REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 87 



ness with which Mr. Williams 1ms since performed these duties are highly 

 satisfactory, and his valuable services arc much appreciated by the 

 Exchange Service and its correspondents. 



Although the universal system of exchanges is mnv supported in many 

 countries by official recognition and Government aid, there are some which 

 have not yet established official bureaus for the purpose, among the must 

 important of which are Great Britain, Germany, and Austria-Hungary. 

 The free interchange of publications between the United States and each 

 of these countries is considered so important that the Institution has for 

 many years provided for the entire expense of conducting exchange rela- 

 tions with each, even to employing salaried agents for the purpose. Messrs. 

 William Wesley & Son, in London. Dr. Felix Fliigel, in Leipsic, and Dr. 

 Joseph von Korosy, in Budapest, Hungary, represent the Institution in the 

 matter of exchanges between this and their respective countries. While 

 the entire burden of expense for this service has been upon the Institution 

 for nearly fifty years, the good to the scientific world would perhaps seem 

 an ample reward, but it is feared that the time is not far distant when an 

 equitable division of the expenses must of necessity be insisted upon. 



The services of many professional men and of many educational institu- 

 tions throughout the world which have been cheerfully and gratuitously 

 given in aid of the service are much appreciated, and while it is not possi- 

 ble to mention each name in this limited space, it is hoped that they will 

 consider this expression of appreciation as particularly applicable to them. 



The war in South Africa has necessitated the discontinuance of sending 

 to Pretoria the official publications of this Government, but the recent 

 issues are held in reserve by the Institution until such time as they may 

 be safely forwarded. 



Arrangements for distributing contributions for miscellaneous corre- 

 spondents in Japan are still incomplete, and, acting under instructions 

 received through the Japanese minister to this capital in October, 1896, 

 only such exchanges as are destined for governmental institutions and 

 individuals officially connected therewith are accepted for transmission. 



As yet no action has been taken in China, as far as known to the Smith- 

 sonian Institution, with a view to establishing an exchange bureau, and 

 at present only such parcels as are addressed to the imperial customs 

 service and to correspondents in Shanghai are accepted. These are again, 

 after a temporary interruption, distributed by the Zi-Ka-Wei Observatory 

 at Shanghai. 



Since the Biblioteca Nacional at Quito, Ecuador, consented to act in the 

 capacity of exchange distributing agent in January, 1900, eight cases of 

 exchanges have been sent by the Institution to the port of Guayaquil, but 

 no exchanges have as yet been received from Ecuador except by post. 

 This absence of reciprocal benefit is perhaps due to the difficulty of trans- 

 portation between Guayaquil and Quito, which it is hoped will be over- 

 come in due time. 



While in Europe unofficially during the month of July, 1900, Mr. F. V. 

 Berry was instructed to investigate the transportation of exchanges to the 

 United States, and the terminal facilities in London, with a view to both 

 the expediting of consignments and, if possible, the reduction of expenses. 



