PREFACE. 



The International Catalogue of Scientific Literature, com- 

 mcucing with the literature of the year 1901, is an outgrowth of the 

 Catalogue of Scientijic Papers lelating- to the scientific literature of the 

 nineteeuth century, published by the Royal Society of Ijondon. 



The suggfestiou to catalogue scientific papers may be traced back 

 to Prof. Henry, of Washing'ton, U.S.A., who broug-Jit the subject 

 under the notice of the British Association for the Advancement of 

 Science at its meeting in Glasgow, in 1855. The history of the incep- 

 tion of the enterprise is recorded in the first volume of the Catalogue 

 of Scientific Papers issued by the Royal Sociel}^ in 18(j7. Twelve 

 large quarto volumes have been printed in which the titles of papers 

 published during the period 1800-1883 are arranged under authors' 

 names. A subject index, which will serve as a key to these volumes 

 and also form an independent record, is in an advanced state of 

 preparation. A catalogue of the scientific pai)ers published during the 

 period 1884-1900 is now being prepared by the Koyal Society of 

 London. 



The possibility of preparing a complete index of current scientific 

 literature by international co-operation was first taken into considera- 

 tion by the Royal Society about the year 1893. It had long been 

 apparent that the work was beyond the resources of the Society, or 

 indeed of any single body. Moreover, it was felt that an authors' 

 catalogue could not supply the required information, and that it was 

 essential that scientific workers should be kept fully and quickly 

 informed of all new discoveries by means of complete subject indexes. 

 International co-operation appeared to be the oidy means of carrying 

 out such a work with the necessary completeness and rapidity. The 

 Society therefore sought the opinion of a very large number ot 

 representative bodies and individuals abroad; and, as the replies 

 were almost uniformly in favour of the work being- undertaken 

 by international co-operation, steps were taken to sununon an 

 International Conference of Delegates appointed by various 

 Governments. 



The Conference took place in London on Jul_)- 14-17, 189G, 

 and w^as attended by delegates from Canada, Cape Colony, Denmark, 

 France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, 

 Natal, the Netherlands, New South Wales. New Zealand, Norway, 

 Queensland, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United 

 States. 



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