REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



61 



TIk^ forc^oiiiil lahli' shows tluit. the entirti iiinouiit received from (Joveriiiiieiit bu- 

 reau and others was !t^2, i:^!>. IJ), making the sum practically available for the siM^cilic 

 l>iii"itosc of exc!ian<>esti<l!l, I39.1i), while the expenst'shave amounted to $20,310.4}*, (he 

 dehciency of $1,171.30 Ixdng made uj) from tiie, Smithsonian fund. 



The advantages iuive been pointed out in previous rejiorts of combining in a single, 

 item the various appropriations for the exchange service, now divided into comitar- 

 ati\'ely small sums among the several larger appropriation bills of the Government, 

 l)iit tlu^ matter seems to be of sufficient importance to call attention to it again in 

 liiis place. 



For the year INItl-'iH' an estimate for the entire exi)euH<! of the service of $23, ()()() 

 was submitted, this sum being intended to include these smaller amounts alluded to, 

 and also an item of $2,000 to cover the expense of an inunediate exchange of parlia- 

 iiientary documents with the countries entering into the treaty of Brussels in 18!S6. 

 The amount appropriated was $17,000, the same as that for the preceding year. 



COHKESPONDEXCK. 



The name of eacii person or institution sending or receiving i)ublieations through 

 tiie exchange bureau was heretofore entered upon a large ledger card, showing all 

 such packages received or sent. This system has proved itself of great convenience, 

 but with the large increase in the number of cards the space occupied has become 

 of serious moment, and it was therefore found desirable to begin a new series of 

 cards, of smaller size, entering in an abbreviated form the receipts from correspond- 

 ents u])()n a blue card, while the packages forwarded to these correspondents are 

 entered ui)0u a white card. This system was put in operation January 1, 1892, and 

 during the six months succeeding, 9,808 cards of the new form have been prepared, 

 representing tht^ number of correspondents Avith whom communication has been had 

 during that period. There have been added to the list of corres])ondeuts during the 

 year 1,834 names. 



Additions to list of eorrespoudeuts. 



!>oii<'tii!.s ii!id institution 

 Individuals 



Total 



inti.i;nati()nai. kxchaxgk of oI'FIcial documents 



Tender the treaty allutled to in the Secretary's rejiort for 1887- "88, the exchange of 

 the official publications of the United States Government with other governments 

 has been continued by the Smithsonian Institution, and it now forms a very large 

 proportion of the bureau's work. 



The entire numl)erof ]»uitli(:itions sent abroad during the year under (he provision 

 of the act of Congress of .March 2, 18()7, aim of the treaty aljove referred to, was 

 27,87.?, and there have been received in return 1,911 packages or Noiumes. The 

 United States (government Departments ha\'t! forwarded to their cnrrespondents 

 abroad 20,373 packages, ami liave received in rettirn 13,000 packages. The total 

 numl)er of excliauges on Gov(^rumeTlt account has been 11,941 received ami 52.783 

 |>ackages sent abroad. There have, therefore, been a total of (!7.72l packages, or 

 aViout 70 i»er cent of the total number handled. 



