HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 807 



organizing the work that it shall be done by the Smithsonian Institution, 

 but under the Department of State, and with its official co-operation. 

 This arrangement seems to be desirable in order that the American 

 bureau of exchanges may be on the same footing as those in Europe, 

 where this business is conductetl under the supervision of the foreign 

 officers of the various countries which have entered into the interna- 

 tional agreement in relation to exchanges. 



I mny add that, owing to the want of sufficient funds to enable the 

 Smithsonian Institution to carry out fully the system of exchanges, a 

 large amount of labor and expense has been imposed upon this depart- 

 ment in sending to various countries of Europe the i)ublications of this 

 government. The calls upon this department to perform services of this 

 character are growing more and more numerous and more and more 

 burdensome continually. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant. 

 J. 0. Bancroft Davis, 



Acting Secretary. 



[The Smithsonian Institution to the State Department.] 



Smithsonian Institution, March 12, 1882. 

 Hon. F. T, Frelinghuysen, 



Secretary of State : 



Sir : The letter from the Department of State of December 27 last, in 

 reference to the future prosecution by the Smithsonian Institution of its 

 system of international exchanges under the direction of the State De- 

 partment, was duly received, but the reply has been deferred until a 

 statement of all the circumstances connected with the initiation and 

 carrying on of this work to the present time could be prepared. This 

 statement I now have the honor to submit for your consideration. 



The statement in question is prefaced by an account of the attempts 

 made prior to 1850 in the direction of a system of exchange, both in the 

 United States and elsewhere, and it also presents points of the history 

 of the concerted eflbrt toward an international system started in Europe 

 in 1875, and now in operation with fair prospects of success. 



From the document referred to it will also be seen that the Smith- 

 sonian Institution has for many years carried on, single-handed and 

 alone, so far as outside pecuniary aid is concerned, the most extensive 

 system of exchange ever attempted. Originating in the transmission of 

 the publications of the Institution, the Smithsonian exchange next in- 

 cluded the publications of various learned societies of the United States; 

 subsequently the exchanges of the government bureaus in Washington, 

 and linally the international exchanges between the Congress of the 

 United States and foreign governments. The cost to the Smithsonian 

 fund of the maintenance of this system now amounts to about $10,000 a 

 year, an expenditure the Institution is entirely unable to continue, and 



