The International Exchange System 409 



Academy in West Point, or for the National Institute all 

 these to be admitted free of duty. 



Special acts for the exchange of specific volumes were 

 passed in 1848, 1849, an d 1856, but the first general law for 

 the exchange of United States documents was that enacted 

 in 1867, a joint resolution being approved on March 2 of that 

 year to the effect : 



"That fifty copies of all documents hereafter printed by 

 order of either House of Congress, and fifty copies additional 

 of all documents printed in excess of the usual number, to- 

 gether 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, who shall 

 exchange the same, through the agency of the Smithsonian 

 Institution, for such works published in 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." 



While this resolution carried with it no appropriation, 

 Professor Henry at once undertook the preliminary corre- 

 spondence necessary to carry it into effect by addressing a 

 circular letter, through the Department of State, to the dip- 

 lomatic representatives of the United States and foreign 

 countries and to the foreign ministers accredited to this gov- 

 ernment, stating the object of the resolution, and asking the 

 cooperation of foreign governments in carrying it out. To 

 this circular letter very general and satisfactory replies were 

 received, each government responding offering to send com- 

 plete series of its publications in return for those of the 

 United States. It was not until 1873, however, that the first 

 transmission of documents abroad was made by the Insti- 

 tution. 



In 1875 an International Geographical Congress was held 

 27 



