vention, but I am inclined to believe that these countries would enter into a special agreement to exchange their parliamentary documents with the United States, so that it is desirable that at least twelve sets of documents be made available for distribution.

I beg leave to inclose herewith a copy of my letter of February 26, 1889, addressed to the Department of State, together with a copy of the convention especially mentioned. I would also refer you to Senate Ex. Doc. No. 139, Fiftieth Congress, second session, and to joint resolution No. 49 (Report No. 327), Fifty-first Congress, first session. This joint resolution passed the Senate on January 22, 1890, but it was not acted upon by the House of Representatives.

Should you see fit to bring this matter again before Congress I would suggest no change in the form of the proposed legislation, except that in the last line of the joint resolution the appropriation should be "expended under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution," in order to conform to all other appropriations now made to the Institution.

In conclusion, permit me to express my appreciation of your interest in this matter. Though no formal action appears to have been taken by the Governments adhering to the treaty, a full compliance with its terms would undoubtedly be of advantage to this country, and in any event it seems to be most desirable that our own country should comply strictly with the terms of its agreement.

I have the honor to be, sir,

Hon. RICHARD OLNEY,

Secretary of State.

S. P. LANGLEY, Secretary.

Resolved, etc., That for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of the convention between the United States of America, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Servia, and Spain, concluded at Brussels March 15, 1886, and ratified by the President July 19, 1888, the Public Printer is hereby authorized to supply to the international exchange office, with due promptness, a sufficient number of public documents; and that, to meet the additional expense entailed for clerk hire and postage, the sum of $2,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

EXCHANGE (IMMEDIATE) OF OFFICIAL JOURNALS, ETC.

Convention between the United States of America, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Servia, and Spain for the immediate exchange of the official journals, parliamentary annals, and documents. Concluded at Brussels March 15, 1886. Ratification advised by the Senate June 18, 1888. Ratified by the President July 19, 1888. Ratifications exchanged January 14, 1889. Proclaimed January 15, 1889.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas a convention to assure the immediate exchange of the official journal, as well as of the parliamentary annals and documents of the States adhering thereto was concluded and signed at Brussels, Belgium, on the 15th day of March, 1886, by

the Plenipotentiaries of the United States of America, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Portugal and the Algarves, Servia, and Spain, which Convention, being in the French language, is word for word as follows:

des documents officiels et des publications scientifiques et littéraires, les Gouvernements respectifs s'engagent à faire expédier aux chambres législatives de chaque Etat contractant, au fur & à mesure de leur publication, un exemplaire du journal officiel, ainsi que des annales & des documents parlementaires livrés à la publicité.

ARTICLE II.

Les Etats qui n'ont pas pris part à la présente Convention sont admis à y adhérer sur leur demande.

Cette adhésion sera notifiée, par la voie diplomatique au Gouvernement belge et par ce Gouvernement à tous les autres Etats Signataires.

ARTICLE III.

La présente Convention sera ratifiée et les ratifications seront échangées à Bruxelles aussitôt que faire se pourra. Elle est conclue pour dix ans, à partir du jour de l'échange des ratifications et elle continuera à subsister au delà de ce délai tant que l'un des Gouvernements n'aura pas déclaré six mois à l'avance qu'il y renonce.

En foi de quoi, les Plénipotentiaires respectifs l'ont signée et y ont apposé leurs cachets.

Fait à Bruxelles en sept exemplaires, le 15 Mars, 1886.

[SEAL] LAMBERT TREE
[SEAL] PR. DE CARAMAN
[SEAL] CH'V'LIER D. MOREAU
[SEAL] DE VILLENEUVE
[SEAL] JOSÉ MA. DE TAVIRA
[SEAL] MAFFEI

[SEAL] B'ON DE SANT' ANNA
[SEAL] J. MARINOVITCH.

change of official documents and of scientific and literary publications, the respective Governments undertake to have transmitted to the legislative chambers of each contracting State, as fast as their publication, a copy of the Official Journal, as well as of the parliamentary Annals and Documents, which are given publicity.

ARTICLE II.

The States which have not taken part in the present Convention are admitted to adhere thereto on their request.

This adhesion will be notified diplomatically to the Belgian Government, and by that Government to all the other signatory States.

ARTICLE III.

The present Convention will be ratified and the ratifications will be exchanged at Brussels as soon as practicable. It is concluded for ten years from the day of the exchange of the ratifications and it wil remain in force beyond that time, so long as one of the Governments shall not have declared six months in advance that it renounces it.

