Show I Y I t in J ji i 0 1N11PNAFIONA UNCL99J ot XCIMG UNCLE CS UIt 5 GA T LT MY SURE LI l 2Ij fTfl t y i t I t e 11 I ra I r A JIWlZY JNIPI Drr 07INP4RAAL7701YAZ XPXAIYG J 12 2ff I r rfRJafJJ1rTJNJrirurwIN cIgJxnyGron Uncle Sam Is doing his best at the I dissemination of literature Ho Is at 1j the head of a mighty International oook exchange which annually handles about 200000 packages of books ag grcgatiug halt a million pounds In weight and which aro distributed to all parts of tho globe It is tho governments gov-ernments clearing house for official and scientific literature and Is known la tho international exchange system or tho Smithsonian exchanges Most of tho shipments made contain full sets of United States government iocumcntH for authorized depositories and the balance consist of departmental depart-mental and other publications for miscellaneous correspondents The lists of Smithsonian exchange correspondents corre-spondents Include about 00000 separate sepa-rate addresses Those gures furnish some Idea of tho largo scope of operation of a system sys-tem which outside tho scientific and academic world Is not generally known Dr Cyrus Adlor assistant secretary of tho Smithsonian Institution t lion In charge of the library and exchangeR ex-changeR explained recently tho purpose pur-pose and work of this International literary lit-erary clearing house The exchange service ho said Is almost as old as tho Institution Itself It was originally designed for tho purpose pur-pose of exchanging Smithsonian publications pub-lications for those of oilier learned societies so-cieties and faculties Through tho action ac-tion of congress and through a treaty negotiated with various foreign countries coun-tries to which many nations have since adhered It has become an Important Im-portant International agency for tho a l exchange of governmental scientific and literary publications It is devised 1 iIIJ to benefit the institutions in this country t coun-try and abroad serving as ono of the I most Important means for carrying t l out the fundamental purpose of tho Institution t d In-stitution the increase add diffusion of 4 knowledge among mon It is through this system that the j original documents reports of scientific rI scien-tific experiments official transactions t of societies governmental publications and like productions aro sent to tho II armies and kindred Institutions of the world at a great saving of labor and expense Instead of each society association as-sociation or academy sending documents docu-ments to a thousand others a constant jii circulation Is maintained through tho hiY medium of the Smithsonian Institution Institu-tion a Tho operation of an official exchange ex-change bureau of this sort gains the benefits of centralized effort When I boxes and packages are properly I stamped by the Smithsonian Institution k Institu-tion and marked International Exchanges S Ex-changes customs Inspection Is 1 waived For a long time many steamship steam-ship lines went so far as to provide free transportation on all packages t of Smithsonian exchanges Further privileges such as tho waiving of certain cer-tain consular fees on bills of lading arc enjoyed by the exchange system making It altogether of great service ° not only to tho government which supports sup-ports it but to its citizens us well The government appropriation available avail-able for tills service during tho present p pres-ent year Is 32000 The Idea of an International liter I ary exchange system Is not new It was first permanently established 70 years ago by H Aloxandro Vattemare of Paris As early as 1G31 I however > how-ever tho royal library of Franco 1 authorized by King Louis XIV conducted con-ducted an International exchange for several years and tho American Philosophical Phil-osophical society founded In 1740 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences founded In 17SO at the beginning of tho nineteenth century cen-tury traded their proceedings and transactions for those of foreign sclen tic societies Mr Vattcmaros efforts ef-forts began In 1SI2 when he succeeded succeed-ed In Interesting many learned men of Europe In his plans In 1S93 he visited visit-ed tho United States and obtained the indorsement of many leading Americans Ameri-cans among them Washington Irving Joel It Polnsett then secretary of war Gullan C Vorplanck and also the governments of a number of cities On his second visit to this country ho was designated as the agent of tho Library Li-brary of Congress to conduct the exchange ex-change system established between France and tho United States The National institute of this country coun-try In 1840 set up a similar International Interna-tional exchange of natural history specimens Although the Smithsonian exchange system had no direct connection con-nection with those established between be-tween national governments by M Vattomarc It soon superseded all other oth-er plans for international exchanges The Institution was founded In 1S4G for tho Increase and diffusion of knowledgQ among men To further the second term of this bequest tho I Jlrst vnlumo of tho Smithsonian Dup i a f lications on the ancient monuments of the Mississippi valley by Squler and Davis was Issued In 1848 and distributed In this country and abroad Tho germs of the present exchange system are evident In tho words of the first secretary Joseph Henry who wrote as early as 1832 The worth and Importance of the Institution aro not to bo estimated by what It accumulates within the walls of Its building but by what It sends forth to tho world Its great mission Is to facilitate tho use of all the Implements Im-plements of research and to diffuse knowledge which this use may develop de-velop Tho Smithsonian publications arc sent to some institutions abroad and to tho great majority of those at home without any return receipt sawn In some cases that of cooperation coopera-tion In meteorological and other observations ob-servations As now conducted the rules for tho control of the exchange service provide pro-vide In addition to the distribution of the United States government publications publica-tions to foreign libraries for tho distribution dis-tribution abroad of books pamphlets charts and other printed matter sent as gifts or exchanges from literary and scientific societies or individuals to correspondents abroad without expense ex-pense to the sender beyond that of delivery de-livery to tho Smithsonian institution in Washington No charge is made to tho receiver except In some instances in-stances tho cost of delivery from tho Smithsonian agent or correspondent nearest to him Similar material sent from abroad to this country is forwarded for-warded to the recipient without ex pnnso to him tho packages having been delivered free of freight charges to tho foreign agent or correspondent of tlm Institution Tho International exchange service has now grown to huge proportions Three paid agencies abroad are maintained main-tained In London in Lelpslc and In Budapest The shipments sent abroad by the Smithsonian exchange service Include practically every organized community in the world from Ireland to South Africa They are made in uniform packages or boxes and shipments ship-ments to smaller communities are sent whenever enough material has accumulated accu-mulated to warrant Its transmission To larger agencies the service Is weekly To Franco In 1907 went 1G3 boxes and 12061 packages to Great Britain and Ireland 308 boxes and 20 213 packages and similar amounts to other largo agencies supplying In all nearly GOOOO correspondents In return re-turn Franco sent 4687 packages of books Great Britain and Ireland 7 937 British America 309 and so on It may bo seen from tho larger figures fig-ures on tho shipment side that the United States government Is moro generous than any other nation In the matter of publishing and giving away literature of a scientific and an tines tlonal nature The exchange service Is limited tc voluntary contributions from recog nlzcd societies institutions or faculties facul-ties The United States does not undertake un-dertake to ship freo of charge books purchased In different countries not scientific apparatus nor Instruments The exchanges are still administered for tho samo purpose as at their beginning begin-ning for the diffusion of knowledge among men |