52 BtePORT ON EXCHANGES. 



" Herein, and in the misconceptions above stated, we may find an 

 explanation of the scant retnrns the Government of the United States 

 has received and of the incompleteness of the series furnished; and 

 though, through the kind and hearty co operation of our diplomatic and 

 consular officers, 1 finally succeeded in placing, for a time at least, the ex- 

 changes on a sound basis, allow me to suggest that the means of securing 

 for the Government of the United States full returns for the liberal pro- 

 visions made for the exchange, and of reaping the benefit of the prom- 

 ises obtained from the European Governments in the execution of my 

 mission, can only be found in the establishment of a permanent agency 

 in Europe, a j)recedent for which we find in the Congressional act of 

 June 26, 1848, wherein Congress charged the Library Committee with 

 the nomination of an agent to conduct the operations of the exchange 

 between France aud the United States, which ought to be intrusted to 

 a person entirely familiar with the business and its requirements, who 

 is to keep himself always informed as to the quality and quantity of 

 the publications made by the European Governments, and who should 

 be capable of judging and selecting from the works thus offered such 

 as would compensate the Government of the United States in the fullest 

 measure in an exchange, value for value, the value of the United States 

 publications being accepted as they are quoted in the book trade, for 

 the works sent abroad, in compliance with the Congressional acts es- 

 tablishing this exchange." 



EXTENSION OF THE SYSTEM OF EXCHANGES. 



With two Governments preliminary arrangements have been made 

 for an exchange of official jjublications, the extent of which however 

 has not yet been fully decided on. These Governments are those of the 

 Bepublic of Uruguay and of the Empire of Austria. The correspondence 

 relating to these arrangements is here given : 



EXCHANGE WITH URUGUAY. 



From Department of State, Washington. Becemher 30, 1884, to Prof. S. F. 

 Baird, Smithsonian Institution. 



Dear Sir : I inclose a copy of a note from the Charg6 d' Affaires a^ 

 interim of Uruguay here, touching the wish of his Government to form (or 

 accede to) conventions with other Governments, with a view to i)rovid- 

 ing for exchanges of publications ; also the printed paper which accom- 

 X)anies the same, and which it is desired to have returned, with your 

 comments on the proposition of the Uruguayan Government. 

 , I am, &c., 



Fred'k T. Frelinghuysen. 



