APPENDIX III. REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES. SIR: I have the honor to. submit the following report of the operations of the International Exchange Service during the year ending June 30, 1905: The system for the interchange of publications between learned institutions and individuals in the United States and those in other countries was inaugurated by the Smithsonian Institution almost at the very beginning, and was maintained at the expense of the private fund of the Institution exclusively from 1850 to 1881, when Congress made a small appropriation to assist in the work. Since that time Congressional appropriations have been made annually, but at no time have they been large enough to provide for the entire expense of the service, the Institution having supplied all other necessary means from its private fund, with the aid of United States departments and bureaus and State institutions, which have been asked to reimburse the Institution, at the uniform rate of 5 cents per pound, for a part of the expense of preparing, boxing, and transporting contributions. The number of packages dispatched during the year was greater than ever before, and, as a record of every package is required, the work has been considerably augmented, but there has been no increase in the clerical force. The offices occupied by the Exchange Service, consisting of five rooms, are in the southeast basement of the Smithsonian building, and are equipped with the necessary folding and sorting tables, bins, file cases, desks, etc. In addition to the customary supplies for general clerical employment, the service requires large quantities of cards, labels, and printed forms. The supplies for packing and shipping are considerable, and so far as practicable are obtained under annual contract. On May 1, 1905, the Institution was informed that the steamship Buteshire, which sailed from New York on November 26, 1904, was subject to general average adjustment on account of fire in the hold of the vessel during the voyage. Twelve cases of international exchanges destined for Australian ports formed a part of the cargo, and in the event that the contents of any of these cases prove to be irreparably damaged they will be replaced by duplicate volumes, if practicable. The following tabular statement shows the weight and number of packages transmitted each month during the year, and also the increase over the previous twelve months in each class of correspondents. The second table is a statement of exchange transmissions during each year since 1898. 53 Tabular statement of the work of the International Exchange Service during the The following table shows the number of packages of exchanges handled and the increase in the number of correspondents each year from 1898 to 1905: 1898-99. 1899-1900, 1900-1. 1901-2. 1902-3. 1903-4. 1904-5. The total number of correspondents has increased from year to year until the aggregate is now 51,880, or 3,808 more than at the conclusion of the fiscal year 1903-4. The correspondents in the United States number 10,599, and those in all other countries 41,281. Of the latter number organized bodies maintaining libraries number 14,018, and those classified as individuals aggregate 27,263. Number of correspondents of the International Exchange Service in each country on June 30, 1905-Continued. All Government publications gratuitously presented to other governments through the International Exchange Service during the year, and similar publications received by the departments and bureaus, are enumerated in the following table. The receipts from abroad show an increase of 4,166 packages, or 25.66 per cent, over the fiscal year 1903-4, while the contributions to other countries diminished to the extent of 9,643, or 12.89 per cent, during the same period. The increase in receipts is particularly gratifying, and is due principally to earnest demands, both by personal solicitation and by letter, for more adequate reciprocal returns; while the diminution in the contributions of United States official publications is attributable largely to the elimination of many correspondents who have not sent an equivalent in their own publications. Statement of United States Government exchanges during the year 1904-5. |