REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 35 



While the number of packages handled during the past year was 

 7,250 less than during the preceding twelve months, there was a gain in 

 weight of 8,515 pounds. The number of packages passing through 

 the service was 221,625, and the total weight 484,684 pounds. 



The total available resources for carrying on the system of ex- 

 changes during 1910 amounted to $36,646.74— $32,200 of which were 

 appropriated by the CongTess and $4,446.74 were derived fi-om ex- 

 change repayments to the Institution. 



His Imperial Japanese Majesty's residency -general at Seoul having 

 consented to act as the exchange intermediary between Korea and the 

 United States, the interrupted exchange relations with that country 

 have been resumed. 



Under the exchange arrangements entered into in 1898, through 

 the Imperial Academj^^ of Sciences, in Vienna, with the Statistical 

 Central Commission, it has been necessary for the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution to bear all the expenses for freight on consignments both to 

 and from Vienna. The government of Austria has now signified its 

 willingness to assume its share of the cost of conducting the exchanges 

 between the two countries, and in the future the Institution will, 

 therefore, be relieved of this extra burden upon its resources. In 

 bringing tliis matter to the attention of the Austrian Government, 

 the Institution has had the assistance of the presidents of the Imperial 

 Academy of Sciences and of the Statistical Central Commission, to 

 both of whom thanks are due for their kind cooperation. 



During the past year the Institution discontinued sending ex- 

 change packages to correspondents b}^ registered mail. This step was 

 taken with a view to reducing the work in the exchange office and also 

 to relieving the Post-Office Department of the extra expense involved 

 in handling the large amount of registered matter sent out by the 

 exchanges. 



There were 975 more correspondents on the records of the exchange 

 office than at the close of last year, the total now being 63,605. 



The circular containing the exchange rules has been revised during 

 the year and a new edition printed. For the information of those 

 who may wish to make use of the facilities of the service, the circular 

 is given in full in the report on the exchanges. 



German hureau of exchanges. — As has been mentioned in previous 

 reports, the German Government has never undertaken the distribu- 

 tion of exchanges between Germany and the United States, and, in 

 order to conduct the very large interchange of publications between 

 the two countries, it has been necessary for the Smithsonian Institu- 

 tion to maintain a paid agency in Leipzig. During the year 1907, 

 Germany was again approached, through the Department of State, 

 on the subject of the establishment of a governmental bureau of ex- 

 changes in that country. It is gratifying to note here that the repre- 



