HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 799 



prospect of a cordial and efficieut relation of a similar character ^vith 

 your own bureau, by which the services of Mr. Miiller for Belgium may 

 in the future be dispensed with. 



By a careful perusal of the rules herewith sent, you will observe that 

 the Institution does not contemplate a miscellaneous exchange of uuas- 

 signed or unaddressed books, but simply undertakes to maintain direct 

 and intelligent relations between the different bodies and to deliver such 

 ]^arcels as bear an inscription of destination by the senders. In some 

 instances it receives a number of copies of particular works unaddressed 

 which it forwards at its own discretion to parties who appear to be suit- 

 able recipients. It is willing to transmit all such surplus copies intended 

 for Belgium to your department for subsequent assignment. You can 

 also in like manner send several copies of particular works for the same 

 purpose; but we would profer that all other matter be specifically and 

 formally addressed. 



Your failure to receive an invoice of our i)revious sending is of less 

 consequence, as a specific destination had been given the several pack- 

 ages. We did not propose to send a list of the contents of the packages, 

 as these came to us already addressed. There will, however, be a list of 

 the addresses themselves, and we shall forward a catalogue of the ofS- 

 cial publications contained in our transmissions to the Government of 

 Belgium. 



We have already sent you a copy of the list of Belgian institutions re- 

 ferred to in your letter of March 18, 1878, and shall be pleased to have 

 any suggestions for its improvement. 



In reply to your letter of the 29th of May, I beg to state that we are 

 not yet in receipt of the box which you advised as sent to us on that 

 date, and that unless we are informed of the route by which it was for- 

 warded, and especially as to the port of departure and also the vessel 

 on which it comes and its address in the United States, it will be im- 

 l)ossible for us to obtain it. 



Hereafter all boxes intended for this Institution should be addressed, 

 Smithsonian Institution, Washington, care of the Collector of Customs, Xeic 

 YorJc, and duplicate bills of lading sent, one to the collector and one to 

 the Smithsonian Institution. In this way there will be no delay and 

 the boxes will i-each us after the shortest possible time. We shall also 

 thus be able to pay the expenses of freight from your shipping point in 

 Europe to Washington. We will in return deliver our packages in 

 ^ew York free of expense and have them shij^iied to Belgium. Should 

 you have any particular channel of communication which you prefer, 

 please advise us; otherwise we shall forward by Antwerji steamers 

 from jSTew York. 



We will, with i^leasure, act in behalf of the Belgian Geographical So- 

 ciety and the Eoyal Society of Botany, and endeavor to secure such ex- 

 changes as they may respectively desire. 



As the Smithsonian Institution is already in possession of quite a full 



