36 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



European Governqaents in promoting international exchanges of ofl&cial 

 publications. In a communication published in Nature, October 30, 

 1884 (vol. XXX, p. 634), Prof. V. Ball, of the chair of Geology and 

 Mineralogy in the University of Dublin, in warmly commending " the 

 extraordinary liberality of the American Government" in its free dis- 

 tribution of the Geological Survey Reports, and other valuable works, 

 remarks as follows : 



" We owe much of this liberality, no doubt, to the forethought and 

 generosity of our own countryman, Smithsou, the i)rincipal function of 

 the Institution founded by him, being to arrange for the exchange and 

 dispatch of books and specimens.* 



" There are perhaps few directions in which tbe cause of science would 

 be more directly benefited just now than by the establishment of an 

 institution in England which would undertake the management of the 

 exchanges of the scientific societies of the United Kingdom. I am 

 aware that there are paid agencies for the purpose, but what is wanted 

 is a free agency which would undertake the duty for the large societies 

 and relieve those that are struggling from charges which now press 

 heavily on their resources. 



"The great desideratum, however, is a man like Smithson, who, pos- 

 sessing wealth, would be willing to give or bequeath it for the purpose 

 of founding such an institution. Here is an opportunity for any person 

 of capital — desirous of doing good and preserving his name to all pos- 

 terity by one and the same act. 



" To return, however, to the main object of this letter, cannot anything 

 be done to increase tlie ' free list' of Government publications I Surely 

 there must be stored away vast quantities of survey and other serial 

 publications, which if they were handed over to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, would, I feel certain, be gratefully accepted and judiciously dis- 

 tributed among the libraries of America." 



Difficulties of prompt Delivery. — It is perhaps proper to call attention 

 to the fact that tbe Institution does not undertake to act as an expiess 

 agencj', guaranteeing to deliver packages in the most expeditious man- 

 ner antl securing prompt returns. The number of correspondents is so 

 large, the places to be rea<ihed so numerous and some of them so ditB- 

 cult of access, that delays of weeks and even of months are frequently 

 necessary. The Institution desires to secure the speedy delivery of 

 everything intrusted to it, not only for the sake of the senders and the 

 credit of the exchange agency, but because the constant accession of 

 packages is so great that it is not possible to allow them to accumulate. 



It is very desirable that officers of societies or individuals who avail 

 themseh es of the Smithsonian service should not inform the parties for 

 whom packages are intended in foreign countries that they have been 

 sent until the date of actual shipment is ascertained. This is a cause 

 of frequent complaint and misunderstanding, and might be entirely pre- 

 vented by due consideration of the case. 



* This is really but one of tbe functions of tbo Institi^tion, co-ordinated with that 

 of promoting ori<;;iqal research. 



