Appendix III. 

 REPORT ON THE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES. 



Sie: I have the honor to submit a report on the operations of the Interna- 

 tional Exchange Service during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909. 



The most noteworthy event in connection with the service during the year 

 was the passage of the following resolution : 



Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States 

 of America in Congress assembled, That for the purpose of more fully carrying 

 into effect the provisions of the convention concluded at Brussels on March 

 fifteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-six, and proclaimed by the President on 

 January fifteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-nine, the Public Printer is hereby 

 authorized and directed to supply to the Library of Congress such number as 

 may be required, not exceeding one hundred copies, of the daily issue of the 

 Congressional Record for distribution, through the Smithsonian Institution, to 

 the legislative chambers of such foreign governments as may agree to send to 

 the United States current copies of their parliamentary record or like publica- 

 tion, such documents, when received, to be deposited in the Library of Con- 

 gress. (Approved March 4, 1909.) 



Though the Smithsonian Institution has endeavored on previous occasions to 

 have the Congress set aside a number of copies of the daily Congressional Record 

 for exchange with foreign governments, it has only now been possible to have 

 the matter favorably acted upon — twenty years having elapsed since the rati- 

 fication by this Government of the Brussels convention for the immediate ex- 

 change of the official journal. 



Upon the passage of the above resolution, the Congressional Record was at 

 once sent to the following countries, the parliaments of which already transmit 

 their official journal to the Library of Congress or bave agreed to do so : 



Australia. i Greece. Portugal. 



Austria. Guatemala. Roumania. 



Belgium. Honduras. Russia. 



Brazil. Hungary. Servia. 



Canada. Italy. I Spain. 



Cuba. New South Wales. i Switzerland. 



France. Prussia. j Uruguay. 



The subject has been brought to the attention of other countries, and it is 

 anticipated that during the coming year this proposed exchange, which is of so 

 much importance to the members of the various national legislatures, will be 

 entered into with a number of additional governments. It should be stated, in 

 this connection, that the exchange here alluded to is separate and distinct from 

 the exchange of official documents which has existed between the United States 

 and other countries for a number of years. It is interparliamentary, and pro- 

 vides for the immediate transmission, direct by mail, of the official journal as 

 soon as published. 



That the Smithsonian system of exchanges is appreciated by governmental 

 and scientific establishments and men of learning throughout the world is indi- 

 cated by the large number of packages intrusted to its care for distribution. 



49 



