Institution not merely at an abatement, but without charge; and thus generously enabled the Institution to maintain the growing magnitude of the operations, when otherwise the system must have broken down by its own weight. At a meeting of the board of regents, on the 8th of March, 1856, it wasResolved, That the secretary on the part of the regents of the Smithsonian Institution, return thanks to the United States Mail Steamship Company, M. O. Roberts, presi. dent; Pacific Mail Steamship Company, W. H. Aspinwall, president; South American Mail Steamship Company, Don Juan Matteson, president; Mexican Gulf Steamship Comp ny, Harris & Morgan, agents; and the Panama Railroad Company, David Hoadley, president, for their liberality and generous offices in relation to the transportation without charge of articles connected with the operations of the Institution. In the secretary's report for 1867, he says: "The system has now attained a great development and increases measurably every year. The expenses hitherto have been principally borne by the Institution, but their amount has now become so great as seriously to interfere with other operations. The expenses of the Smithsonian exchanges would be considerably greater than they are, but for the liberality of various transportation companies in carrying packages free of cost." The line of sailing vessels between New York and the west coast of South America, belonging to Mr. Bartlett, 110 Wall street, also engaged to carry all the Chilian exchanges free of charge. In the course of the year 1858, Hon. Mr. R. Schleiden, the minister resident of Bremen, offered his service in trying to procure for the Smithsonian the advantage of free or reduced freight on exchanges for the port of Bremen. His success is announced in the following letter: BREMEN LEGATION, Washington, January 25, 1859. SIR: Agreeably to your verbal request I have proposed to the president and directors of the North German Lloyd of Bremen to manifest their interest in the cause of science by facilitating literary intercourse between the United States and Germany, by means of their steamers plying between Bremen and New York. It affords me great pleasure now to inform you that, according to a letter of the president of the Lloyd, dated the 5th instant, and just received, the said Bremen Steamship Company have resolved, henceforth and until further notice, to forward by their steamers all the packages of books and specimens of natural history which the Smithsonian Institution may be pleased to send to Germany, or which may be sent from Germany to the Smithsonian Institution, free of charges between New York and Bremer Haven. I beg leave to add that Messrs Gelpcke, Kentgen, and Reichelt, 84 Broadway, New York, are the agents of the North German Lloyd at that place, and that the next Bremen steamer sailing for Europe will leave New York on the 19th of February next. I avail myself of this occasion to offer you renewed assurances of my high consideration. Prof. JOSEPH HENRY, • Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. R. SCHLEIDEN, Minister Resident of Bremen. The following resolution was adopted by the Board of Regents February 15, 1859: Resolved, That the thanks of this board be returned to his excellency R. Schleiden, minister resident of Bremen, for his intervention with the "North German Lloyd of Bremen," to facilitate and advance the cause of science by transporting, free of charge, &c., packages of books and specimens of natural history from Germany to the Smithsonian Institution, and from the Institution to Germany, and the like thanks to the president and directors of the North German Lloyd of Bremen for their generous liberality in the instance above referred to. On the 16th of February, 1860, Professor Henry addressed a letter to Mr. Edward Cunard, of the steamship line running between New York and Liverpool, in reply to which the following letter was received, which was laid before the Board of Regents at their meeting on March 17, 1860: NEW YORK, February 25, 1860. DEAR SIR: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 16th istant, and, in reply, I beg to inform you that I shall have much pleasure in conveying in our steamers from New York to Liverpool, every fortnight, one or more cases from the Smithsonian Institution to the extent of half a ton or 20 cubic feet measurement. The cases to be addressed to your agent in Liverpool, or to his care. The arrange ment of free cases is intended only to apply to those shipped by you from this side of the water. Your obedient servant, Prof. JOSEPH HENRY, E. CUNARD. Secretary Smithsonian Institution. At the same meeting of the regents it was Resolved, That the thanks of the Board of Regents are hereby given to the varions companies and individuals who have generously aided in advancing the objects of the Smithsonian Institution and the promotion of science, by the facilities they have afforded in the transportation of books, specimens, &c., free of charge. In the next year, 1851, in response to an application by Professor Henry, another concession of free freight was granted by the Hamburg American Packet Company, in the following communication: HAMBURG AMERICAN PACKET COMPANY, New York, October 21, 1861. DEAR SIR: In reply to your favor of October 18, we beg to state that we shall be most happy to accommodate the Smithsonian Institution in furthering the wishes you express, and take on freight, free of charge, any packages which you desire to ship, be they specimens of natural history, books, or other articles desired to be forwarded to Germany or the continent of Europe, irrespective of bulk. Very respectfully, yours, Prof. J. HENRY, Secretary Smithsonian Institution. KUNHARDT & CO. At a meeting of the Board of Regents held May 1, 1862, it was Resolved, That the thanks of the Board of Regents be presented to the Hamburg American Packet Company for their liberal co-operation in assisting to advance the objects of this Institution. Without detailing the successive acquiescence of different companies in this liberal and most praiseworthy movement, it is sufficient to mention that the following great transportation lines now grant free freight to the Smithsonian packages. Anchor Steamship Company (Handerson & Bros., agents), New York. Atlas Steamship Company (Pim, Forwood & Co., agents), New York. Bland, Thomas, New York. Cameron (R. W. & Co.), New York. Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (L. D. Bébian, agent), New York. Cunard Royal Mail Steamship Line (Vernon Brown & Co., agents), New York. Dallett, Boulton & Co., New York. Denison, Thomas, New York. Hamburg American Packet Company (Kunhardt & Co., agents), New York, Netherlands American Steam Navigation Company (H. Cazeaux, agent), New York. North German Lloyd Steamship Company (agents, Oelrichs & Co., New York, Schnmacher & Co., Baltimore). Pacific Mail Steamship Company, New York. Red Star Line (Peter Wright & Sons, agents), New York. White Cross Line (Funch, Edye & Co., agents), New York. In addition to these companies, the consuls for their respective countries have consented to forward the Smithsonian exchanges as follows: Argentine Republic.-Consul-General Carlos Carranza, New York. Brazil.-Vice-Consul Charles Mackall, Baltimore. Cuba.-Consul-General Hipolito De Uriarte, New York. Denmark.-Consul-General Henrick Braem, New York. Ecuador.-Consul Francis Spies, New York. Greece.-Consul D. W. Botassi, New York. Guatemala.-Consul Jacob Baez, New York. Spain.-Consul-General Hipolito De Uriarte, New York. Switzerland.-Consul-General Von Heymann, Bremen, Germany. In the special work of foreign distribution of memoirs and packages sent abroad, the establishment of various agencies in the principal capitals, of course, became necessary. The same agencies were also employed as centers for the collection of returned pablications designed to be sent to the Institution. In the Smithsonian report for 1878 it was announced that Of late years in certain countries these labors have been materially lightened by a portion of the exchange being undertaken by some learned society, or by the gov erument. These, being constituted S nithsonian agents in their respective countries, receive whatever may be sent them for distribution, collect the returns and transmit them, thus giving to the Institution the benefit of an intelligent superintendence of the work. The first of these organizations was that established some years ago by the University of Christiania, Norway, and by Holland in the patronage of the Scientific Bureau at Harlem under the efficient supervision of Dr. E. H. Von Baumhauer. During the past year a similar organization has been effected for Belgium, and it is hoped that their number will continue to increase. Even now, without any formal arrangement to that effect, the Academies of Science of Stockholm, of Copenhagen, of Madrid, and of Milan, discharge the services of agents of the Institution for their respective countries.” CENTERS OF DISTRIBUTION. Argentine Republic.-Museo Publico, Buenos Ayres. Bavaria.-Dr. Felix Flügel, Leipzig. Belgium.-Commission Belge d'Echange Internationaux, Brussels. Brazil.-Commission of International Exchange, Rio Janeiro. British Guiana.-Observatory, Georgetown. Canada.-McGill College, Montreal; Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa. Chili.-Universidad, Santiago. China.-United States consul-general, Shanghai. Costa Rica.-Universidad, San José. Denmark.-K. D. Videnskabernes Selskab, Copenhagen. East Indies.-William Wesley, London, England. Ecuador.-Observatorio, Quito. Egypt.-Institut Egyptien, Cairo. Finland.-F. A. Brockhaus, Leipzig, Germany. France.-Commission Française des Echanges Internationaux, Paris. Germany. Dr. Felix Flügel, Leipzig. Great Britain.-William Wesley, London. Greece.-Bibliothèque Nationale, Athens. Guatemala.-Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais, Guatemala. Hayti.-Secretaire d'Etat des Rélations Extérieures, Port-au-Prince. Iceland.-Islands Stiptisbokasafn, Reykjavik. Italy.-Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele, Rome. Japan. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tokio. Liberia.-Liberia College, Monrovia. Merico.-El Museo Nacional, Mexico. Netherlands.-Bureau Scientifique Néerlandais, Harlem. Netherlands India.-Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschappen, Batavia, Java. New Caledonia.-Gordon and Gotch, London, England. New South Wales. -Royal Society of New South Wales, Sydney. New Zealand.-Colonial Museum, Wellington. Norway.-K. N. Frederiks Universitet, Christiania. Philippine Islands.-Royal Economical Society, Manila. Polynesia.-Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society, Honolulu. Portugal.-Escola Polytechnica, Lisbon. Prussia.-Dr. Felix Flügel, Leipzig. Queensland.-Government Meteorological Observatory, Brisbane. Russia.-Commission Russe des Echanges Internationaux, St. Petersburg. St. Helena.-William Wesley, London, England. South Australia.-Astronomical Observatory, Adelaide. Strait Settlements.-William Wesley, London, England. U. S. Colombia.-University of Antioquia, Medelin. Victoria.-Public Library, Melbourne. Würtemberg.—Dr. Felix Flügel, Leipzig, Germany. A tabular statement of the yearly amount of matter sent abroad by the Institution from the commencement of its operations to the end of the last year, 1881, following this, will show the progress, extent, and condition of its foreign exchanges. As a brief and condensed summary, it may be stated that at the end of the first ten years of the H. Ex. 172- -4 existence of the system (closing with 1860) the total weight of matter sent abroad during that period amounted to 145,979 pounds, and that the cost of the same to the Institution was $22,989.29; the weight sent during the second decade (closing with 1870) was 221,713 pounds, at a cost of $32,398.84; and that the weight sent during the third decade (closing with 1880) was 570,571 pounds, at a cost of $78,453.01. Notwithstanding the remarkable liberality with which the exertions of the Institu tion have been aided by the great transportation companies at home and abroad, the co-operation of learned societies, and the remission of duties and custom-house expenses by all nations, the actual cost of these international exchanges to the Smithsonian fund has reached for the last five or six years to fully one-fourth of its entire income. And this annual expenditure the Regents of the Institution do not feel justified in increasing or even continuing in the future. *The apparent reduction of expense for the last year (1881) is due to an appropriation of $3,000 allowed by Congress in aid of the government exchanges. It thus lappears that the average expense of the International Exchanges for the last six years has exceeded $10,000 per annum. |