these undertakings are still in progress, it has been realized that the commission's work in this direction has been chiefly accomplished, at least for the present. It has therefore seemed fitting that attention should be directed to the practical problems of archive administration.

From the very first the commission has sought to call public attention to the neglected condition of much of the archive material under Federal, State, and local jurisdiction, and to use its influence to promote legislation for the more adequate care of public archives. Through its influence, either directly or indirectly exerted, much has been accomplished. As was pointed out at the first of these conferences three years ago, it is a noteworthy fact that in the years during which the commission has been in existence, more has been done by the States in this direction than ever before. Furthermore, as is known, at the present time a hopeful movement for a national archive building is receiving the hearty support of this association, the crying need for which has been so ably presented in the recent article by Secretary Leland in the October number of the American Historical Review. Much more still remains to be done in the matter of legislation and the commission stands ready to lend its support to any intelligent movement in any part of the country to accomplish the desired end

While not forgetful of these avenues of activity, the commission in its effort to render further service, especially of a practical nature, established three years since the conference of archivists. Realizing that we in this country, as it has been truly said, are but "in the infancy of the science of the care of archives" and that we could profit much by the experience of other countries, at the first conference, a series of papers were presented calling attention to the lessons that could be learned from six different foreign countries that had had large experience in dealing with considerable bodies of archives, as well as a lucid presentation of the archival problems of this country. Two years ago the conference considered the reports of some of its delegates to the International Congress of Archivists, which was held at Brussels in the summer of 1910, and the valuable practical suggestions there presented which were applicable to the American situation, as also the discussion of such problems as "The Concentration of Archives," "What Material Should Go into the Archives," and "The Methods Employed in Several States in the Administration of State Archives." Last year the conference was led by the disastrous fires at the State capitols of New York and Missouri, to emphasize a primary and most fundamental matter, namely, the importance of the safeguarding of collections of archives from the danger of loss by fire or other causes, a lesson that can not be too frequently or too emphatically repeated until all the public archives

of this country, whether under the jurisdiction of Federal, State, or local administration, are properly housed in buildings or depositories which are proof against destruction by fire.

To-day this conference will direct its attention to the consideration of a series of problems of a most practical bearing, with a view, if possible, of preparing a manual or guide which will furnish persons charged with the custody of public documents just the kind of information that will be of the greatest service in aiding them to cope with and successfully solve the problems that confront them in their daily task. If the American Historical Association can, through its commission and these conferences, promote the preparation and publication of such a manual, we believe that it will do more to develop "a more rational and scientific treatment" of archive material throughout the land than by any other possible means.

The chairman was followed by Mr. Gaillard Hunt, of the Library of Congress, who gave an informal report on the archives of the Government outside of the District of Columbia. His information, he said, had been gathered as the result of an Executive order of July 19, 1912, calling upon officials not located within the District of Columbia to report to the Librarian of Congress concerning the records in their custody. The most important of these Federal records are those of the embassies and legations in foreign countries. In each case these are mainly in six series: Instructions to diplomatic agent; records of dispatches sent by the agent; records of notes delivered to the Government to which the agent is accredited; notes received from the said Government; consular correspondence; miscellaneous. The archives of the legations have never suffered from fire, and very few have suffered from climatic conditions. In general they are kept in bound volumes, and facilities are afforded for historical research. Little use for official purposes is made of the records prior to 1873. The archives of the embassy in England date from 1828. Many of the earlier diplomatic agents carried their records away with them as personal property. Much interesting material is to be found in these archives. In those of Sweden, for example, there is a considerable body of correspondence with Decatur; in Morocco are letters of David Humphreys, on the paying of tribute, and correspondence with Garibaldi about 1850. In Liberia there is a great amount of material relating to the slave trade, while in Colombia is to be found much correspondence of about 1834 relating to the canal, and in Venezuela there is material of 1849 respecting British encroachments on the eastern boundary. The local post offices are said to have no archives. The record of appointments is kept in the State Department. No report has been received on the external archives of the Navy Department, while the archives of the various offices under the War Department, out

side of Washington, had all been reported as useless. Under the Department of Commerce and Labor should be mentioned the records of the various lighthouse stations and the offices of the steamboat inspectors. Thirty-nine field offices of the Indian Service have records prior to 1873. In the Treasury Department the principal groups of archives are to be found in the assay offices, the mints, the offices of special agents, and the customhouses. The customs archives are probably the most important historically, and they exist in great quantity. Some of them have been transferred to the Library of Congress. Only one Federal port, that at Hartford, has preserved its records from its organization.

