The International Exchange System 401 



to the care of the Royal Society, and, on the certificate of its 

 President, are, by a special order of the government, admitted 

 duty free, and without the delay and risk of inspection." 



And in 1854: 1 



"There is, therefore, no port to which the Smithsonian 

 parcels are shipped where duties are charged on them a 

 certified invoice of contents by the Secretary being sufficient 

 to pass them through the custom-house free of duty. On the 

 other hand, all packages addressed to the Institution, arriving 

 at the ports of the United States, are admitted, without deten- 

 tion, duty free. This system of exchange is, therefore, the 

 most extensive and efficient which has ever been established 

 in any country." 



An essential feature of the organization of the Smithsonian 

 exchange service was to secure the cooperation of an im- 

 portant scientific society or permanent library in the principal 

 foreign countries willing to undertake the distribution of the 

 publications it might receive for institutions in its neigh- 

 borhood. In many instances, also, members of the diplo- 

 matic and consular service of the United States rendered 

 efficient aid, and several prominent publishing houses like- 

 wise acted as local agents. 



The following communication 2 from Sir Edward Sabine, 

 who later became President of the Royal Society, shows the 

 deep interest manifested in this movement : 



" ROYAL SOCIETY'S APARTMENTS, 

 "SOMERSET HOUSE, LONDON, March 19, 1852. 

 "Mv DEAR SIR: 



"I duly communicated to the Earl of Rosse, President of the 

 Royal Society, your letter to me on the subject of the inter- 



1 "Smithsonian Report," 1854, page 21. Reports of Committees, Statistics," etc. 



2 Rhees, William J. "The Smithsonian In- Washington, 1879, page 82. Also Boehmer, 

 stitution: Journals of the Board of Regents, George H.," History of Exchanges, "page II. 



