr. George H. Boehmer, 

 special agent of the Exchange Otlice and of the National Library, to Europe in 1884. 

 Mr. Boehmer succeedoid in procuring from the Government of the Grand Duchy a set 

 of the statutes (Official Gazette) from 1803 to 1885, ;ind the proceedings of the Diet 

 since 1849. Continuation s of these series were sh ipped by the Government of Baden in 

 August, 1887, and in February, 1888, Baden was again added to the list of governments 

 receiving oflicial international exchanges. Twenty-four boxes were sent thither on 

 the 29th of February, 1888, and three siiipments liave been made since that time. 



The number of Governments now taking i»art with the United States iu these of- 

 ficial exchanges is 41, as follows : 



Argentine Republic, England, Prussia, 



Austria, Greece, Queensland, 



Baden, Huyti, Russia, 



Bavaria, Holland, Saxony, 



Belgium, Hungary, South Australia, 



Buenos Ayres, India, Spain, 



Brazil, Italy, Sweden, 



Canada (Ottawa), .lapan, Switzerland, 



Canada (Toronto), Mexico, Tasmania, 



Chili, New Soutii Wales, Turkey, 



Colombia, United States of, New Zealand, Venezuela, 



Denmark, Norway, Victoria, 



France, Peru, Wurtemberg. 



North German Empire, Portugal, 



It will be observed that several of these Governments are provincial or subordinate 

 members of an empire, kingdom, or republic. 



Of this number only seveu, to wit, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Servia, Spain, 

 and Switzerland, have acceded to the first of the two conventions, based upon a con- 

 ference of representativesof difi'ereut Governments at Brussels in 188G,and now pend- 

 iug before the Senate of the United States. * 



The first of the two conventions relates to the " Internatioujil Exchange of ofticial 

 documents and scientific publications ; " the second, to tho "immediate exchange of 

 the daily ofticial journals" of legislative asseiublie.s. 



To this second convention only six nations besides the United States have acceded, 

 Switzerland withdrawing. 



These conventions have been brought about mainly tliroiigh the active interest of 

 the Goverumentof Belgium in the hucc< ss and extension of the international exchange 

 system. The history of the present agreements is of some interest in this connection, 

 and has been set forth at length by Mr. George H. Boehmer in previous reports (see 



* These conventions have been ratified by the President since the end of the fiscal 

 year, but final ratifications have not yet been exchanged bj' tho representativesof 

 tho contracting po\vcrs. 



