The International Exchange System 407 



ceedings and transactions of foreign societies. This part of 

 the operations costs about ,1,000 sterling a year, but it is 

 considered of great importance in the way of making science 

 one in all countries. This is considered a very important 

 part of the plan of operations. Not only are books dis- 

 tributed, but the Institution has commenced the practice of 

 distributing specimens of natural history over the world and 

 getting others in exchange. As an interesting fact in con- 

 nection with this system, I may mention that all the lines of 

 steamers, the Cunard line of steamers, the German Lloyds' 

 steamers, and the lines from San Francisco, all convey the 

 Smithsonian packages free of cost, and also that they are 

 admitted through all custom-houses without being opened, 

 and free from all duties in all countries. 



" Doctor Sharpey : Do you receive for the societies in 

 America, for example, from the societies in London, and dis- 

 tribute those exchanges to the societies in America? Yes, 

 for all the societies. The great object is to facilitate in 

 every possible way the promotion of science, and especially 

 the fostering of original research, and enlarging the bounds 

 of human thought. It is a matter of surprise that the idea is 

 not more generally understood by statesmen and legislators, 

 that modern civilization depends upon science, including the 

 knowledge of the forces of nature, and the modes in which 

 they become the agents of man. Every discovery is con- 

 nected with good. Even the human body cannot be properly 

 understood without a knowledge of that of all other organ- 

 ized beings." 



The resolution of Congress carried no appropriation, so 

 that it was not until 1873 that the exchange actually began, 

 and its operation was necessarily restricted, owing to the 

 large drain made upon the funds of the Institution. Never- 

 theless, Mr. Ainsworth R. Spofford was enabled to say of 

 this work in I876 1 that "the Smithsonian Institution has 



1 " Public Libraries in the United States of America, their History, Condition, and 

 Management." Special Report, Bureau of Education, 1876, part i, page 684. 



