SUPPLEMBETARY PAPERS. 91 



expressed by others present, that the Greenwich Meridian having 

 been accepted as First Meridian, might be looked upon by the Britisli 

 Govei-nment as an equivalent, which might lead them to accede to the 

 Metre Convention of 1875. The last result did actually take place 

 last year. , 



In the meantime the Government of the United States had re- 

 ceived replies from the greater number of other Gof ernments, ex- 

 pressing their readiness to send delegates to the proposed Interna- 

 tional Conference ; and after that it had been established in Rome, 

 that nnanimity in relation to the determination of a First Meridian 

 was proportionably easy of attainment, the Government of the United 

 States sent invitations to all civilized States to attend a Congress 

 which should be held at Washington October 1, 1884. 



In this place (Russia) as a further preparation for the Conference, 

 on the proposal of the Geographical Society, a Special Commission 

 was appointed, consisting of representatives of the War and Marine 

 Departments, of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, and the Geo- 

 graphical Society, in order to examine into the question in connec- 

 tion with the main line of discussion, to signify the persons to be 

 delegated to Washington on the part of Russia, and to submit and 

 draw np instructions for their guidance. It may here be incidentally 

 mentioned that with regard to these instructions, the purport of 

 which was set forth in a short paper written by one of the Commis- 

 sion, Lieutenant-Colonel Rylke, that in all essential points they fully 

 agree with the resolutions passed at Washington at a later date. The 

 following delegates to Washington were recommended by the Com- 

 mission and therefore named by the Government : — 1. The Russian 

 Ambassador to the United States, C. von Struve, who through his 

 extended ti-avels and his geographical labours in Central Asia, pos- 

 sesses at the same time special qualities for the scientific discussions 

 which might be looked for. 2. Chief of Caucasian Survey, General 

 Major Stebnitzki, well known through his not less comprehensive as 

 carefully executed geodetic labours, and for the marked scientific spirit 

 with which they have been carried out. 3. Herr Kologruvoff, mem- 

 ber of the Council of Routes and Communications. 



Other countries were represented at the Washington Conference 

 as follows : — United States, 5 delegates ; Great Britain, 4 ; Spain, 

 3 ; Germany, France, HaAvaii, Mexico and Chili, 2 each. The re- 

 maining States had one delegate. The diplomates accredited to the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States for the most part also assumed similar 

 duties ; for the prominent questions came before them for considera- 

 tion not so much in a scientific point of view as from the standpoint 

 of general use and international communication. But accurate science 

 was also pre-eminently represented at the Congress. Without regard to 

 the many experienced men prominent from their geodetic and hydro- 

 graphic labours, who with right may claim to be held as efficient 



