not now undertake to assume any responsibility beyond that of taking charge of official publications interchanged between the two governments, and of any parcels addressed to scientific individuals and institutions. If the Department of State will instruct the American minister at Paris to serve as agent in these transactions it will be probably an improvement upon the present system which we shall be happy to see carried into effect. I am, very respectfully and truly, your obedient servant, Hon. WM. M. EVARTS, Secretary of State. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 28, 1878. SIB: Referring to yourdetter of the 3d of June last to this Department in relation to the international exchange of works of science, a copy of which was transmitted to our minister at Paris, and by him communicated to Dr. Johnston, the American delegate to the congress for promoting the organization of a more extensive system of such exchanges, I have the honor to inclose herewith, for your consideration, a partial report just received by this Department from Dr. Johnston as to the proceedings of the congress in relation to the subject-matter of this correspondence. I am, sir, your obedient servant, SPENCER F. BAIRD, Esq., F. W. SEWARD, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. PARIS, August 5, 1878. SIR: In reply to your excellency's letter of June 10, addressed to the American minister at Paris, and that of Mr. Baird, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, of June 3, accompanying, both relating to the proposed official organization of a system of international exchanges of works of science, I have the honor, at the request of Mr. Hitt, chargé d'affaires, to again address you on the subject, and to lay before you some other considerations in regard to this scheme. All the governments which are represented by diplomatic agents at Paris, with the exception of England and Germany, which still hold out in order to first see the working of the scheme, have given in their adhesion and agreed to the creation, within the bureaus of their respective foreign secretaries, of an agency, with a special employé, charged with the duty of international exchanges of works of science. It is hoped that an arrangement may be made in regard to the transportation of these exchanges which will reduce the expenses to a mere trifle. Will the Smithsonian Institution, which is already organized for this kind of work, and which has been making exchanges with a certain number of foreign governments for a good many years, assume to do this work, on the more enlarged and more official scale which is now proposed, and enter, as the occasion presents, into direct communication with the different foreign bureaus; or will it demand to do this work through the foreign legations of the United States; or, finally, will it prefer, if the State Department will do this work, to abandon it to the State Department entirely? The foreign bureaus would much prefer, for the sake of simplicity and uniformity in the service, that the work should be done in the United States exactly as it is done here that is to say, by a special bureau established within the State Department. The American legation at Paris would also prefer that the exchange should be made by direct communication through the bureau, rather than through its agency, and it H. Ex. 172-2 is probable that the other European legations, where exchanges are to be made, would also prefer the direct communication. Nevertheless, as regards the Smithsonian Institution, the relations of this Institution to the government, and its superior facilities for this kind of work, are so well known, that in the various meetings of the congress no objection was ever raised to its assimilation with the proposed official bureaus of the different governments. As I bave already had the honor of informing your excellency, the last meeting of the congress was composed, exclusively, with the exception of myself, of official personages, some thirty in number, mostly members of the diplomatic corps; and l ́desire to know of your excellency whether it would not be more appropriate for one of the members of the American legation to assume hereafter the duty of representing the United States in this congress. In view of the fact, however, that there may not be more than one or two more meetings of the congress, I have been requested by the legation to continue to fill the duty of the delegate to the end. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, His Excellency WM. M. EVARTS, Secretary of State. SEPTEMBER 17, 1878. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a communication from the State Department, dated August 28, inclosing a letter from Dr. W. E. Johnston, of the 5th of August, in reference to the participation of the Smithsonian Institution in the system of international exchanges. In reply to the suggestions of the letter referred to, I beg leave to say that the Smith: onian Institution has been engaged for nearly thirty years in the development of its present system of international exchanges, prosecuted almost entirely at the expense of the Smithsonian fund; that it has thoroughly met the needs and wishes of the scientific men of both countries, and that unless there is some assurance that the work can be carried on with equal efficiency under some new arrangement it would be considered inexpedient by the Board of Regents to make any change. If, however, the Government of the United States will undertake the entire expense of the work and its management on a scale that will meet all the requirements, it is very probable that the assent of the Board of Regents can be had to the proposition to transfer it to a new organization, and thus be enabled to devote funds thus released in some other direction. This, of course, according to the letter of Dr. Johnston, would involve the assumption of the labor at least by the State Department, and the securing of the necessary appropriations from Congress for the purpose. If I am informed by the State Department of its readiness to undertake the expense and responsibility attendant upon the assumption of the system of international exchanges in question, I will take pleasure in referring the matter to the Board of Regents for its action. