Fune 18, 1885 ] 
NATURE 
149 
In the meantime a conventional position had been 
arranged for the island of Ferro, In fact, at the beginning 
of the seventeenth century our geographer Delisle is found 
placing the meridian of the island of Ferro on his maps 
20° W. from Paris 
The grand geographical idea of Richelieu was, accord- 
ingly, not maintained in its integrity. Paris, in fact, gave 
the point of departure. 
Delisle was a geographer of very great merit, and 
accomplished a real reform in the science by always 
seeking to establish astronomical determinations as the 
basis of geography. Delisle and d’Anville placed France 
in the seventeenth century in the front rank in geography. 
Be it added that, while France had thus an undisputed 
superiority in geography, she at the same time took the 
initiative in inventing hydrographic methods, and produc- 
ing the most beautiful hydrographic works, as I had occa- 
sion to call to remembrance at the Congress. 
In thus speaking of the labours of France shall we not 
be allowed to recall our present activity in the branches 
which engage us? I shall say but a word in passing. But 
in fine, are we not accomplishing great things even at the 
present day? The creation of the port of Rochelle, estab- 
lished on new and profound scientific principles; the 
geodetic junction of Spain and Africa; the great geodetic 
labours of France resumed; the publication of the 
astronomical and nautical ephemerides, the most com- 
plete and perfect in existence ; the fair series of determi- 
nations of longitude of high precision; undertaken under 
the auspices of the Bureau of Longitudes; those sublime | 
cosmogonical theories which are being elaborated at this 
very moment ; finally, and without pissing beyond the | 
domain of geography, let us not forget the great enterprises 
of our president, who everywhere vindicates the genius 
of France, and whom age seems to spare in the interest of 
our glory—have we not inall that a sum of sterling sub- 
stance, and is it not proper to call it to mind at a moment 
when every one is putting his claims forward ? 
These preliminary explanations made, we may now, 
with your permission, address ourselves to an analysis of 
the labours of the Washington Congress. 
This Congress, assembled by the zeal of the United 
States Government, was formed by the diplomatic and 
scientific representatives of the different States invited. It 
was officially charged with the task of studying the 
question of a universal meridian and of cosmopolitan 
time, and of formulating propositions, which, it is true, 
were not to be binding on the Governments represented, 
but were yet to serve as a basis for further negotiations 
and definitive resolutions. 
When the invitation of the American Government 
reached the Government of France, the latter applied to 
the Academy to name the delegates which should repre- 
sent France scientifically at the Congress. This step was 
followed by the appointment of a Grand Commission 
comprising representatives of all the sciences and services 
interested, and in which the Academy of Sciences was 
largely represented. 
This Commission, presided over by the Dean of our 
Astronomical Section, held numerous meetings, at which 
they discussed with the greatest care and with high 
authority the questions composing the programme of the 
Washington Congress. The resolutions which this Com- 
mission adopted, formulated in a remarkable report of 
M. Gaspari and fully accepted by the Government, formed 
the basis of the instructions given to the French 
delegates. 
The Congress opened on October 1 in the Diplomatic 
Hall of the Department of State. 
On the formal demand of the French delegation the 
Congress allowed that the motions and speeches delivered 
in the English language should be translated into French, 
and that the procés-verbaux should be drawn up in the 
two languages. To secure the accuracy of the French 
version M. Janssen accepted the duties of secretary. 
The Congress invited certain learned men present at 
Washington to assist at the sittings, and to take part in 
the discussions. Among them may be named Messrs. 
Newcomb, Asaph Hall, Sir William Thomson, and Prof. 
Hilgard. 
On examining the composition of the assembly it will 
be seen how largely England and America were repre- 
sented, and yet, to add to the force which such a numerous 
and eminent representation was calculated to give them 
in the discussion, there was joined to it, under the form of 
invitation, the support of the most eminent men of learning 
of America or England present at Washington. 
Finally, without at all wishing to callin question the in- 
dependence of any one present at the Congress, it is yet 
difficult not to be struck by the fact of invitations being 
addressed to all the small States politically allied with the 
United States. 
Such was the arena on which France was called to 
defend her interests. 
Luckily, however, we had no personal interest to contend 
for. The France of the nineteenth century does not, any 
more than the France of the eighteenth and seventeenth 
centuries, deem herself entitled to consider national interest 
in questions of a scientific and universal character. 
In conformity, therefore, with the spirit which ruled the 
institution of the metrical system the French representa- 
tion at the Washington Congress solely maintained the 
principle of a meridian such as science would designate 
and such as would be most advantageous for the general 
interest. 
At the opening of the sittings a member of the American 
delegation, expressing, no doubt, the sentiment of his 
colleagues, at once proposed the meridian of Greenwich 
as the international meridian. If this proposition had 
been adopted the main question which called the Con- 
gress together would have been decided, and that, so to 
say, without discussion, and without the questions of 
principle and general interest, which we wished to defend, 
being so much as entered on. 
The delegate of France raised his voice against this 
summary and inadmissible method of procedure. He 
pointed out that, before proceeding to choose any meridian 
in particular, it was necessary to come to a decision on 
the question as to whether a universal meridian should be 
fixed upon or not, and, if this question were settled in the 
affirmative, according to what principles they should 
choose this meridian. 
The legitimacy of this demand was evident. It was 
accepted, and the proposition of the American delegate 
was temporarily withdrawn. 
The question of fixing a single meridian of departure 
for all nations having been submitted to the Congress, it 
was unanimously agreed to choose such a meridian. 
It next remained to be decided according to what 
principlethis meridian should be chosen—whether, namely, 
the choice should be made among the observatories 
already existing, or whether the choice should be made 
with a view exclusively to geographical conditions, and 
to the service which the meridian was destined to 
render. 
On this question the French scientific delegate begged 
permission to speak, and delivered the following dis- 
course :— 
“Tf after so many fruitless attempts recorded by history 
to arrange a single universal system of longitudes this 
question is now again resumed, then in our opinion it has 
no chance of definitive success unless it is established on 
a purely geographical basis to the rigorous exclusion of 
all national rivalries. 
“We do not, therefore, come here to support a candi- 
dature, we put ourselves completely outside the arena of 
