United States Congressional Serial Set Volume 3333 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ...to show to visitors, and it would be deserted if it did not, from time to time, draw attention to some novel article introduced from a foreign market. It is these new articles that the museum seeks from the consuls. Fortunately, the department of information and the library continue to attract visitors independently of the department of patents, which has the largest patronage. Information concerning public decisions in foreign countries is not sufficiently complete to constitute a special branch, but the managers of the museum are striving to give it the desired extension. On the whole, the credit balances are used for the improvement of the existing departments or for the creation of new branches. Still the credit balances at the disposition of the museum are not important, consisting only of the annual subsidy granted by the chamber of commerce, which is not more than 10,000 marks $2,380, and in the uncertain cooperation of the city of Frankfort, the rate of which varies, but never amounts to more than 4,000 or 5,000 marks $952 to $1,190. This maximum sum of 15,000 marks (18,750 francs) $3,570 must suffice for all expenses--the personnel and maintenance of material and the collections and library. The Government furnishes gratuitously the documents in its possession. The personnel is limited to four persons, and the heaviest duty is that of the director, who, besides, has another situation. It has not been possible to learn the exact number of visitors, which is not limited. The director states that the museum is of real service to export manufactures and trade in that region. The commercial museum of Frankfort has a different and distinct character from that of Brussels. It is official by reason of the patronage of the Government and...