HISTORY OF TPIE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 791 



answers so fully the questions contained in your dispatch that I Avill 

 only add that I approve the remarks and conclusions of the writer. 

 I have the honor to be, your obedient servant, 



Edwakd F. ISToyes. 



{_rnclo»ure No. 2.] 



Paris, December 9, 1878. 



His Excellency General Noyes, 



Minister of the Uriited States, Paris : 



Dear Sir: In reply to your demand for information in regard to the 

 l^roceedings of the conference for organizing a system of international 

 exchanges of works of science, I have the honor to send you herewith 

 inclosed two copies of the jdan drawn up by the conference, and one 

 copy, the only one in my possession for the moment, of the plan of or- 

 ganization of the French bureau for carrying out the French i)art of the 

 scheme. 



I beg leave, however, to recall through you, to the memory of the 

 State Department, that I have already nearly two years ago furnished 

 copies of these documents to that department. 



I take this occasion to state that no alterations or amendments were 

 made in the subsequent meetings of the conference to the printed docu- 

 ments herein sent. They will be found to cover most of the questions 

 which you desired answered. 



But in reply to the question of the honorable Secretary of State as to 

 hoT the exchanges are to be made, I would state that in the discussions 

 of the conference it was assumed as a matter of course that they should 

 be made directly from bureau to bureau without passing through the 

 respective legations, and that in all probability the postal service could 

 be obtained gratis. 



These ])oints had not been otherwise determined at the last meeting, 

 aid I am not able to state at this moment whether any arrangement 

 lus yet been made about free transportation or not. This question will 

 uadoubtedly come under consideration at the next meeting of the con- 

 ference, and I will take the earliest occasion thereafter to inform you of 

 the proceedings of the conference on the subject. 



The great exhibition of this year, and the unusual activity in local 

 and national affairs of the new minister of public instruction and fine 

 arts (at whose office and under whose auspices the conference was held), 

 have prevented any meeting of the conference for nearly a year. It will 

 not, however, be long before another meeting is called. 



If the honorable Secretary of State of the United States, or the hon- 

 orable director of the Smithsonian Institution, which has so large an 

 experience in the matter of international exchanges, desire to introduce 

 any modifications into the printed plan herewith sent, or add any new 

 features thereto, I will only be too hai)py to propose these modifications 

 or amendments at the next meeting of the conference, and can guaran- 

 tee in advance a favorable hearing. 



I may add finally that at the last sitting of the conference the only 

 governments which hesitated to give in their adhesion were those of 

 England and Germany. The delegates of these goverinnents demanded 

 time to see the operation of the scheme, but it is expected that they will 

 finally adhere. 



1 have the honor to be, with the highest sentiments of esteem, your 

 most obedient servant, 



Wm. E. Johnston, M. D., 

 Delegate for the United States. 