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, SPENCER F. BAIRD, Secretary Smithsonian Institution. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, September 26, 1878. SIR: I have received and carefully considered your letter of the 17th instant, in reply to the letter of this Department of August 28th ultimo, in relation to the international system of exchanges of scientific publications proposed by a conference at Paris, in which the United States is represented by Dr. W. E. Johnston. I quite agree with the opinion expressed through you by the Board. of Regents, that it is inexpedient to make any present change in the admirable and efficient system of literary exchanges with foreign countries inaugurated by the Smithsonian Institution nearly thirty years ago, and since then developed to its present proportions. The letter of Dr. Johnston, of August 5, of which a copy was sent to you with the Department's letter of 28th ultimo, states that the relations of the Smithsonian Institution to this government, and its superior facilities for conducting exchanges of the kind proposed, are so well known, that, in the various meetings of the congress, no objection has been raised to its assimilation with the proposed official bureaus of the different governments. It is believed that there is no obstacle to effecting such an assimilation substantially on the basis of the suggestions contained in your letter of June 3, 1878. The United States minister at Paris has therefore been directed to convey, through Dr. Johuston, to the international conference the opinion of this government, that, so far as its special domestic bureau of exchange is concerned, it is preferable to leave the work with the Smithsonian Institution rather than to replace it by the organization of a new bureau ad hoc in the Department of State, but that no objection is seen to entering into a common arrangement of international exchange, pro- ‹ vided that the operations of the Institution be assimilated with those of the foreign bureau so as to enable it to act as though it were, for the special purpose in view, a bureau of the foreign department of this government. As you make no categorical answer to the inquiry contained in Dr. Johnston's letter of the 5th ultimo, as to whether the Smithsonian Institution will consent "to assume to do this work on the more enlarged and more official scale which is now proposed, and enter, as the occasion presents, into direct communication with the different foreign bureaus, or will it demand to do this work through the foreign legations of the United States," it is inferred that any practical arrangement sanctioned by the conference will meet the approval of the Board of Regents. Mr. Noyes will, therefore, be instructed to advise Dr. Johnston in that sense, and leave the details of assimilation to the deliberation of the conference, inclining, however, if there be no impediment to such a course, to favor the designation of the legations of the United States in foreign countries as the channels of communication between the several foreign bureaus and the Institution, as apparently contemplated in yourletter of the 3d of June last. Any special consideration which you may be disposed to advance on this point, will, nevertheless, receive prompt: attention. I am, şir, your obedient servant, Prof. SPENCER F. BAIRD, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. WM. M. EVARTS. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, October 30, 1878. SIR: I transmit to you herewith a copy of a note received from the minister of Portugal in this country, giving information of the action of the Portuguese Government with reference to exchanges of publications with foreign governments. The Department will communicate to the minister the substance of any statement which may be received from you in relation to the subject. I am, sir, your obedient servant, Prof. SPENCER F. BAIRD, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. F. W. SEWARD, [Inclosure.