REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 23 



rilling- up deficiencies are unlimited, except by the very small 

 force that can be put upon this work; and both establishments 

 would be much benefited if a Larger force were available. 



The Smithsonian shelving in the Library of Congress is of 

 steel, iron, and marble, comprising 19,362 running feet of 

 shelves, while the bridges are mainly of steel and essentially 

 fireproof. 



INTERNATIONAL CATALOGUE OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. 



The Regents, through their first Secretary, Joseph Henry, 

 appear to have originated this undertaking in a communica- 

 tion which he was authorized to make to the meeting of the 

 British Association for the Advancement of Science at Glas- 

 gow in 1855, suggesting the formation of a catalogue of 

 memoirs. The Smithsonian Institution had not the means of 

 carrying out the plan, which was referred to the Royal Society, 

 who approved it and secured a grant from the English Gov- 

 ernment under which 11 volumes have now appeared. In the 

 preface to the first volume we read "The present undertak- 

 ing may be said to have originated in a communication from 

 Dr. Joseph Henry, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution." 



In March, 1894, the Royal Society issued a circular to 

 learned societies throughout the world proposing a great 

 international subject catalogue. 1 In 1895 the Department of 

 State received from the British ambassador an expression of 

 hope on the part of the English prime minister, Lord Salis- 

 bury, that the United States Government would be repre- 

 sented at a coming conference on this subject. The matter 

 was referred b}- the Secretary of State to the Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, who recommended that the Govern- 

 ment should take such part and suggested the names of dele- 

 gates, a recommendation which was duly adopted. It is suf- 

 ficient now to recall that the seed which the Institution 

 planted has grown into this great enterprise, in which almost 

 all modern nations, except the United States, have taken an 

 effective part. 



In the report for last year the Secretary stated to the Regents 

 the reason for the absence of an official delegate at the Third 



x The reader who may care to look at the history of the subject is 

 referred to articles by the Librarian of the Institution, published in " Sci- 

 ence" on August 6, 1897, and on June 2 and 9, 1899. 



