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NATURE 

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1871 


THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
N excellent article in the Mew York Fournal of 
Commerce makes us acquainted with several points 
in the organisation of the Smithsonian Institution—that 
most cosmopolitan of our existing scientific organisa- 
tions—to which we are anxious to draw attention. It is 
too much to hope for a similar institution in this country, 
but it is, nevertheless, interesting to watch the develop- 
ment of the American one under the wise direction of 
Prof. Henry. 
Many years ago the Institution established what is 
known as the ‘‘ Smithsonian system of exchanges,” where- 
by, in exchange for those of America, the scientific pub- 
lications of societies and individuals throughout the 
civilised world are placed without cost within easy 
access of the student of science in this country. 
This system, promising at its inauguration all that could 
be expected, rapidly expanded, and during the past few 
years has yielded an abundance of fruit in the way of a 
knowledge of the progress of science in every part of the 
world, far exceeding the anticipation of its must sanguine 
supporters. Indeed, so eminently beneficial, not only to 
the scientific, but to the general interests of the country, 
has the system proved, that Congress a few years since 
directed the establishment, on a similar plan, of an inter- 
national exchange of official publications, to be placed 
under the especial charge of the Institution, and voted, 
as a basis of operations, for distribution, fifty complete sets 
of the documents of the Fortieth Coagress. These will 
shortly be ready for transmission by the Institution, in 
the name of the United States, to such foreign Powers as 
have either requested to be included in the list of exchange, 
or in some other way announced their approval of the 
plan, and are, therefore, known to be prepared to return 
similar publications of their own Governments respectively. 
Thus, in time, will be added to the great Congressional 
liorary a fund of knowledge which can hardly fail to be 
of vast importance to this Government. 
It is mainly through its system of exchanges that the 
Institution has accumulated, and will continue to increase, 
that vast storehouse of scientific truths denominated the 
“Smithsonian Library,” which, numbering about 70,000 
volumes (inclusive of pamphlets, &c.), contains, besides 
complete series of the Transactions of many of the older 
societies of England and France, which it would now be 
difficult, if not impossible, to replace, hundreds of works 
which, like those of the societies in question, can be ob- 
tained in no other way than by exchange. On account, 
however, of the limited space provided for its proper 
accommodation in the Smithsonian building, but chiefly 
owing to danger from fire, the Institution a few years ago 
transferred its library to the Capitol, where, in company 
with the library of Congress, it still continues to occupy 
fire-proof roomy quarters, With regard to the library, 
the secretary of the Institution, in his last printed report, 
remarks : “ The transfer of the Smithsonian Library still 
continues to be approved by all who have attentively con- 
sidered the advantages it affords the Institution, the 
VOL, IV, 


401 

Government, and the public;”.. . that while, “by its 
transfer the Smithson fund has been relieved of a serious 
burden in the cost of binding and cataloguing the books 
... it has enriched the library of Congress with a 
class of valuable works which could scarcely be procured 
by purchase, and has facilitated the use of the books by 
collecting them in one locality, under the same system, 
readily accessible to the public.” Again, Prof. Henry 
remarks: “The library of Congress, or, as we think 
it should now be denominated, the ‘ National Library,’ 
contains about 180,000 volumes” (1468). . This 
library is, emphatically, a library of progress, for while it 
continues to increase by purchase in its own series of 
standard works at all times, its additions through the 
contributions of the Institution include the Transactions 
of the principal learned societies of the world, or the 
works which mark more definitely than any other 
publications the actual advance of the age in higher 
civilisation ;” adding, in order to counteract the impres- 
sion that the Institution, since the transfer of its library, 
no longer desires to receive books, “ that no change in 
this respect has taken place in the policy of the Institu- 
tion.” It is gratifying to learn that this is the case ; and 
to know that while Congress uses the books, it carefully 
cares for them. 
On account of the large expense attending the trans- 
mission of a few packages when the Institution first put 
in operation its now great system of exchange, but owing 
much more to the greater expense that it was anticipated 
would have to be met in connection with return transmis- 
sions for American addresses ; and, moreover, since the. 
total charges for transportation both to and from the 
United States would have to be defrayed almost entirely 
by the Institution, while the results of its efforts would 
be placed at the free command of all, both organised 
bodies and individuals , it was soon found necessary to 
attempt to secure reduced rates for its ocean freight. In 
addition, it was absolutely requisite that foreign ports 
should be opened to the entry free of duty of the packages 
of a scientific character bearing the Smithsonian label ; 
and to the accomplishment of both these ends the eminent 
head of the Institution bent every energy. Upon a 
proper presentation of the subject, the leading steamship 
lines plying between the United States and foreign 
countries, besides several companies sailing in waters 
exclusively foreign (with merely representative houses in 
this country), one after another became impressed with 
the importance of scientific intercommunication between 
the Old and the New World, as developed under the 
Smithsonian system, until now all, with great liberality, 
srant free freights to books and specimens interchanged 
under the auspices of the Institution. 
With the ports of the rest of the world open to the 
free entry of scientific truth, the continuance on the part 
of Italy, year after year, to withhold from her people this 
right, was long deemed sufficient cause for the suspen- 
sion, by the Institution, of inter-communication in the 
line of transmission of books and specimens. But not 
till three years ago did such suspension take place, and 
then solely because of the great expense to the Institu- 
tion, on account of taxes levied at Italian ports on parcels 
whose contents, while purely of a scientific character, 
were intended as presents to that people, The suspension, 
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