74: REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



this time 1,768 cases, representing 687 separate transmissions, or an average of more 

 than 13 transmissions each week, were shipped abroad. Notwithstanding the increase 

 in the number of shipments, the office routine has of late been so simplified as to 

 enable the regular force employed in the Exchange office to distribute packages 

 immediately after their receipt at the Institution, and, with the exception of the 

 record division, in which the work has occasionally been behind, no part of the 

 service has suffered. 



The Government appropriation for the support of the International Exchanges 

 during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1900, was $3,000 alcove that for the previous 

 year. This increase, which has been applied mainly to transportation charges, has 

 enabled the Institution to make use of the most expeditious carriers of freight and 

 express from New York to the principal ports of all other countries, whereby its 

 packages now reach their destination in much less time than formerly. This is a 

 most decided improvement over the previous conditions, under which, with wholly 

 insufficient means, the Institution was obliged to avail itself of the privileges so gen- 

 erously granted by such of the steamship companies as were willing to take its 

 freight gratuitously or at greatly reduced rates, and to accept such service as the 

 companies could afford to give on these terms. While the railroad service could be 

 improved both in this country and in Europe by a somewhat increased expenditure, 

 which, however, it is as yet impossible to make, the arrangements so far consum- 

 mated by the Institution, both as to ocean transportation and the distribution of 

 packages received from abroad for the United States, are fairly satisfactory. 



Exchange relations with Spain, which were suspended during the continuance of 

 the recent war with that country, have been reestablished, and by direction of 

 the Spanish secretary of state, under date of September 30, 1899, the Ministerio de 

 Fomento at Madrid has been designated to receive and distribute all parcels sent from 

 the United States through the Smithsonian Institution, thus becoming the recognized 

 medium of exchange in Spain. 



Since the last report full exchange relations have been established between the 

 United States and Costa Rica; but all efforts in the direction of inaugurating an official 

 bureau for handling miscellaneous exchanges in Japan liaveso far failed, although the 

 government of that country T)ears the expense of distributing such inil)licationsasare 

 sent to the various governmental institutions and to individuals officially connected 

 therewith. 



For the past six months China, with a single exception, has been the only country 

 in the world in which there have not been some means of distributing exchanges. 

 Formerly the Zi-ka-wei Observatory at Shanghai attended to the matter, but it has 

 lately been forced to decline further service. The Chinese minister at Washington has 

 taken much interest in the International Exchange Service and has expressed him- 

 self not only in favor of sending regularly to this country tlie official pul)lications of 

 his government in exchange for the congressional and departmental documents of 

 the United States, but also of esta))lishing in China an oflicial bureau through which 

 exchanges could T)e distril)uted to institutions and individuals throughout the Empire. 

 Until recently it was thought that negotiations were progressing favorably to this 

 end, but the present condition of the Chinese Government will, it is feared, ijidefi- 

 nitely postpone the consummation of this plan. 



Messrs. William Wesley & Son, at London, Dr. Felix Fliigel, at Leipsic, and Dr. 

 Joseph von Korosy, at Budapest, continue in the service of the International 

 Exchanges as salaried agents, and to them, as well as to the large number of agents 

 who gratuitously serve the Institution in the distribution of exchanges, grateful 

 acknowledgments are due. 



