714 HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAJ?f EXCHANGES. 



be able to make it, of tlie names of the institutions and persons to whom 

 books or memoirs are likely to be sent. 



The Eoyal Society will also gladly receive and forward to their ulti- 

 mate destination (where such assistance may be useful) packages con- 

 taining publications of a similar description, designed for institutions 

 and individuals on the continent of Europe ; such packages being 

 directed to the Eoyal Society, and stated on the outside of the case or 

 package to be/ro??i the Smithsonian Institution. The customs duties will, 

 in such cases, be either altogether remitted or returned on re-exporta- 

 tion. 



If it be a convenience to the cultivators of science in the United 

 States, that publications presented to them by institutions or individu- 

 als on the continent of Europe, or elsewhere, should be addressed to 

 the Eoj^al Society as a channel of communication, the same facilities will 

 be given by the board of customs, and the Eoyal Society will, with 

 l)leasure, make the required arrangements. It will be necessary, in 

 such cases, that packages arriving from the continent of Europe or 

 elsewhere should be marked on the outside, "for the Smithsonian 

 Institution, " and the foreign secretary of the Eoyal Society should be 

 apprised of their being sent. Expenses of freight would of course be 

 defrayed by the agent of the Smithsonian Institution. 



I am, my dear sir, with great respect and regard, very sincerely yours, 



Edwakd Sabine, 

 Vice-President and Treasurer of the Royal Society, g 



This, though an important concession, was still attended with consid- 

 erable delay, and on farther solicitation the rule was so relaxed that all 

 duties were remitted on books, not foreign reprints of British copyrights. 



Colonel Sabine's views on the subject were laid before the British 

 Association in his address as president of that body, on occasion of their 

 annual meeting in 1852, as follows: 



"Another subject which has occupied the attention of the parlia- 

 mentary committee in the last year is one to wliich their attention was 

 requested by the council of the association, with a ^iew of carrying into 

 effect the desire of the general committee for a more cheap and rapid 

 international communication of scientific imblications. The credit of 

 the tirst move towards the accomplishment of this desirable object is 

 due to the Government of the United States, by whom an arrangement 

 was made for the admission, duty free, of all scientific books addressed 

 as presents from foreign countries to all institutions and individuals 

 cultivating science in that countr3', such boolcs being sent through the 

 Smithsonian Institution, by whom their distribution to their respective 

 destinations was undertaken. This arrangement was notified to our 

 government through the British minister at Washington, and a similar 

 privilege was at the same time requested for the admission, duty free, 

 into England, of books sent as presents from the United States to pubhc 