-Translation.] Note from Viscount Das Nogueiras. LEGATION OF PORTUGAL, Washington, 19th of October, 1878. Mr. MINISTER: I have the honor to inform you that for the purpose of organizing, upon the basis of the geographical congress of Paris in 1875, the service of scientific, literary, and artistic exchanges between Portugal and the foreign nations, and to the end of profiting by the offers already made by different countries of commencing to send to Lisbon several collections of inestimable value, the government of His Most Faithful Majesty has named, in order to provisionally constitute a Portuguese committee of exchanges, the marquis of Souza Holstein, peer of the kingdom, vice inspector of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, member of the central permanent committee of geography, and José Julio Rodrigues, professor to the polytechnic school, chief of the photographic section of the general direction of geodetic works, member of the Royal Academy of Sciences, secretary of the permanent central committee of geography. In making the communication to you, I hope, Mr. Minister, that the persons composing the Portuguese committee will be officially recognized in their relations with the committees of the United States. I profit by this occasion to renew to you the assurance of my high consideration, VISCOUNT DAS NOGUEIRAS. [Subinclosure.] Declaration of the Portuguese Government relative to the establishment of a provisiona commission of international exchanges. MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. In consideration that it is of the greatest importance to organize without delay the service of scientific, literary, and art exchanges between Portugal and foreign countries, although it be only provisionally and until such definite action may be taken as the importance of the subject demands, in conformity with the basis laid down at Paris at the congress of 1875, and in accordance with the negotiations entered upon; In consideration that it is important not to delay the work commenced by His Majesty's government for the purpose of securing for the Portuguese public establishments numerous and valuable elements for study; In consideration that it becomes indispensable to profit by the offers made by several foreign countries which desire to send to Portugal collections of incontestible value: His Majesty the King decrees through the ministry of foreign affairs that the marquis of Souza Holstein, senator, &c., &c., and José Julio Rodrigues, professor at the polytechnic school of Lisbon, &c., &c., be provisionally charged with the organization of the above-named service of scientific, literary, and art exchanges between Portugal and foreign countries, authorizing them to make requisition to the above ministry for what they may need for the perfect accomplishment of the mission which His Majesty has deigned to confide to their zeal and patriotism. Given at the Palace October 28, 1876. JAAO D'ANDRATE CORVO. Countersigned. Ministry of foreign affairs, November 21, 1876. JORGE CESAR DE FIGANIERE. SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, SIR: In acknowledging the receipt of your communication of September 26, concerning the system of international exchanges to be conducted under government auspices by the various nations of the world, I beg to renew the assurance that the Smithsonian Institution will be pleased to enter into any relations of the kind in question that may be authorized by its Board of Regents. The precise form of co-operation on the part of the Institution will probably be deemed by the board as immaterial, provided the result is likely to add to the renown of Mr. Smithson, the founder of the establishment. Whether the parcels that may be on hand for the rest of the world shall be delivered to the foreign legations here, or forwarded through the American legations abroad, is a matter of no special moment. Whatever practicable system may be adopted by the international convention will be duly considered and doubtless adopted by the board. I have also the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a letter of October 30, inclosing a communication from the legation of Portugal, designating a commission in Lisbon to receive and take charge of any future transmissions to that country from the United States. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. WILLIAM M. EVARTS, Secretary of State. SPENCER F. BAIRD, Secretary Smithsonian Institution. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, November 14, 1878. SIR: Your letter of the 7th instant, in relation to the contemplated assimilation of the Smithsonian Institution's system of international exchanges with the international bureau which it is proposed to estab lish in accordance with the conclusions of the Paris congress, has been received. It is a source of gratification to this government to learn the readiness of the Smithsonian Institution to enter into any practicable arrangement which may be made in furtherance of an extended international scheme of exchanges. The details, however, of the proposed arrangement, so far as the other countries are concerned, are but imperfectly known at present, although it is believed that the plan is such that the Smithsonian Institution, in merging its exchange system therein, would not only increase its sphere of operations, but be relieved to a great extent of the trouble and expense involved in transmitting foreign exchanges to this country. At any rate, knowing the great benefits which have accrued and are accruing to scientific effort in all parts of the world through the well-ordered exertions of the Smithsonian, this department would not favor any arrangement which might tend to curtail in any way the comprehensive results now attained. An instruction has been to-day sent to the United States minister at Paris, requesting him to obtain, if possible, precise information as to the working details of the proposed international arrangement, in order that the question whether the Smithsonian plan of exchanges can be thereto assimilated may be understandingly considered. Mr. Noyes |