INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ***

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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

HELD AT WASHINGTON

FOR THE PURPOSE OF FIXING

A PRIME MERIDIAN

AND

A UNIVERSAL DAY.

OCTOBER, 1884.

PROTOCOLS OF THE PROCEEDINGS.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

GIBSON BROS., PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERS.

1884.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Page

I. Protocol, October 1, 1884 1

II. Protocol, October 2, 1884 13

III. Protocol, October 6, 1884 35

IV. Protocol, October 13, 1884 73

V. Protocol, October 14, 1884 113

VI. Protocol, October 20, 1884 151

VII. Protocol, October 22, 1884 195

VIII. Protocol, November 1, 1884 205

Final Act 199

Act of Congress authorizing the President of the United States to invite the Conference (ANNEX I) 209

Act of Congress making appropriation for expenses (ANNEX II) 209

Circular to United States representatives abroad bringing the subject to the attention of foreign governments (ANNEX III) 210

Circular to United States ministers extending invitation to foreign governments (ANNEX IV) 211

International Meridian Conference

HELD IN THE

CITY OF WASHINGTON.

I.

SESSION OF OCTOBER 1, 1884.

The Delegates to the International Meridian Conference, who assembled in Washington upon invitation addressed by the Government of the United States to all nations holding diplomatic relations with it, "for the purpose of fixing upon a meridian proper to be employed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time-reckoning throughout the globe," held their first conference to-day, October 1, 1884, in the Diplomatic Hall of the Department of State.

The following delegates were present:

On behalf of Austria-Hungary--

Baron IGNATZ VON SCHÆFFER, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.

On behalf of Brazil--

Dr. LUIZ CRULS, _Director of the Imperial Observatory of Rio Janeiro_.

On behalf of Colombia--

Commodore S. R. FRANKLIN, _U. S. Navy_, _Superintendent U. S. Naval Observatory_.

On behalf of Costa Rica--

Mr. JUAN FRANCISCO ECHEVERRIA, _Civil Engineer_.

On behalf of France--

Mr. A. LEFAIVRE, _Minister Plenipotentiary and Consul-General_. Mr. JANSSEN, _of the Institute_, _Director of the Physical Observatory of Paris_.

On behalf of Germany--

Baron H. VON ALVENSLEBEN, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.

On behalf of Great Britain--

Captain Sir F. J. O. EVANS, _Royal Navy_.

Prof. J. C. ADAMS, _Director of the Cambridge Observatory_.

Lieut.-General STRACHEY, _Member of the Council of India_.

Mr. SANDFORD FLEMING, _Representing the Dominion of Canada_.

On behalf of Guatemala--

M. MILES ROCK, _President of the Boundary Commission_.

On behalf of Hawaii--

Hon. W. D. ALEXANDER, _Surveyor-General_.

Hon. LUTHER AHOLO, _Privy Counsellor_.

On behalf of Italy--

Count ALBERT DE FORESTA, _First Secretary of Legation_.

On behalf of Japan--

Professor KIKUCHI, _Dean of the Scientific Dep't of the University of Tokio_.

On behalf of Mexico--

Mr. LEANDRO FERNANDEZ, _Civil Engineer_. Mr. ANGEL ANGUIANO, _Director of the National Observatory of Mexico_.

On behalf of Paraguay--

Captain JOHN STEWART, _Consul-General_.

On behalf of Russia--

Mr. C. DE STRUVE, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_. Major-General STEBNITZKI, _Imperial Russian Staff_. Mr. J. DE KOLOGRIVOFF, _Conseiller d'État actuel_.

On behalf of San Domingo--

Mr. M. DE J. GALVAN, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.

On behalf of Salvador--

Mr. ANTONIO BATRES, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.

On behalf of Spain,

Mr. JUAN VALERA, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_. Mr. EMILIO RUIZ DEL ARBOL, _Naval Attaché to the Spanish Legation_. Mr. JUAN PASTORIN, _Officer of the Navy_.

On behalf of Sweden--

Count CARL LEWENHAUPT, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.

On behalf of Switzerland--

Colonel EMILE FREY, _Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.

On behalf of the United States--

Rear-Admiral C. R. P. RODGERS, _U. S. Navy_.

Mr. LEWIS M. RUTHERFURD.

Mr. W. F. ALLEN, _Secretary Railway Time Conventions_.

Commander W. T. SAMPSON, _U. S. Navy_.

Professor CLEVELAND ABBE, _U. S. Signal Office_.

On behalf of Venezuela--

Señor Dr. A. M. SOTELDO, _Chargé d'Affaires_.

The following delegates were not present:

On behalf of Chili--

Mr. FRANCISCO VIDAL GORMAS, _Director of the Hydrographic Office_.

Mr. ALVARO BIANCHI TUPPER, _Assistant Director_.

On