60 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1937 



BRUSSEI.S EXCHANGE CONVENTIONS 



In 1886, some years after tlie organization of the Smithsonian 

 system of exchanges, there were concluded at Brussels between the 

 United States and a number of other countries two exchange conven- 

 tions. The first. Convention A (Stat, XXV, 1465), provided for the 

 international exchange of official documents and scientific and literary 

 publications; and the second, Convention B (Stat., XXV, 1469), pro- 

 vided for the innnediate exchange of the official journal. The Smith- 

 sonian Institution was charged by the Congress with the duty of 

 carrying out the provisions of those conventions on the part of the 

 United States (Stat., XIV, 573 — Congressional Resolution approved 

 Mar. 2, 1867, setting aside 50 copies of all governmental documents 

 for exchange purposes; Stat., XXXI, 1464 — Congressional Resolu- 

 tion approved Mar. 2, 1901, increasing the number of documents for 

 exchange to not exceeding 100 copies; Stat., XLIII, 1106 — Printing 

 Act approved Mar. 2, 1901, further increasing the number to 125 

 copies; and Stat., XXXV, 1169 — Congressional Resolution approved 

 Mar. 4, 1909, setting aside copies of the Congressional Record for 

 exchange with foreign parliamentary bodies). 



Eight countries signed the first convention, namely the United 

 States, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Serbia (now Yugoslavia), 

 Spain, and Switzerland. The second convention was signed by all 

 of those countries except Switzerland. Since the ratification of the 

 Brussels Conventions the following countries have signified their 

 adherence thereto in the order in which they are listed : 



1. Uruguay — both conventions, 1SS9. 



2. Argentine Republic — convention A, 1S89. 



3. Paraguay — convention A, 1889. 



4. Czechoslovaliia — botb conventions, 1919. 



5. Poland — convention A, 1920 ; convention B, 1921. 

 G. Rumania — both conventions, 1923. 



7. Hungary — both conventions, 1923. 



8. Dominican Republic — both conventions. 1923. 



9. Latvia — both conventions, 1924. 



10. Free City of Danzig — both conventions, 1924. 



11. China — both conventions, 1925. 



12. Egypt — convention A, 1925. 



Although not all countries joined the exchange conventions, most 

 of those not listed above have entered into exchange relations with 

 the United States and have established official bureaus to conduct the 

 work. 



FOREIGN DEPOSITORIES OF GOVERNMENTAL DOCUMENTS 



There are forwarded to foreign depositories 111 sets of United 

 States official publications, 61 of these being full sets and 50 partial 

 sets. The depository of the full set forwarded to Peru has been 



