FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS, 1883-1885. 931 



The office and other rooms used by the Smithsonian Institution in its 

 work are exclusively contained in the eastern end of the building 

 which has been recently reconstructed and rendered fireproof by Con- 

 gressional appropriation. A large part of this is occupied entirely by 

 offices of the Museum, and all its general administrative work is car- 

 ried on therein, the Secretary, chief clerk, corresponding clerk, and 

 disbursing agents having general direction of its affairs as well as 

 those of the Institution, the National Museum building being one of 

 preparation of specimens and their display. 



Notwithstanding the very large portion of the Smithsonian building 

 occupied exclusively by the National Museum, the general miscella- 

 neous repairs of the edifice have been provided for from the Smithsonian 

 fund; but the Institution is unable to meet the heavier expenditures 

 from its fund of $42,000 per annum. 



In addition to the duty of administration of the National Museum, 

 the Institution also has the direction of the system of international 

 exchanges inaugurated by Congress in the interest of the Congressional 

 Library, and maintained by annual appropriation and including the 

 exchange of the official publications of the United States for those of 

 other Governments with which this country is in diplomatic relation- 

 ship. It also conducts the interchange of the publications of all 

 learned and technical societies of the United States, and of the rest of 

 the world, receiving and distributing an average of about 100,000 

 pounds of books every year each way, which represents a large part 

 of the expenditures of its income entering into this exchange. The 

 exchange of the publications of the Institution (printed entirely at the 

 expense of its fund, as above) yields about 5,000 volumes annually of 

 the most valuable and important original matter; all of which (together 

 with the exchanges for the Government publications) is promptly 

 transmitted to the Library of Congress. About 150,000 volumes have 

 thus been added to the Congressional Library, and represent a very 

 material proportion of the literary, scientific, and industrial value of 

 that establishment. 



More than one-fourth of the rooms in the eastern end of the Smith- 

 sonian building are occupied in connection with the service of prepa- 

 ration and distribution of this system of Government exchanges. 



The appropriation of $5,600 asked for is intended to meet the cost 

 of plastering the ceilings, necessarily left unfinished; the completion 

 of the heating apparatus; of gas fixtures, of coverings to stairways, 

 and other necessary requirements for the public service. 

 Very truly, yours, 



SPENCER F. BAIRD, 

 Secretary Smithsonian Institution. 



Hon. S. J. RANDALL, 



Chairman Committee on Appropriation*, etc. 



