The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-03-05
WASHINGTON NOTES

The Congressional library, now the
third in point .of size in the world
contained 1,4S3,S4S books and pam
phlets and some 100000 other articles
at the close OF the last fiscal year. Tho
net gain in miscellaneous books and
pamphlets during the year was 1901
The most notable single acquisition
not included In the count-was tbs
celebrated Yudin library Of works on
Kassia and Siberia. Though nominal
Iy purchase. THIS collection Of over
10000 volumes was practically a gift
to the library, since the owner parted
with 1t for little more than one-third
the sum expended In gathering II.
Addition to Library.
The purchase Is considered note.
worthy as an indication of the broad
ening scope Of the library and Its Ii.
ereasing value to scholars There is
no other collection on Russia and 81.
IBERIA OF such size IN America. and per.
haps none so valuable in Europe out.
side OF Russia. 1t is rich In local bis.
tory, ethnology and institutional his
tory. The material includes certain
manuscript records of the early Rus
sian settlements ID Alaska
Another important acquisition is q
collection OF 1000 works on Japan,
mainly In the japanese language. The
books and manuscripts were selected
in Japan by Professor Asakawa OF
Yale, whose purpose was to secure
good working collection for the student
of Japanese literature, history and in
situations.
Important Gifts.
Among the important gifts were the
Shoemaker and She Kaufman collec-
tons and valuable manuscripts and
papers of the period Of Washington,
Jefferson, Madison and Monroe by be-
quest from j. Henley Smith. Other
gifts and purchases of especial value.
including collection Of forty-six rare
books and 11s prints presented By
Mrs. Ridgely Hunt are also listed.
valuabIs Manuscripts.
The reports Of the various divisions
are summarized. while that OF the
division is printed in ex-
tense as an appendix. In this field
among the notable additions by gift I
were the letters Of Justice John Nc
Lean of the supreme court, the pa
Ders Of Chaplain Joseph C. Thomas of
he Christian commission In the civil
var. two Revolutionary orderly books,
series Of twenty-five papers relating
o the trial Of Colonel Thomas Butler
and thirty-two letters addressed to
Cyrus ". Field The purchases IN
Guided the letters Of Judge Joseph
Holt of Washington and Of Governor
William Plumer Of New Hampshire,
he papers Of Edward Mcpherson. 800
etters OF Thaddeus Stevens and many
lther items of interest. Under the
aw of 1908 the Pickett papers tdiplo-
matte records Of the Confederate
itates) were transferred to the library
rom the treasury department and In
eresting Confederate and other rec
rus from the Postoince department
Increase In Documents.
The division Of documents shows an
Increase Of so per cent in the number
{ volumes and pamphlets handled.
be total being 33,426 Special atten-
ion has been given IN the past year
Q developing the collections OF for
ign documents by obtaining the vol.
mes necessary to complete sets fn
be library. The report contains a list
{ the countries with which nterna- I
Ional exchange relations have been
established.
Among the special collections to
ahlch large additions we're made dur
% the year IS the maps division.
mich now has total OF 100000 /
ieces. the music division. which now I