In witness whereof, the respective Plenpotentiaries have signed it, and have thereunto affixed their seals.

Done at Brussels, in seven copies the 15th of March, 1886.

[L. S.] LAMBERT TREE

[L. S.] PR. DE CARAMAN

[L. S.] CH'V'LIER D. MOREAU
[L. S.] CTE. DE VILLENEUVE
[L. S.] JOSÉ MA. DE TAVIRA
[L. S.] MAFFEI

[L. S.] B'ON DE SANT' ANNA
[L. S.] J. MARINOVITCH

And whereas the Plenipotentiary of the United States of America did, on the 17th day of November, 1888, deposit the President's ratification of the said Convention with His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium, for delivery to the Plenipotentiaries of the other signatory States, on the occasion of their re-assembling to exchange the ratifications of the said Convention;

And whereas the Plenipotentiaries of the several Contracting Parties did, on the 14th day of January, 1889, exchange the ratifications of the said Convention:

Now, therefore, be it known that I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this 15th day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundred and thirteenth.

For the expenses of the system of international exchanges between the United States and foreign countries, under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, including salaries or compensation of all necessary employees, $23,000.

NOTE.-An appropriation of $19,000 is now made to the Smithsonian Institution for international exchanges. The present estimate of $23,000 is intended to improve the facilities for prompt delivery of exchange packages and to provide for the fulfillment of the Brussels treaty, concluded March 15, 1886, and proclaimed January 15, 1889, providing for the immediate exchange of parliamentary documents, an appropriation of $2,000 for which was recommended in a letter from the Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Treasury, embodied in H. Doc. No. 114, Fifty-fourth Congress, first session, but which has not been made effective.

Patent Office: Foreign exchanges, and transporting patents and other publications, $2,000.

NOTE.-By the act of July 31, 1886, the appropriation for the Scientific Library and for expense of transporting publications of patents to foreign governments were consolidated. Prior to this $3,000 was appropriated for the library and $2,000 for transportation expenses, but under this act only $3,000 was appropriated for both purposes. The appropriation for each should be distinct and separate. The Patent Office is frequently compelled to decline valuable foreign exchanges because of insufficient appropriation to pay transportation. Many of these foreign publications would be of great value in the examination of pending applications, and the necessary funds should be furnished this office to enable it to accept such of these foreign exchanges as are required for its work.

INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES-APPROPRIATIONS.

Legislative, executive, and judicial act for 1897.

May 28, 1896.

Library of Congress: For

* * *

8 [assistant librarians] at $1,400 each, one of whom shall be in charge of international exchanges.

For expenses of exchanging public documents for the publications

of foreign governments, $1,500.

[This pays one clerk at $900 and one clerk at $600.]

(Stat., XXIX, 146.)

Naval Observatory: For repairs [etc.], freight (including transmis

sion of public documents through the Smithsonian exchange), foreign postage, and expressage, and all contingent expenses,

$2,500.

(Stat., XXIX, 166.)

*

*

Patent Office: For purchase of professional and scientific books and expenses of transporting publications of patents issued by the Patent Office to foreign governments, $2,000.

(Stat., XXIX, 170.)

June 11, 1896.

Sundry civil act for 1897.

For expenses of the system of international exchanges between the United States and foreign countries, under the direction of the Smithsonian Institution, including salaries or compensation of all necessary employees, $19,000.

(Stat., XXIX, 425.)

Geological Survey: For the purchase of necessary books for the library, and the payment for the transmission of public documents through the Smithsonian exchange, $2,000.

(Stat., XXIX, 436.)

War Department: For the transportation of reports and maps to foreign countries through the Smithsonian Institution, $100.

(Stat., XXIX, 444.)

February 19, 1897.

Legislative, executive, and judicial act for 1898.

Library of Congress: For expenses of exchanging public documents for the publications of foreign governments, $1,500.

[This pays one clerk at $900 and one clerk at $600.]

(Stat., XXIX, 545.)

*

Naval Observatory: For repairs to buildings, fixtures, freight (including transmission of public documents through the Smithsonian exchange), foreign postage, and expressage, * * * and all contingent expenses, $2,500.

(Stat., XXIX, 565.)

Patent Office: For purchase of professional and scientific books and expenses of transporting publications of patents issued by the Patent Office to foreign governments, $3,000.

(Stat., XXIX, 569.)