54 ANNUAL KEPOKT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION^ 1908. 



of most gratifying ackuowledgments have been received from varions depart- 

 ments of tlie Government regarding tliis new worli. 



Tlie transmission of packages has been much more prompt during the past 

 twelve months than during any like period in the history of the service. The 

 increased efficiency that this indicates is due in great measure to the practice 

 inaugurated during the year of making shipments to all countries at least once 

 a month. In carrying out this plan it has been necessary to expend consider- 

 ably more for freight and postage than during previous years, but as the good 

 results have been so obvious frequent shipments will continue to be made so 

 long as the appropriations permit of the extra expense. 



A communication was received during the year from the Russian Commission 

 of International Exchanges, requesting, on behalf of the Library Commission of 

 the Douma, that the United States Government enter into an exchange of par- 

 liamentary publications with Russia. The matter was taken up with the Libra- 

 rian of Congress, and while it was considered that the exchange would be a most 

 desirable one, in the absence of legislation setting apart a copy of the Congres- 

 sional Record for this purpose permanent arrangements could not at once be 

 made. The Librarian of Congress, however, succeeded in obtaining a copy of 

 the Record for this purpose, and the interchange of parliamentary publications 

 was entered into with Russia in March. As such information as the Congres- 

 sional Record contains would be of moi'e value if received without delay, send- 

 ings were made directly by mail, and this practice will be followed in the future. 



It may be added in this connection that the French Chamber of Deputies has 

 also made a request, through the Department of State, for the exchange of 

 parliamentary documents, and that the matter was communicated to Congress 

 by the department during the last session. No action was taken, however, 

 though it is understood that the subject will be given consideration at a future 

 date. 



At the time the convention for the exchange of official documents and scien- 

 tific and literary publications was entered into at Brussels, in 188G, an agree- 

 ment was also made between the United States and several other countries for 

 the immediate exchange of official journals, etc., but in the absence of the nec- 

 essary legislation by Congress no steps have been taken by the Institution to 

 carry this agreement into effect. As the subject has now been brought to the 

 attention of Congress, a sufficient number of copies of the Congressional Record 

 may be set aside for this purpose. I recommend, however, that the Smith- 

 sonian Institution seek to execute this agreement by legislation. 



The Kingdom of Servia, which was one of the signatories to the Brussels con- 

 vention of 1S86, has never established a bureau of exchanges, and it has been 

 necessary to forward transmission's to correspondents in that country through 

 some other medium. Article I of the convention provides that each of the con- 

 tracting States shall designate an office to take charge of the exchanges, and 

 with a view to having such a bureau established in Servia the good offices 

 of the Department of State have been solicited in bringing the matter to the 

 attention of the Servian officials. While the number of publications at present 

 exchanged between the United States and Servia is not large, it is hoped that 

 if Servia will designate some office to take charge of the work it will result in 

 a fuller interchange of publications between the two countries. 



The arrangement of details concerning the shipment of a full set of govern- 

 ment documents to China having finally been perfected, the first consignment, 

 consisting of 16 cases, was, under date of February 20, 1908, forwarded to the 

 American-Chinese publication exchange department of the Shanghai bureau of 

 foreign affairs— the depository designated by the Government of China. It is 

 most gratifying to the Institution that after so many years of almost constant 

 endeavor on its part this interchange of documents has at last been effected. 



