34 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



of interesting information. The work will exhibit the rapid progress 

 which this country is making in the means of acquiring knowledge, 

 as well as indicate the kind of books which receive most attention. 

 It was at first proposed to publish it as a part of the appendix of the 

 Report to Congress ; but it has been found impossible to comj)lete it 

 in time for that purpose, and it will, therefore, be printed by the In- 

 stitution in a separate form. 



Exchanges. — The system of international exchanges has been carried 

 on during the year 1856 with unabated activity, but with increasing 

 expense, notwithstanding the liberal assistance which has been con- 

 tinued by tlie several transportation companies mentioned in the last 

 report. A large room, occupying nearly the whole of the first floor 

 of the east wing, 75 feet long and upwards of 30 feet in width, has 

 been devoted entirely to the business connected with the exchanges^ 

 It has been fitted up with cases, shelves, and boxes, similar in ar- 

 rangement to a post office, in which a separate space is appropriated 

 to each country and each institution. 



This part of the general operations of the Institution continues to 

 be received with much favor by literary and scientific societies and in- 

 tdividuals in this country and abroad, and is increasing every year in 

 .extent and usefulness. We hope, however, hereafter to render it more 

 perfect and useful, particularly by increasing the frequency of trans- 

 missions. 



I regret that at this time I am not able to give the exact statistics 

 of the amount sent and received during the past year, since a second 

 invoice is now in the course of preparation, containing many articles 

 which should properly be included among those of the present year. 



Meteorology. — In the last report of the Board of Regents it was 

 announced that an arrangement had been made with the Commis- 

 sioner of Patents by which the system of meteorology, established 

 under the direction of the Institution, would be extended, and the 

 results published more fully than could be done by the Smithsonian 

 income alone ; that a new set of blank forms had been prepared by 

 myself, and widely distributed under the frank of the Patent Office ; 

 and also that an appropriation had been made for the purchase of a 

 large number of rain-gauges, to be presented to observers in different 

 parts of the country. This copartnership, as it may be called, has 

 produced good results ; the number of observers has increased, and 

 the character of the instruments and of the observations has been 



