36 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



number, together with fifty copies of each publication issued by any 

 department or bureau of the Government, be placed at the disposal 

 of the Joint Committee on the Library, wlio shall exchange the same, 

 through the agency of the Smithsonian Institution, for sucli works 

 pul)lishedin foreign countries, and especially by foreign governments, 

 as may be deemed by said committee an equivalent; said works to be 

 deposited in the Library of Congress." 



In accordance with this, the United States has since that time 

 presented, through the Smithsonian Institution, a complete set of 

 all its official publications to the British Museum, for the British 

 Government. 



In 1886, Belgium, Brazil, Italy. Portugal, Servia, and Spain entered 

 into a convention at Brussels, to which the United States was a party, 

 b}" which they agreed to reciprocal arrangements as to the manner of 

 exchanging both otficial and literary and scientific ])ublications, as well 

 as to the expenses of shipment and the establishment of offices. 



To this convention Great Britain did not become a party. 



On October 1, 1875, the Institution addressed, through the proper 

 channel, a request to the English Goxernment to arrange for an ade- 

 quate return on its part of its own publications for those sent b}' the 

 United States Government. Lord Derl)y, however, in a letter of 

 March 1, 1877, requested the American minister to "inform Pro- 

 fessor Henry, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, that Her 

 Majesty is grateful for the offer made by the Smithsonian Institution, 

 but are not prepared to enter into an arrangement for the unlimited 

 exchange of documents suggested in his letter to you." 



Various departments and offices of the British Government have 

 since sent in exchange British Goverinnent pu}>lications, but only 

 lately in a systematic manner and in quantity that would be deemed 

 an equivalent for those of the United States. 



In the twenty-three yeava which have elapsed since Lord Derbj^'s 

 letter was written the already considerable sendings of the United 

 States Government to England have been increased more than three- 

 fold, and it seems now desirable that the British Government shall 

 (if it does not wish to become a pai'ty to the Brussels treaty) estab- 

 lish some suitable bureau or office charged with the duty of collecting 

 all publications not confidential, issued by Hei' Majesty's Government, 

 to be transmitted to the United States in exchange for the set of pub- 

 lications now forwarded to the British jVluseum. The Institution 

 has of late received British ofiicial publications from Her Majesty's 

 stationery office. 



3. Scientific and literary excJtanges. 



Since its foundation the Smithsonian Institution has conducted a 

 system of the exchange of literary and scientific pu1)lications volun- 

 tarily presented by institutions or individuals in the United States to 

 others in Great Britain and her colonies, and reciprocally. This inter- 

 national system has proven itself of the greatest value to literary 

 and scientific men everywhere, and it has been conducted through the 

 established agencies and correspondents of the Institution free of cost 

 to such institutions and individuals in Great Britain and her colonies. 



This system was formally recognized in convention in Brussels 

 with regard to the participation above referred to, but in this case 

 Great Britaii,i has taken no steps to reciprocate. 



