Foreign Service Classification
Most of the records filed at Foreign Service posts are arranged by post, thereunder by year, and thereunder by a Department of State foreign service post decimal classification scheme, and they often duplicate the records filed in the Central File of the State Department.

For the 1910-1948 period listed below are some decimal numbers that may be useful to researchers:

350       Property rights (as against the Government)
500       International congresses and conferences. International treaties.
631       Trade Relations.
710       Political Relations.
711       War, Peace, Friendship, Alliance
711.1    Neutrality. Duties of neutrals.
711.2    Neutral commerce. Contraband of war. Blockade.
711.3    Enemy Property. Trading with Enemy.
800       Political Affairs.
801       Government.
802       Executive Departments.
814.2    Red Cross
820       Military Affairs.
830       Naval Affairs.
840       Social Matters.
840.1    People
840.3    Fine Arts.
848       Calamities, Disasters.
850       Economic Matters.
850.3    Capital.
850.31   Investment of Capital.
851       Financial conditions.
851.5    Coinage, Currency, Counterfeiting.
851.51   Exchange
851.6    Banks. Banking.
851.7    Exchanges.
852       Land.
854       Intellectual and Industrial Property.
860       Industrial Matters.
860.2    Monopolies, Concessions, Contracts.
863       Mines, Mining, Mine Products.
863.4    Precious Metals.
863.5    Base Metals.
863.6    Coal, Petroleum.
867.4    Jewelry, Gold and Silverware. Clocks and Watches, Antiques.
877       Railways.
879.6    Aerial Navigation.
885       Merchant Vessels.
888       Foreign Carrying Trade.
891       Press.
On January 1, 1949 a new decimal filing system was developed. Below are some pertinent file numbers:
300       Political and governmental affairs-General
310       International conferences and organizations
320       International political relations
321.3    Economic Warfare
321.6    War Crimes and War Criminals
500       Economic matters
500.5    Insurance
501.6    Banks
510       Trade relations
Copies of the two file manuals (1910-1948 and 1949- ) are located in the consultation area in Room 2600 and may be used by researchers to assist them in identifying specific file numbers.
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