810 HISTORY OF THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGES. 



of the Smithsonian Institution concerning the working of the present 

 system of exchanges carried on by that Institution, and the practica- 

 bility of the suggestion which has been made, that the scope of the 

 Smithsonian Institution's bureau be enlarged so as to form an inter- 

 national bureau of governmental and scientific exchanges, under the 

 supervision of the Department of State. 



The Secretary of State has little to add to the very clear exposition 

 made by Professor Baird of the rapid growth of the operations of the 

 exchange bureau of the Smithsonian, and to his statements of the 

 utility of still further extending them. He has been for some time con- 

 vinced that an arrangement like that proposed would not only bring 

 the system of diplomatic and literary jexchanges of this country into 

 harmonious relations with the like international exchange bureaus in 

 other countries, but would greatly enlarge the beneficial results obtained 

 under the present system of private enterprise, besides relieving the 

 several executive departments of the labor and expense of effecting their 

 own foreign exchanges, by concentrating the work in one properly 

 equipped and competent bureau. His opinions in this regard are shared 

 by other members of the government, as will be seen on perusal of the 

 annexed letter from the Secretary of the Interior in response to an in- 

 quiry lately addressed to him. Should the President decide to recom- 

 mend the latter to the consideration of Congress, the Secretary of State 

 has the honor to advise that an appropriation of $10,000 be asked for 

 the coming fiscal year, in order that the proposed plan may have a fair 

 chance to demonstrate its necessity and its benefits. It is probable 

 that the scattered expenses under the present system of separate ex- 

 changes aggregate a larger amount than that which he suggests as the 

 limit of a serviceable appropriation. 



Kespectfully submitted. 



Fred'k T. Frelinghuysen. 



Department of State, Washington, April 11, 1882. 



[Recommeudalion by the President to Congress.] 



To the House of Eepresentatives : 



I transmit herewith, with commendation to the attention of Congress, 

 a report of the Secretary of State and its accompanying papers concern- 

 ing the proposed establishment of an International Bureau of Exchanges. 



Chester A. Arthur. 

 Executive Mansion, 



Washington, April 14, 1882. 



