Appendix III. 



REPORT ON THE INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES. 



Sib : I have the honor to submit the following report on the operations of 

 the International Exchanges during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907 : 



The Exchange Service, whose existence is almost coeval with that of the 

 Institution, was originally designed for the purpose of exchanging Smithsonian 

 publications for those of learned societies and universities. Through the action 

 of Congress and a treaty negotiated with various foreign countries, to which 

 many nations have since adhered, it has become an important international 

 agency for the exchange of governmental, scientific, and literary publications, 

 and is intended to benefit institutions in this country and abroad, serving as one 

 of the most important means for carrying out a fundamental purpose of the 

 Institution, " the diffusion of knowledge among men." 



The service conducts its operations on behalf of all branches of this Gov- 

 ernment, and reciprocally receives the cooperation of most of the Departments 

 and Bureaus at Washington. I desire, however, especially to mention the 

 valued cooperation of the Department of State, which unfailingly, when 

 requested, takes action, through our representatives abroad, on behalf of the 

 service ; and of the Treasury Department, which, by its instructions to collectors 

 of customs, greatly facilitates the exchange work. 



Its operations have been zealously carried on during the year by the experi- 

 enced staff that has been gathered together. Details of the regular work are 

 given below, to a considerable extent in tabular form, but before proceeding 

 to them certain exceptional matters are briefly discussed. 



The amount appropriated by Congress for the expenses of the service during 

 the fiscal year 1907 was $28,800, and the sum collected on account of repay- 

 ments during the same period was .$4,568.25, making the total available re- 

 sources for carrying on the system of International Exchanges $33,368.25. 



The estimate submitted to Congress for conducting the service during the 

 year 1908 was $32,200. an increase of $3,400 over the current appropriation. 

 It is gratifying to state that this amount has been allowed. 



The improvements and changes in the electric wires which furnish light for 

 the Exchange Service, referred to in the last report, have been completed. The 

 wires were placed in metal pipes, and the liability of fire from this source is 

 now reduced to a minimum. The appearance of the office rooms has been much 

 improved by the painting of the walls, woodwork, and floors, and the hanging 

 of new shades. 



When it is considered that nearly 2,000 boxes have been shipped during the 

 year to every quarter of the globe, the statement that the service has not 

 suffered the loss of any of its consignments is noteworthy. 



A close supervision has been kept over entries of foreign consignments of 

 books at the Georgetown custom-house and over the auction sales of all the 

 principal ports of the United States, in order to prevent, if possible, the going 

 astray of exchanges from abroad which are not properly addressed, and which, 

 therefore, fail to reach the Smithsonian Institution. During the past year 



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