Miscellaneous. 



550 



[December, 1910. 



THE COMMERCIAL MUSEUM, 

 PHILADELPHIA. 



(Continued , from p. 455.) 



During the winter, free public lectures 

 are given frequently in the Museum 

 Lecture Hall. The subject is usually- 

 one of the important countries of the 

 world, aud the lecture gives a general 

 idea of the country and its inhabitants, 

 emphasising especially the products and 

 industries that make it important com- 

 mercially. Other lectures take up the 

 history, development and present im- 

 portance of commercial products. The 

 accurately-colored lantern slides with 

 which the lectures are illustrated double 

 the interest aud instructiveness. The 

 lectures are always well attended. 



Similar lectures are loaned free to 

 schools in all parts of Pennsylvania. 

 Tbe lectures are typewritten and the 

 slides carefully packed up and shipped 

 to any teacher requesting them. These 

 loan lectures are becoming extremely 

 popular and are carrying the educational 

 work of the Museum into the remotest 

 country villages. Simple lanterns and 

 screens are loaned with the slides, and 

 thus rural schools are enjoying freely 

 to-day facilities for teaching geography 

 and commerce which a few years ago 

 were beyond the reach of the most 

 favored educational institutions. The 

 wide-reaching importance of this lecture 

 work is almost impossible to estimate. 



To make the Bureau of Information 

 and Foreign Trade Department, which 

 is one of the most important features, a 

 department of real value, it was, of 

 course, essential to make the proper 

 connections throughout the world. For 

 this purpose special agents, members of 

 the Museum staff, men trained in foreign 

 trade and thoroughly familiar with the 

 needs and conditions of the manu- 

 facturers here, were sent abroad to 

 study conditions and arrange for corres- 

 pondents as well as to make the acquain- 

 tance personally of the heads of some 

 of the leading importing houses in 

 foreign countries, 



As a result of the connections made, 

 the Bureau of Information is now in 

 frequent correspondence with close to 

 tour hundred trade organisations a broad. 

 In more than that many cities special 

 correspondents are constantly keeping 

 the Museums informed on topics per- 

 tinent to the affairs of the institution. 

 Besides, in almost every quarter of the 

 globe, facilities permit of the securing of 

 information which is invaluable. 



In connection with the Commercial Mu- 

 seum there has been built up what is 

 probably the most complete library of 

 its kind in the world, containing more 

 than 50,000 volumes, the titles embracing 

 every kind of subject bearing on trade, 

 industry, and resources of this and 

 foreign lands. Many books of travel 

 bring to the knowledge of the investi- 

 gator information relative to customs 

 among peoples who might easily become 

 profitable customers, were they catered 

 to in a manner suitable to their needs 

 aud requirements. In some out-of-the- 

 way places of the world, business has 

 not infrequently been conducted which 

 netted considerable profit, aud where 

 the explorer and intrepid pioneer have 

 often pointed the way, the commercial 

 traveller has followed to very good 

 advantage. 



The library is in regular I'eceipt of 

 official trade statistics from countries 

 issuing such publications. Then there 

 are the consular reports, sent by the 

 American representatives abroad to the 

 Washington Government, and reports 

 of a similar nature prepared by the 

 consuls of other nations, primarily for 

 the use of their home offices. The collec- 

 tion of business directories from foreign 

 and home cities is a valuable acquisition. 

 In order to answer the numerous in- 

 quiries constantly received from foreign 

 houses desirous of establishing trade 

 relations with American manufacturers, 

 the library is consulted continually by 

 the members of the staff. The inquiries 

 cover a remarkable range of subjects, 

 including requests for information touch- 

 ing trade possibilities and conditions, 

 special requirements, tariffs, shipping 

 routes and rates, methods of packing 

 goods for export, advice in the establish- 

 ment of agencies and assistance in 

 securing the firms best suited for 

 handling American goods. This library, 

 the most valuable special collection 

 existing in its particular line, is free and 

 open daily to the public. 



The collections of raw products are of 

 great value in answering requests for in- 

 formation in regard to the identity, 

 source, and value of supplies for manu- 

 facturers and in giving information as 

 to the best and cheapest materials to 

 use in certain work. Samples of oils, 

 fibres and similar articles are often 

 submitted to manufacturers for experi- 

 mental purposes, 



The department of translation is an 

 important feature of the Bureau. For 

 the convenience of carrying on their 

 foreign correspondence, hundreds of 

 manufacturers utilise this service which 

 is complete in every detail. Not only 



