ADMINISTRATION-REPORT 1902-03 _ IV — 



were it only from practical considerations, one was obliged to think of this division 

 of labour on account of the wide extent of the sphere of work. 



The working out of a general programme and the rational accomplishment 

 of an international division of labour could not be realised however, without a 

 central institution to act as intermediary. It w-as therefore agreed, even at the first 

 conference, that the establishment of a permanent central institution was one of 

 the things to be recommended to the participating states. This resolution was 

 extended at the second (Christiania) conference so as to include under the measures 

 recommended, the institution of a central laboratory, whose special function should 

 be to control the apparatus and to insure uniformity of methods. 



Consent of the All the states represented at the conferences of Stockholm and Christiania 



in the'^Proje™ decided between May 1901 and May 1902, to take part in the work projected ât 

 the conferences; and the parliament of each state voted the means for the prose- 

 cution of its own division of the work as well as the annual contribution to the 

 central institution. 



The governments of Germany, Holland, Norway and Sweden, and the senate 

 of Finland accepted the Christiania programme, inclusive of the period of participation 

 recommended. As a preliminary contribution the Danish Government voted a sum 

 for three years, on the understanding that when this period had expired, they 

 would take into consideration whether the results so far achieved would justify a 

 further contribution from the parliament for the continuance of the investigations. 

 The English Goverument expressed its agreement with the five years programme 

 but limited the necessary funds for disposal to a period of three years; at the same 

 time it reserved the possibility of continuing to take part in the work on the term- 

 ination of this period. Russia included the sum for its contribution towards the 

 support of the central institution and central laboratory in its budget for 1902 

 and 1903. 



Belgium, whose representatives had taken part in the Christania conference 

 of 1901 as guests, also agreed to participate in the work in February 1903. 



The final step The Danish Government, being made cognisant of the final resolutions of 



Government ^^^ participating statcs , then took steps to remove the last difficulty which stood 

 in the way of the international investigations. At the Stockholm and Christiania 

 conferences it had been agreed that the management of the international coope- 

 ration should be entrusted to an International Council, and that each of the 



