28 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



and, following out the same suggestion, the Royal Society of London, in 1857, 

 commenced the publication of the catalogue which bears its name and now com- 

 prises eleven volumes. After much negotiation, representatives from all of the 

 civilized nations were invited to attend a meeting of the International Catalogue 

 Conference, in London, on July 14, 1896. Sir John Gorst was called to the chair, 

 ar\d, kfter elxpressing his pleasure at meeting so many representatives of science, 

 said: " Discussions haA^e always been going on as to the best way of extending the 

 catalogue, and of carrying it out in such a way as to make it supply the needs of 

 scientific workers generally. About three years ago a Committee was appointed 

 specially to take into consideration what appeared to be the only way of carrying 

 out such a work in the future, viz. : to consider the preparation of such catalogues 

 by international co-operation. The Royal Society realized from a very early period 

 that it could not itself undertake such a work — that no single body could under- 

 take it; and therefore invited the opinions of scientific men and scientific institu- 

 tions all over the world. There was practically but one reply — that such catalogues 

 werc' essential — and there was practically no doubt that the only way of carrying 

 out the work was by dntermational co-operation. The Royal Society worked at the 

 subject during two years, and eventually this Conference was summoned at its 

 instance, through the aid of Her Majesty's Government. If any proof were required 

 of the importance of the work, I think the fact that this meeting is attended by so 

 highly representative a body of delegates is in itself sufficient. . . The great object 

 before us is to produce a catalogue available for use by scientific investigators 

 throughout the world. It is a mere bibliographic work that we are seeking to per- 

 fect. We desire to produce catalogues, arranged not merely according to authors' 

 names, but catalogues arranged ailso • according to subject-matter; and a very 

 large number of those who have considered the subject are of opinion that in these 

 catalogues the subject matter must be classified not merely broadly, so as to deal 

 separately with individual sciences, but much more in detail, so as to deal with 

 sections of individual sciences, in order to meet the wants of specialists. Each 

 index, therefore, must be a classified subject index; and many of us also believe 

 that it must be an analytical classified subject index — 'that we must go beyond the 

 mere titles of papers and consider the subject matter, so that such information is 

 placed in our hands that we shall know practically what is in a paper wherever it 

 may be published. . . But with regard to details — and there must be many details 

 in working out such a scheme, especially when we come to consider questions of 

 classification — it is quite clear that at this meeting we cannot do more than discuss 

 broad principles. The details must be considered by committees, appointed either 

 by this meeting, or by means of machinery set in action by this meeting. And in 

 order that there should be a full study of all these questions, the Royal Society 

 has proposed that the catalogue shall not commence until the year 1900. We have 

 suggested that at least four years should be given to the preliminary work of organi- 

 zation. If means can be devised of leading authors, societies, and publishing bodies 

 generally to co-operate in this work, it is clear that the central organization will 

 exercise almost mechanical functions: it will, so to speak, sit at the receipt of 

 custom; it will see that the scheme is carried out in a uniform way, but the material 

 it requires will flow naturally towards it. In this way much will be done to econo- 

 mise both time and money. Later in the Conference, when we are clear what is 

 the nature of the work to be done^, it will be very important to consider what part 

 each contributing country shall take in the enterprise in supporting ft financially." 



The Conference sat for four days, and agreed upon a basis of international 

 work. English, French, German, and Italian were declared to be official languages, 

 and resolutions were received in any of these. In printing the catalogue, it was 

 resolved, " That English he the language of the two catalogues, authors' names and 

 titles being given only in the original languages, except when these belonged to a 

 category to be determined by the International Council." 



