HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 805 



appointed under the presidency of Privy Councilor Bytchow, and is 

 composed of delegates from tlie various branches of the government of 

 the empire. It will be governed by special regulations, a copy of which 

 I have the honor herewith to transmit. 



1 have been iustructed to bring the foregoing to the notice of the 

 Federal Government, and to inform your excellency that it will be the 

 duty of this commission to enter into relations with the commission of 

 the same kind existing in the United States, as regards all those mat- 

 ters which form the object of its mission. 



Communications intended for the Russian commission should be ad- 

 dressed as follows: To the President of the Russian Commission of In- 

 ternational Exchange, Imperial Public Library, St. Petersburg. 



I avail m^j-self of this occasion to beg you, Mr. Secretary of State, to 

 be pleased to accept the assurance of my highest consideration and 

 most profound respect. 



G. WiLLAMOV. 



llnclosure No. 2. — Translation.] 



REGULATIONS OF THE RUSSIAN COMMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE OF 

 WORKS OF SCIENCE AND ART. 



The duties of the Russian commission shall be as follows: 



1. It shall collect for the governments and learned institutions of 

 foreign countries the publications intended for them, either as a gift or 

 by way of exchange, and shall have charge of the shipment of such 

 publications. 



2. It shall send to the official and learned institutions of the empire of 

 Russia the ])ublications which are intended for them, either gratuitously 

 or by way of exchange by foreign governments or institutions. Packages 

 must be addressed to this commission. 



3. It shall transmit to foreign commissions for the governments and 

 learned institutions of foreign countries any information that may be 

 asked of it and that it may be able to supply. 



4. It shall furnish to the official or learned institutions of such foreign 

 countries as may request it through their respective commissions infor- 

 mation concerning the documents in the Russian archives and concern- 

 ing the conditions on which a copy thereof will be furnished to them. 



5. It shall have charge of the exchange of duplicates. 



6. On the recommendation of foreign commissions it shall facilitate 

 the accomplishment of their mission to scientific men visiting Russia, 

 furnishing them, to this effect, with information, letters of recommenda- 

 tion, &c. 



The Russian commission shall use its influence to the same end with 

 foreign commissions in behalf of Russian scientists. 



7. It shall act as a medium with foreign commissions for the obtain- 

 ment of such information as may be required by the official and learned 

 institutions of Russia. 



8. It shall publish annually a catalogue of the official publications 

 issued by the various departments of the government, the statistical 

 committees, and the learned institutions and societies. 



Within the limits of this programme the Russian commission will 

 enter into correspondence with foreign commissions of the same charac- 

 ter. 



The commission shall present an annual report of its proceedings to 

 the minister of ijublic instruction. 



