REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 25 



service, and it is not included here. It is, however, necessary that a 

 reasonable provision for the special transmission by express of belated 

 packages from Washington to New York and for the payment of post- 

 age on a certain limited number, mostly small and far remote destina- 

 tions, which can be forwarded more advantageously by the mail, with 

 some minor but needed matters, should be made, and this will add not 

 over $1,000, making the $3,000 estimated for. 



With a view to improving the service and establishing more inti- 

 mate relations with the correspondents of the Institution, who have so 

 generously cooperated in its advancement, the chief clerk was instructed 

 to personally visit, in the autumn of 1897, the exchange agencies at 

 Brussels, Leipzig, Vienna, Budapest, Paris, and London. The work 

 accomplished was highly satisfactory, and resulted not only in making 

 many useful changes, but also in bringing about a closer relationship, 

 especially with those bureaus abroad which are conducted and sup- 

 ported by Government. 



The exchange territory represented for many years by the agent of 

 the Institution at Leipzig has included not only Germany, but Austria- 

 Hungary and the Balkan countries as well. The constantly increasing 

 demands upon this agency has made it necessary to readjust its func- 

 tions, and as a consequence new agents have been appointed at Vienna 

 and Budapest. While the necessary additional expenditure on account 

 of the new agencies will be considerable, the advantage to the service 

 will more than compensate for the increase. 



The service provides for the forwarding of United States official 

 publications to distributing centers abroad and for their systematic 

 delivery to specific addresses ; for transmitting the reports and memoirs 

 of institutions and individuals of this country to their correspondents 

 in other parts of the world, and for the transmission to and delivery 

 in the United States of similar publications in exchange, even from 

 remote parts of civilization. 



For defraying the expense of this service during the past year there 

 were available resources aggregating $25,193.53, of which amount 

 $19,000 were appropriated by Congress and $6,193.53 were derived 

 from repayments at the rate of 5 cents per pound on the exchanges of 

 Government bureaus and State institutions, this being a partial reim- 

 bursement of the expense incurred for packing, transportation, and 

 clerical work. 



In my last report I stated that exchange relations were suspended 

 with Turkey, Greece, and Cuba, and I regret to say that even now the 

 Institution is awaiting the consummation of arrangements with the first 

 two countries named. An agency had been established in Havana just 

 prior to the blockading of that port by the United States fleet, and 

 it will doubtless be reestablished at an early date. Owing to restric- 

 tions placed upon all intercourse with Spain and her colonies during 



