GENERAL MEETING. 107 
In the meantime, all governments in diplomatic relations with 
the United States were invited by the President, in accordance with 
the act of Congress, August 3, 1883, to send delegates to Washing- 
ton for the purpose of fixing upon a meridian proper to be em- 
ployed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time, reck- 
oning throughout the globe. More than twenty of these countries 
had signified, before October last, their acceptance of the invitation, 
but these did not include many of the principal governments of 
Europe. The delay in forwarding their definitive replies was due to 
their desire to have the advice, before committing themselves, of the 
Eurpean Geodetic Association. Hence it was at the request of 
many of these governments that the Association took up the subject 
of the unification of longitudes, and of the introduction of a uni- 
versal time. 
So soon as it was decided to take such action, General Ibanez, of 
Spain, the then President of the Association, addressed a letter to 
the Superintendent of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, urging him 
in strong terms to send a delegate to the meeting at Rome. So short 
a notice was given, however, that the delegate selected had to start 
at once, reaching Rome only on the morning of the first day’s ses- 
sion, October 15th. 
After a full discussion of the different views presented, the fol- 
lowing resolutions were almost unanimously passed on October 24th. 
It must be borne in mind that they are merely of an advisory 
character, ‘sanctioned and urged, nevertheless, by the highest scien- 
tific authority. It is the function of the convention to be held at 
Washington next year to take official and decisive action on the 
subject in all its details. 
Resolutions of the International Geodetic Commission in relation to 
the Unification of Longitudes and of Time. 
The seventh general conference of the International Geodetic Asso- 
ciation, held at Rome, and at which representatives of Great Britain, 
together with the directors of the principal astronomical and nau- 
tical almanacs, and a delegate from the Coast and Geodetic Survey 
of the United States, have taken part, after having deliberated 
upon the unification of longitude by the adoption of a single initial 
meridian, and upon the unification of time by the adoption of a 
universal hour, have agreed upon the following resolutions : 