After Mr. Hunt's remarks, papers were read by Messrs. Victor H. Paltsits, W. G. Leland, and Dunbar Rowland.

PLAN AND SCOPE OF A "MANUAL OF ARCHIVAL ECONOMY FOR THE USE OF AMERICAN ARCHIVISTS."

Presented by VICTOR HUGO PALTSITS, chairman of the subcommittee.

At the first annual conference of archivists, held under the auspices of the public archives commission in New York City on December 30, 1909, Mr. Waldo G. Leland presented an introductory paper on "American Archival Problems," which ended with the following suggestions: "In the development of American archives, in the evolution of archival economy, this conference and those that are to follow should play a most important part. By the discussion of common problems and the comparison of experiences sound principles adapted to American conditions may be worked out. In time we may be able to prepare a manual of archive practice similar to that of the Dutch archivists." 2

Dr. Ames, the chairman of the conference, adverting to this idea of Mr. Leland, said: "It has been suggested that it may be possible, as a result of this and of similar conferences, which it is hoped will follow, to collect sufficient data relating to such subjects as the classification, indexing, calendaring, methods of filing, repairing, and mounting of manuscript documents, and other incidental problems, to make possible the preparation of a manual or guide for archivists." 3 In the paper of Mr. Leland, already cited, he expressed the hope that our conferences "and the investigations to be carried on in connection therewith" would be the means of laying "the foundation of an archive economy, sound in principle, and in practice adapted to American conditions, in conformity to which all our public archives, Federal, State, county, municipal, and town, and perhaps even our private archives, shall in time come to be administered."

Immediately after the third annual conference of archivists-held in December of last year (1911), at Buffalo, in conjunction with the twenty-seventh annual meeting of the association-a special meeting of the public archives commission took place, at which Chairman Ames was authorized to proceed with arrangements looking

1 Amer. Hist. Assoc., "Annual Report," 1909, 342–348.

2 "Handleiding," etc., by Muller, Feith, and Fruin, translated and adapted into German (1905) as "Anleitung zum Ordnen und Beschreiben von Archiven"; into French (1910) as "Manuel pour le Classement et la Description des Archives" (The Hague, A. de Jager); and more recently into Italian. Amer. Hist. Assoc., "Annual Report," 1909, 341.

toward the preparation of a manual. In March, 1912, Mr. Paltsits submitted to the chairman a tentative outline of a plan for a manual, which, as a working basis, met with general favor from those to whom it was submitted. Dr. Ames invited Mr. Paltsits to serve as chairman of a subcommittee of the commission for the purpose of focusing attention upon the preparation of a manual, which resulted in a conference between them in Philadelphia on May 8, when the organization of the personnel of the subcommittee was discussed. It was deemed wise to operate through a small subcommittee, at least in the preparatory stage, and one whose members could easily meet as often as necessary at a point convenient to each. This subcommittee consists of three members-Messrs. Leland, Ames, and Paltsits. Several conferences have been held by them at the University of Pennsylvania, as Philadelphia proved to be the most central point.

In presenting the first report on behalf of the subcommittee, I have the honor to call to your attention the following tentative outline of the plan and scope of a "Manual of Archival Economy for the Use of American Archivists," which has also been circularized in a limited issue in connection with the present meeting, viz.:

(1) Introduction.

(2) Archives in Relation to Government.

(3) Adaptation of Archives to Public Uses.

(4) Legislation for Archives.

(5) Sites and Plans for the Construction of Archival Buildings.

(6) Fixtures, Furniture, and Fittings: Shelving and Accessories.

(7) Heating, Ventilation, Lighting, and Cleaning.

(8) Fires, Protection, Insurance.

(9) Administration: Rules and Regulations.

(10) Organization of Staff and other Employees.

(11) Accessions: Methods.

(12) Cataloguing: Indexes, Inventories, Calendars, Guides.

(13) Classification: Systematization and Notation.

(14) Binding, Repairing, and Restoration.

(15) Stationery, Record Paper, Record Inks, and Typewriter Record Ribbons: Standards.

(16) Inter-loan Methods with Officials and Departments.

(17) Publication: Copying, Editing, Printing, Reproduction by Photography and Processes; Preparation and Contents of Administration Reports.

(18) Archival Museums and Exhibitions.

(19) List of Principal Works and Articles relating to the Administration and Use of Archives.

(20) Good Index to the Manual.

We do not presume to present to you a definitive plan of archival economy. In this domain there is no finished product anywhere. The problems are so great and are attended by so many checks and pitfalls that ideals are to be attained only through incessant endeavor in the ever present school of experience. Nor should it be believed