REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 59 



nations, the quantity of publications received has not, with the possible exception 

 of England, compared favorably with the quantity seut. This inequality may per- 

 haps be explained by the fact that no country publishes as liberally as the United 

 States, and hence has fewer duplicate copies to offer in exchange. 



During the past ten years an average of about thirty-five boxes of official publica- 

 tions of the United States (iovernment have beeu forwarded to each of forty-three 

 countries, tlio total number of publications thus sent being 227,400, or an average of 

 5,300 to each Government, while it is estimated that but 43,169 packages have been 

 received from all foreign countries for the Library of Congress during the same 

 period. 



It is hardly equitable to use the above figures in comparison, as the outgoing pub- 

 lications are of actual record, while exchanges from foreign countries are often 

 received in packages containing several pamphlets or volumes, and the actual num- 

 ber of publications can not be ascertained, as the packages are not opened in the 

 exchange bureau, and, furthermore, owing to the crowded condition of the rooms 

 occupied by the Library of Congress the boxes for several years arriving intact have 

 not been opened for inspection and classification pending the removal of the Library 

 to its new building. 



As before mentioned, the entire expense of supporting the Smithsonian exchange 

 service was borne by the Smithsonian fund from 1846 to 1881. The cost of the 

 service for the five years from 1846 to 1850, inclusive, was $1,603. The next year, 

 1851, the expense was materially increased, being $2,010.49. In 1868 it had risen to 

 $4,870.72, and in 1876 to $10,199.10. By the assistance from Congress in appropri- 

 ating $3,000 in aid of the exchange service in 1881, the expense to the Institution was 

 reduced to $7,467.84 for that year. 



Although free freight had been granted by many transportation compauies, both 

 at home and abroad, and duties had been remitted everywhere, and although learned 

 societies throughout the world had cooperated with the Institution to a marked 

 degree, the expense to the Institution to 1881 had aggregated $141,308.96. 



The National Government, although increasing its appropriations from time to 

 time, has not entirely supported the exchange bureau, even in later years. During 

 the period that Congressional appropriations have been effective the Smithsonian 

 lias been compelled to advance from its limited income an aggregate of $45,175.82 

 for the transportation of Government documents, which amount has not been 

 refunded by Congress. 



The rules under which the exchange bureau is conducted provide, in addition to 

 the distribution of official publications of this Government to State libraries of 

 foreign countries, for the forwarding of publications of literary and scientific socie- 

 ties and individuals as donations to correspondents in foreign countries and intended 

 as exchanges, for which like contributions are expected in return. 



N<> reimbursement is exacted from scientific societies, institutions of learning, or 

 individuals when their contributions for foreign distribution are delivered at the 



Institution, d estic charges prepaid. In order to prevent an overtaxation upon the 



resources of the Institution, its Regents in 1878 authorized a charge to the bureaus 

 of the National (iovernment and to State institutions of a part of the expense 

 incurred, both on incoming and outgoing exchanges, and the uniform rate in such 

 instances of 5 cents per pound weight was adopted and has since been maintained. 



Packages whin delivered to duly authorized foreign agents for transmission to 

 the United States are also forwarded without any expense to the contributor, aud 

 upon arrival at the Institution are entered aud forwarded to destination by regis- 

 ter 'I mail under frank. The franking privilege is not only employed in the United 

 Mates, but also in sending packages to Canada and Mexico. 



I'll'- above is in brief an explanation of the method employed in the transmission 

 of exchanges between the United States and foreign countries. The procedure 

 whieh should be invariably pursued by contributors is more particularly illustrated 

 in the following: 



Packages should be enveloped in -tout paper and secured with strong twine, each 



