60 ANNUAL. EEPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1940 



In addition to the packages transmitted abroad in boxes, there were 

 forwarded by mail, postage paid, 95,317 packages, an increase of 

 4,962 over last year. Also, a large number of packages are sent 

 directly to their destinations by mail under Government frank, an 

 arrangement for the franking privilege having been made between 

 the postal authorities of the United States and those of certain for- 

 eign countries. A list of the countries with which this privilege is 

 in effect is as follows: Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, 

 Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, 

 Newfoundland (including Labrador), Nicaragua, Panama, Para- 

 guay, Peru, Salvador, Uruguay, and Venezuela. 



The European war, which began September 3, 1939, has greatly 

 interrupted the activities of the International Exchange Service. 

 At the close of the fiscal year the interchange of publications was 

 suspended between the United States and all European countries 

 except Great Britain, Finland, and the Soviet Republic. Shipments 

 to Finland are being made via Petsamo, and shipments to the 

 U. S. S. R., by way of Vladivostok. 



On account of the Japanese invasion of China, the Chinese Bureau 

 of International Exchanges was moved from Nanking to Chungking 

 and the Institution forwarded several large consignments to that 

 bureau via Haiphong, French Indochina. That channel of transmis- 

 sion, however, was closed during the middle of the year owing to 

 operations of the Japanese in that section. Shipments of exchanges 

 for the Library Association of China and the other organizations 

 mentioned in the preceding report that have set up temporary quar- 

 ters in Hong Kong are being continued. 



At the outbreak of the European war the London School of Eco- 

 nomics and Political Science wrote the Institution that 



it Is intended to maintain the work of this Library as usual despite the out- 

 breali of hostilities between Great Britain and Germany and that accordingly 

 It would be much appreciated if shipments of United States oflacial documents 

 would be sent to the Library as usual. 



On account of difficulties in shipping conditions caused by the war 

 it was not possible immediately to transmit consignments to Great 

 Britain. When, in January 1940, transmissions to that country were 

 resumed, the Librarian of the London School wrote the Institution 

 in part as follows : 



In this matter I have been in close touch with the Librarian of the Patent 

 Office, which regularly receives U. S. patent specifications through your agency. 

 I know he would wish to join with me in saying that we are very sensible of 

 our obligations to you in this matter, and, whilst deploring the additional 

 work and inconvenience which are inevitably caused to you at the present 

 time, warmly appreciate the invaluable assistance you are rendering to learned 

 work in this country. 



