KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 15 



essays (included in his published scientific writings), with a view to the 

 publication of a cheap popular edition of this treatise. In the belief 

 that such a republication would be in the interests of science and it» 

 wider diffusion, permission to use the plates was readily granted. 



A. similar request was made by Dr. George EL Horn, of Philadelphia^ 

 who, as joint author with the late Dr. John L. Le Conte of a work of GOO 

 pages on the "Classification of the Coleoptera of North America" (pub- 

 lished by the Institution in 1883, and now out of print), desired the use 

 of the stereotype plates, from which to print an edition of the book. 

 This request was also favorably entertained, and the privilege sought 

 was conceded. 



The Eighth International Congress of Orientalists, appointed to be 

 held at Stockholm and at Christiania, in September, 1889, solicited 

 through its officers the co-operation of the Smithsonian Institution. In 

 furtherance of its laudable aims the Institution undertook to print and 

 distribute in this country 1,000 copies of its circular of announcement 

 and information. 



In compliance with the request of Mr. Sylvester Baxter, secretary of 

 the Hemenway Expedition of exploration, the privilege of the Smith- 

 sonian exchange system was granted for the distribution of the report 

 of the expedition, giving an account of its researches in the Southwest. 



These various allowances are believed to be in the spirit of the Smith- 

 sonian foundation, and of its ancient maxim — " Co-operation, rather than 

 rivalry or monopoly." 



Storage of the Smithsonian Stereotype Plates. — The stereotype plates of 

 the Smithsonian publications now constitute a very large collection, 

 and as the printing of the works had been done in various cities, as 

 appeared most economical or convenient, a considerable portion of this 

 material had been stored in Boston, and especially in Philadelphia. 

 As the fire-proof renovation of the eastern portion of the Smithsonian 

 building furnished a safe and suitable depository in the basement rooms, 

 these plates have now all been collected within its store-rooms. 



THE SMITHSONIAN EXCHANGE SYSTEM. 



The international exchange system was established early in the 

 history of the Institution, at first purely as a channel for the interchange 

 of scientific publications and specimens, and therefore as a direct means 

 for " the diffusion of knowledge," a means which has proved to be a 

 great benefit to the scientific institutions of the world, and incidentally 

 to Congress in building up the unequalled collection of works of refer- 

 ence deposited in its Library. 



Of late years, however, the Government, having assumed the charge 

 of this system, has made the Institution its agent not only for this 

 scientific distribution but for the much larger distribution of the publi- 

 cations of the United States Government abroad, and also for the re- 

 ceipt and transmission to the Library of Congress of the publications 



