Report of the secretary. 43 



importance of 3^0111- mission to the interests Avhidi I represent, includ- 

 ing the Congress of the United States. 



I brought with me a memorandum (incomplete dou1)tless, j^et sug- 

 gestive) of the German imperial and of the Prussian serial documents 

 issued, with a note of those now in the Library of Congress. These lists 

 have been left at the embassy for you to use in case they may seem cal- 

 culated to l)e of service. They may, if you think best, be left with the 

 authorities here. If this seem inadvisable, they will be forwarded 

 from the embassy to the Librai-y of Congress. In such lists I am 

 careful to disclaim accuracy or completeness. 

 With best wishes, faithfulh' j^ours, 



Herbert Putnam, 



Lihrarian of Congress. 

 Mr. S. P. Langley, 



Secretary, etc. 



Upon reviewing the matter carefully with Mr. Jackson, the Secretary 

 was informed that there was no central authority in Germany, not 

 even the chancellor of the Empire, who could deal with the exchange 

 question. Each of the different States must be appealed to separately, 

 and the minor ones are jealous of any appearance of interference from 

 federal authorities. There seems to be positively no wa}'^ to get offi- 

 cial action short of the Reichstag, which could only provide the money, 

 })ut could not insure that the matter would be accepted ]jy the sepa- 

 rate states any more than the action of the United States Congress in 

 appropriating for our exchanges can bind the separate States of the 

 Union. 



After my interview, Mr. Jackson kindly called on an official who 

 represented Prince Hohenlohe in his absence. This officer, however, 

 could not take upon himself to make even a suggestion in the absence 

 of Prince Hohenlohe as to what action might be taken. 



The Secretary called at the Parliament House and consulted at length 

 with Dr. Muller, the librarian, who agreed that the only official who 

 it could be even remotely hoped would do anything with regard to 

 exchanges would be the chancellor. The only power that could act 

 authoritatively is the German Parliament itself, and Dr. Muller prom- 

 ised to interest himself in having the matter presented before it in 

 November, in the hope of some effectual action. 



In this connection the Secretary may state that he arrived in Berlin 

 at a most inopportune time to transact the business he had in hand, 

 inasmuch as onh" two out of the sixteen ministers were in the cit}-, but 

 that the kindness of the embassy represented by Mr. Jackson did 

 everything for him that could be done under such condition. 



NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK. 



The act of Congress establishing the National Zoological Park placed 

 it under the direction of the Regents of the Smithsonian Institution. 

 It occupies about 170 acres in a region along Rock Creek valley, which 



