VI 



It was unanimously resolved that it was desirable to compile and 

 publish, by means of an international organisation, a complete 

 Catalogue of Scientific Literature, arranged according both to subject 

 matter and to authors' names, in which regard should be had, in the 

 first instance, to the requirements of scientific investigators, so that 

 these might find out, with a minimum of trouble, what had been 

 published on anj^ particular subject of enquiry. 



It was agreed that the material should, as far as possible, be 

 collected in the various countries by local organisations established 

 for the purpose, and that the final editing and publication of the 

 Catalogue should be entrusted to a Central International Bureau, 

 acting under the direction of an International Council. It was agreed 

 to establish the (-entral Bureau in London. 



Although the question of the method to be adopted in classifying 

 the subject matter of the several sciences was discussed at great 

 length, no decision other than one adverse to the Dewey system was 

 arrived at. The Royal Societ}^ was requested to appoint a Com- 

 mittee to take this and many other questions of detail left undecided 

 by the Conference, into consideration. 



As the result of the arduous labours of this Committee, complete 

 scliedules were prepared for each of the sciences to be catalogued, 

 and a financial statement was also prepared showing the estimated 

 cost of the Catalogue. 



The repojt of the Committee was considered at a second Conference, 

 held in London on October 11-13, 1898, which was attended b}^ 

 accredited representatives from Austria. Belgium, Cape Colony, 

 France, Germany, Hungar}^, India, Japan, Mexico, Natal, the Nether- 

 lands, New Zealand, Norway, Queensland, Sweden, Switzerland the 

 United Kingdom, and the United States. 



At this meeting the conclusions arrived at by the first Conference 

 were generally confirmed, and much progress w^as made in deciding 

 the principles to be adopted in preparing the Catalogue. 



Full schedules for the several sciences, which had been prepared by 

 the Committee of the Royal Society, w^ere laid before the delegates. 

 Ultimately, after prolonged discussion, it was decided to adopt an 

 arbitrai-y combined system of letters, numbers, and other symbols, 

 ada])ted in the case of each branch of science to its particular needs. 

 A Provisional International Committee was appointed to settle 

 authoritatively the details of the schedules. 



The financial position was fully discussed, but no definite conclusions 

 could be arrived at. The delegates attending the meeting were 

 requested to obtain further information on the subject in their respec- 

 tive countries, and to report to the Provisional International Committee. 



The Provisional International Committee met in London on August 

 1-5, 1899. The Committee had arranged for the co-option of an 

 Italian and a Russian member, and M. Th. Koppen attended as the 

 representative of Russia. 



The reports received from various countries were considered. 

 Schedules for the seventeen branches of science to be included in the 

 Catalogue were approved for adoption. The financial position was 

 again very fully considered, especially in relation to the establishment 

 of the Central Bureau ; and it was finally resolved to recommend that 



