1022 CONGRESSIONAL PKOCEEDINGS. 



The increase of the appropriation for international exchanges is asked on the 

 ground that the actual excess of cost over the |10,000 appropriated for the fiscal year 

 1886 was $2,000, and the increase is so rapid that without doubt by the beginning of 

 the fiscal year 1888 there will be an addition of certainly 50 per cent. It should be 

 borne in mind that this appropriation is made primarily for carrying out the law of 

 Congress, which directs the exchange of 50 sets of publications of the United States 

 Government with foreign governments returning an equivalent; and also includes 

 cost of the exchange of the puV)lications of all the technical and scientific institutions 

 of the United States with those of foreign countries. This involves the transmission 

 and reception of about 1,500 boxes annually, the expense of transportation between 

 Washington and all jiarts of the world, the salaries of agents, the expense of boxing, 

 paper, etc., and the service necessary to carry on the work. 



The Smithsonian Institution has for several years made good any deficit in this 

 appropriation, but it seems hardly right that it should be taxed for this Government 

 work, especially in view of the fact that it makes from its own fund an annual expendi- 

 ture of about $10,000 for printing books which are sent abroad in exchange, the 

 returns for which are deposited in the Library of Congress and constitute a very 

 important feature of that establishment. 



* * * * * * * 



NATIONAL MUSEUM — APPROPRIATIONS. 



June 17, 1886— House. 



Report (H. 2898) on the sundry civil bill for 1887, by Mr. S. J. 

 Randall, of the Committee on Appropriations, included letters from 

 Prof. Spencer F. Baird, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and 

 Prof. J. W. Powell, Director of the U. S. Geological Survey. 



Washington, D. C, June 2, 18S6. 



Dear Sir: I beg to state somewhat more explicitly than I was able to do yester- 

 day the facts in regard to the printing of the Smithsonian and the Fish Commission 

 reports, etc., respecting which you made inquiry of me. 



(1) Smithsonian InstitiUion. — An annual report on the operations of the Institution 

 has been addressed to Congress year by year since 1846, and the printing ordered 

 in the usual course. The annual meeting of the Board of Regents takes place about 

 the middle of January, but the report itself has seldom been printed within six 

 months of that date, sometimes two years elapsing before it is in the hands of the 

 Board of Regents and of Congress. For the purpose of having it more promptly, so 

 that the details could be available for consideration at the annual meeting, a law 

 was passed directing the Public Printer to have the regular edition of the report 

 printed year by year as soon as received from the Secretary; putting it on the same 

 basis as the regular reports of the Departments of the Government. The printing of 

 extra copies, however, is still left to Congress to authorize. 



I may remark here that the report for the fiscal year 1885 has not yet been com- 

 pleted by the printer. In addition to the printing of the annual report, an estimate 

 has been sent in for a number of years to the Department of the Interior (which 

 disburses the appropriations for the National Museum) of $10,000, to meet the inci- 

 dental printing required for the National Museum. This embraces the service 

 required for jjrinting an immense number of labels for that Department, as also the 

 so-called Proceedings and the Bulletins of the National Museum, which embrace 

 data connected with the operations of the Museum, and the specimens contained 

 therein. The bibliography of Mr. Lea, of which you showed me a copy yesterday, 

 is an enumeration of the publications of an eminent naturalist in Philadelphia, 

 nearly 95 years of age, the oldest and one of the most prominent men of science in 

 America. All his collections have been given by him to the National Museum, and 



