164 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1957 



The packages of publications are forwarded to the exchange bu- 

 reaus of foreign countries by freight or, where shipment by such 

 means is impractical, to the foreign addressees by direct mail. Dis- 

 tribution in the United States of the publications received through the 

 foreign exchange bureaus is accomplished primarily by mail, but by 

 other means when more economical. The number of boxes shipped to 

 the foreign exchange bureaus was 3,132, or 58 more than for the pre- 

 vious year. Of these boxes 911 were for depositories of full sets of 

 United States Government documents, these publications being fur- 

 nished in exchange for the official publications of foreign governments 

 which are received for deposit in the Library of Congress. The 

 number of packages forwarded by mail and by means other than 

 freight was 208,503. 



There was allocated to the International Exchange Service for 

 transportation $40,900. With this amount it was possible to effect 

 the shipment of 859,071 pounds, which was 21,883 pounds more than 

 was shipped in the previous year. However, approximately 10,540 

 pounds of the full sets of United States Government documents accu- 

 mulated during the year because the Library of Congress had requested 

 suspension of shipment to certain foreign depositories. 



During the year ocean freight rates per cubic foot increased from 

 the June 30, 1956, average of $1.28 to $1,464. However, about a fourth 

 of the cost of this increase will be offset by a reduction on June 13, 

 1957, of approximately 17 percent in the truck rates to the Baltimore 

 piers. 



The total outgoing correspondence comprised 2,406 letters, exclusive 

 of information copies. 



With the exception of those to Taiwan, no shipments are being 

 made to China, North Korea, Outer Mongolia, Communist-controlled 

 area of Viet-Nam, or Communist-controlled area of Laos. 



Shipping arrangements were completed with the newly established 

 Rumanian International Exchange Service and the first postwar 

 shipment was made to Rumania on November 29. 



With certain exceptions the regulations of the Bureau of Foreign 

 Commerce, Department of Commerce, provide that each package of 

 publications exported bear a general license symbol and the legend, 

 "Export License Not Required." The International Exchange Serv- 

 ice accepts for transmission to foreign destinations only those packages 

 of publications that fall within the exception and those packages of 

 publications to which the general license symbol and legend have been 

 applied by the consignor. 



FOREIGN DEPOSITORIES OF GOVERNMENTAL DOCUMENTS 



The number of sets of United States official publications received 

 by the Exchange Service for transmission abroad in return for the 



