38 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



Brussels treaty, l)ut to arrange for the exchange of such things with 

 the United States alone. 



The Secretary found them disposed to hesitate as to recommending- 

 their Government to take up the subject of the scientific exchanges, 

 or to undertake to furnish a complete series of its publications, embrac- 

 ing all such works as are published by booksellers with the aid of 

 grants or subscriptions from the Government. 



This last provision was objected to, but it seems to be easily modifi- 

 able. The interview was unproductive of immediate results, but the 

 matter was held open for further consideration, and the Secretary 

 stated that it was the intention of the Institution to write more particu- 

 larly as to exactty what it desired, and to propose only such terms as 

 reciprocal justice seemed to call for. 



As an introduction to my efforts to bring the subject of m}'^ visit to 

 France before the ministr}-, I addressed a letter to the United States 

 embassv, setting forth the facts and the objects which it was my pur- 

 pose to accomplish. A cop}" of this letter follows: 



July 28, 1900. 



Sir: The Smithsonian Institution, consisting of an establishment 

 composed of the President of the United States, tiie Vice-President, 

 the Chief Justice, and the heads of departments, was founded by an 

 act of Congress in the year 1816, with functions rather general than 

 local in their character, it being described in the words of the act as 

 "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men." 



It has as a part of these functions at all times promoted the inter- 

 communication of literary and scientific matter between the United 

 States and France, as well as with other nations, and this system of 

 literary and scientific exchange, while officially promoted b}^ the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States since the first half of the present century, 

 has more recently been extended by the legislation of which I now 

 speak. 



With the approval of the Secretary of State, I have the honor to 

 address you the following memoranda concerning the exchange of 

 official and other pul)lications between the United States and France, 

 and to specially ask your interest in concluding a long-needed arrange- 

 ment Avhich shall provide, on the part of the French Government, for 

 action reciprocal to that of the United States concerning these two 

 classes, and regarding, first, exchanges of official publications of the 

 Government, and, second, for scientific and literary exchanges con- 

 ducted by the Government. 



MEMORANDA CONCERNING EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND FRANCE. 



1. Exchange of Goi^ernment jniblicatlrni.^. 



On March 2, 1867, the following joint resolution was approved by 

 the President: 



'"'' lieaolved hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 

 States of America in Congress assemhled., Tnat fifty copies of all doc- 

 uments hereafter printed by order of either House of Congress and 



