REPORT ON EXCHANGES. 93 



a service rogartled as incidental and sul)ordinate thereto. With a view 

 to diminish, if i)ossibk>, tl)e expenses involved, tbe Institution,- in 1855, 

 addressed several of the leadinj;- transatlantic steam-ship companies, 

 unfolding its methods, and askino-, in consideration of the great public 

 benetit of the system, the favor of reduced rates of freight upon this 

 particular service. 



Wifh a liberality and public spirit which can not be too highly ad- 

 mired, the companies addressed agreed to carry the freights of the 

 Smithsonian Institution not merely at an abatement, but without 

 charge, and thus generously enabled the Institution to maintain the 

 growing magnitude of the operations, when otherwise the system must 

 have broken down by its own weight. 



The first privilege of free freight was extended during the year 1855 

 by the following companies: 



United States Mail Stcamshij) Company, ]\I. O. Koberts, i)resident. 

 Pacific Mail tSfcamship Cojiipany, \V. II. Asi)inwall, president. 

 iSouth American Mail iSfe(()nshiif Company, Juan Metteson, president. 

 Mexican Gulf Steamship Company, Harris & Morgan, agents. 

 Panama. Pailroad Compa}ty, David Iloadley, president. 

 California and Panama Steamship Company. 



In 1857 the line of sailing vessels between New York and the v/est 

 coast of South America, belonging to Mr. Bartlett, 110 Wall street, akso 

 engaged to carry all the Chilian exchanges free of freight. 



In 1858 Hon. 11, iSchleideu, the minister from Bremen, offered his serv- 

 ices in trying to procure for the Smithsonian Institution the advantage 

 office or reduced freight on exchanges for the port of Bremen, and he 

 announced his success in a letter, dated January 25, 1850, in which he 

 said : 



It affords me great pleasure now to inform you that, according to a 

 letter of the president of tlie Lloyd, dated the 5th instant and jnst re- 

 ceived, the said Bremen Steamship Company {North German Lloijd) 

 have resolved lienceforth, and until further notice, to forward by their 

 steamers all the i)ackages of books and si)ecimeus of natural liistory 

 which the Smithsonian Institution maybe pleased to send to Germany, 

 or wliich may be sent from Germany to the Smithsonian Institution, 

 free of charges between New York and Bremerhaven. 



The North Atlantic Steamship Company ( J.W. Baymond) also granted 

 free freight in 1850. 



On the 25th of February, 18G0, in reply to a request of Professor 

 Henry, of the BJtli of February, Mr. Cunaid, of the Canard Line of 

 Steamers, replied : 



I beg to inform you that I shall have much pleasure in conveying in 

 our steamers from New York to Liverpool, every fortnight, one (u- more 

 cases from the Smithsonian Institution to the extent of half a ton, or 20 

 cubic feet measnrement; the cases to be addressed to your agent in 

 Liverpool, or to his care. The arrangement of free cases is intended 

 only to apply to those shipped by you from this side of the water. 



