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etre, 
FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS, 1895-1897. 1701 
January 6, 1896—House. 
Letter from the Acting Secretary of the Treasury (Doc. No. 114). 
’ TreasuRY DEPARTMENT, 
January 3, 1896. 
Str: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration 
of Congress, copy of a communication from the Secretary of State 
dated December 30, 1895, submitting an estimate of appropriation in 
the sum of $2,000 to carry into effect the provisions of the convention 
between the United States of America, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portu- 
gal, Servia, and Spain, concluded at Brussels March 15, 1886, provid- 
ing for the immediate exchange of public documents. 
Respectfully, yours, 
S. Wixn, Acting Secretary. 
The SPEAKER OF THE Housk or REPRESENTATIVES. 
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 
Washington, December 30, 1895. 
Srer: I have the honor to bring to your attention copies of two notes 
from the Austro-Hungarian minister, dated April 3 and October 29, 
1895, respectively. They relate to the request of his Government that 
the acts of Congress be sent directly to the House of Deputies instead 
of through the Smithsonian Institution. 
Copies of these notes were sent to the Secretary of that Institution. 
The correspondence that ensued disclosed the fact that the want of an 
appropriation by Congress prevented that Institution from carrying 
out the provisions of the convention concluded at Brussels March 15, 
1886, providing for the ‘‘immediate exchange of official journals, par- 
liamentary annals, and documents.” 
In reply to a request from this Department as to the amount thought 
necessary to effect that object, I herewith inclose a copy of a letter of 
the 18th instant from Mr. §. P. Langley, Secretary of the Smithsonian 
Institution, fixing the amount at $2,000, as heretofore recommended, 
and citing especially Senate Ex. Doc. No. 139, Fiftieth Congress, sec- 
ond session, a copy of which, for convenience of reference, I herewith 
inclose. 
That document contains a proposed joint resolution to meet the 
object Mr. Langley has in view. The only suggested change therein 
1s that in its last line the appropriation should read ‘*be expended 
under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution,” in order to con- 
form to all other appropriations now made to that. Institution. 
I urge that this correspondence be brought to. the attention of Con- 
gress to the end that an appropriation of $2,000 may be made at the 
present session to enable the Smithsonian Institution to carry into 
