298 MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



System of Exchanges. For the diffusion of knowledge among 

 men, one of the methods adopted by Henry from the very com- 

 mencement of his administration was the organization of a system 

 by which the scientific memoirs of Societies or of individuals from 

 any portion of the United States, might be transmitted to foreign 

 countries without expense . to the senders : and by which in like 

 manner the similar publications of scientific work abroad might be 

 received at the Smithsonian Institution, for distribution in this 

 country. * This privilege however is properly restricted to bona 

 fide donations and exchanges of scientific memoirs; all purchased 

 publications being carefully excluded and left to find their legiti- 

 mate channels of trade. By an international courtesy creditable 

 to the wisdom and intelligence of the civilized Powers, such 

 packages to and. from the Institution are permitted to pass through 

 all custom-houses, free of duty; an invoice of authentication being 

 forwarded in advance. When it is considered that this large work 

 of collection and distribution (including the constant supply of the 

 Institution's own publications, and the extensive returns -therefor 

 of journals, proceedings, and transactions, for its own library) 

 requires the systematic records and accounts in suitable ledgers, 

 with the accurate parcelling and labelling of packages, large and 

 small, to every corner of the globe, it may well be conceived that 

 no small amount of labor and expense is involved in these forward- 

 ing operations, f A recognition of the benefits conferred by this 



*"The promotion of knowledge is much retarded by the difficulties expe- 

 rienced in the way of a free intercourse between scientific and literary societies 

 in different parts of the world. In carrying on the exchange of the Smithsonian 

 volumes, it was necessary to appoint a number of agents. These agencies being 

 established other exchanges could be carried on through them and our means of 

 conveyance, at the slight additional expense owing to the small increase of 

 weight. - - - The result cannot fail to prove highly beneficial, by promoting a 

 more ready communion between the literature and science of this country and 

 the world abroad." (Smithsonian Report for 1851, p. 218, Senate ed.) 



f It may be stated that the number of foreign institutions and correspondents 

 receiving the Smithsonian publications exceeds two thousand; whose localities 

 embrace not only the principal cities of Europe (from Iceland to Turkey), of 

 British America, Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America, and of 

 Australia, but also those of New Zealand, Honolulu in the Sandwich Islands, 

 twelve cities in India, Shanghai in China, Tokio and Yokohama in Japan, JBata- 

 via in Java, Manila in the Philippine Islands, Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt, 

 Algiers in northern Africa, Monrovia in Liberia, and Cape Town in southern 

 Africa. The correspondents and recipients in the United States, are probably 

 nearly as numerous. 



