EEPOET OF THE SECRETARY. 



table exhibits the number of foreign institutions in each country with 

 which the Smithsonian is at present in correspondence: 



Sweden 



19 



Norway 22 



Iceland 2 



Denmark '. 26 



Eussia 154 



Holland , . 65 



Germany 573 



Switzerland 63 



Belgium * 126 



France 190 



Italy 149 



Portugal 20 



Spain 11 



Great Britain and Ireland . . 323 



Greece , 6 



Turkey 



Africa 



Asia 



Australia 



New Zealand . . . 



Polynesia 



South America . . 



West Indies 



Mexico 



Central America 

 British America 

 General . . . 



11 

 IS 

 36 

 26 

 11 



1 

 33 

 11 



8 



1 

 27 



5 



Total 1,937 



During the year, 1,778 packages, containing many thousand different 

 articles, were transmitted to foreign countries. These packages filled 

 108 large boxes, having a cubical content of 772 feet and weighing 

 29,950 pounds. The parcels received at the Institution for parties in 

 this country, in addition to those for the Smithsonian library, numbered 

 3,952. 



As in previous years, the Institution has received important aid from 

 various steamer and railroad lines in the way of free freights, without 

 which the expense of carrying on the system would be far beyond the 

 means at our command. Acknowledgment is again due for the liber- 

 ality of the following companies : Pacific Mail Steamship, Panama Rail- 

 road, Pacific Steam Navigation, New York and Mexican Steamship, 

 New York and Brazilian Line, North German Lloyds, Hamburg Ameri- 

 can Packet, French Transatlantic, Iumau Line, Cunard Line, Anchor 

 Line, Union Pacific Railroad. The Adams . Express Company also 

 continues its liberal policy in regard to freight for the Institution. 



The advantages which result from the international scientific ex- 

 changes have become so apparent that establishments similar in this 

 respect to the Smithsonian are beginning to be formed in different parts 

 of Europe. A central scientific bureau for the Netherlands has been 

 established in Amsterdam, the object of which is to receive and trans- 

 mit packages for different parts of the world, and in this country to 

 co-operate with the Smithsonian Institution. 



The international exchange is not confined alone to the transactions 

 and proceedings of societies, but also includes scientific works of indi- 

 viduals. We frequently receive from persons abroad who can afford 

 the cost, copies of works to be gratuitously distributed among insti- 

 tutions and libraries in this country, and also scientific works from 



