REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



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Compardtirc fttaleriioit of packages received for transmission through the Inter- 

 national Exclunifjc Service, etc. — Coniini'.c'l 



With few exceptions the same arrangemeuts exist for distributing exchanges 

 in otlier countries as those mentioned in the previous report, and, although 

 it is a source of regret that every country does not maintain an official exchange 

 bureau — among the most important being England, Germany, and Austria- 

 Hungary — the Institution has been successful in enlisting the services of some 

 institution of learning or prominent individual in nearly all countries not offi- 

 cially represented, with the result that means have been found for forwarding 

 exchanges to every part of the world. On account of the extent of the work, 

 and various disturbances which are liable to occur, interruptions and delays 

 are sometimes unavoidable. 



China is still considering the proposal to establish an official exchange bureau, 

 and efforts were recently renevv'ed through the diplomatic service with that end 

 in view, but, pending more satisfactory arrangements, facilities have been 

 added to the somewhat limited method of distribution. Packages for Shanghai 

 are now forwarded by post, under frank, through the United States postal agency 

 in that city, and through the courtesy of the Zi-ka-wei Observatory parcels for 

 the provinces are distributed with reasonable dispatch. 



On account of the difficulty in transporting exchanges from the coast to the 

 city of Quito all transmissions to Ecuador were suspended for twenty-one 

 months, but through the efforts of the American minister consignments were re- 

 newed on April 4, 1905, with the mutual understanding that exchanges for 

 Guayaquil and other coast towns should be packed in .separate boxes and dis- 

 tributed to addressees from the port of entry. This arrangement is only tem- 

 porary, and, on the completion of a railroad now in course of construction from 

 Guayaquil to Quito, it is expected that all consignments will be forwarded 

 direct to the last-mentioned city and thence distributed. 



Following is a list of correspondents abroad through which the distribution of 

 exchanges is accomplished. Most of those in the larger and many in the smaller 

 countries forward reciprocal contributions to the Smithsonian Institution for 

 distrilmtion in the United States : 

 Algeria (via France). 

 Angola (via Portugal). 

 Argentina: Museo Nacional, Buenos Ayres. 

 Austria : K. K. Statistische Central-Commission, Vienna. 

 Azores (via Portugal). 



P>arbados : Imperial Department of Agriculture, Bridgetown. 

 Belgium : Service Beige des Echanges Litteraires Internationaux, Brussels. 

 Bolivia : Oficina Nacional de Inniigracion, Estadistica y Propaganda Geogrrifica, 



La Paz. 



