REPORT OP THE SECRETARY. Ill 



was elected chairman and he has ever since been prominently identi- 

 fied with the affairs of the catalogue. 



To obtain international cooperation the committee caused over 

 200 letters to be sent to institutions and societies throughout the 

 world and in 1895 a special meeting was called to confer with Prof. 

 Alexander Agassiz, who advised that an international conference be 

 called in 1896. 



In the report of the committee it was stated " that in no single 

 case was any doubt expressed as to the extreme value of the work 

 contemplated," and " that the matter had been taken up in a most 

 cordial manner by the Smithsonian Institution, the secretary of 

 which, in his reply, refers to the desirability of a catalogue of the 

 kind suggested as being so obvious that the work commends itself 

 at once.'- 



Three international conferences were held in London (1896, 1898, 

 and 1900), and as a result the publication of the catalogue was under- 

 taken. 



It may be noted that among the prominent delegates attending 

 these conferences (not including those before mentioned, as members 

 of the Committee of the Royal Society) were Sir Norman Lockyer, 

 Prof. H. Poincare, Prof. Simon Newcomb, Dr. John S. Billings, 

 Eight Hon. Sir. John E. Gorst, and Prof. Van't Hoff. On the ad- 

 vice of these and other prominent men the catalogue was begun. 



The value of the catalogue is shown by the following resolution 

 adopted 10 years after the publication was begun by the represen- 

 tatives of the countries participating in the work : 



That in view of the success already achieved by the International Catalogue 

 of Scientific Literature and the great importance of the objects promoted by 

 it, it is imperative to continue the publication of the catalogue at least dur- 

 ing the period 1911-15 and on recommendation of the International Council 

 during the subsequent five years 1916-20. (The International Council of the 

 catalogue has subsequently voted to extend the work during the period 1916-20. ) 



This convention was presided over by Sir Archibald Geikie, then 

 president of the Royal Society, and had among its members repre- 

 sentatives from all of the principal countries of the world. 



These men were thoroughly familiar with the service of the cata- 

 logue to the scientific men in their respective countries and voted 

 unanimously to continue the work on account of the value and 

 success achieved by it. 

 Respectfully submitted. 



Leonard C. Gunnell, 



Assistant in Charge. 

 Dr. Charles D. Wal,cott, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



