92 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 



representatives of the interests of science, the Congress counted in its 

 midst as delegates the world-renowned Director of the Cambridge Ob- 

 servatory, Mr. Adams ; the Associate of the Academy of Sciences at 

 Paris, M. Janssen ; Mr. L. M. Rutherford, of New York, of acknow- 

 ledged merit by his labours in the territory of Astrophysics ; the 

 scientific representative of the U. S. Signal Office, Mr. Cleveland 

 Abbe. Besides as it opportunely happened that many scientific men 

 were in Washington domiciled, or accidentally there for a time, the 

 Congress invited them to express their opinion on the matters under 

 consideration ; the head of the American Nautical Almanac, Mr. S. 

 Newcomb, renowned by his genial and comprehensive labours in the 

 field of astronomy ; the Director of the Coast Survey, Mr. Hilgard ; 

 the celebrated natural philosopher, Sir William Thompson, and the 

 Director of the Cai-lsruhe Observatory, Dr. Valentiner. 



In the whole, 25 countries were represented at the conference. It 

 was resolved that voting would be simply by states, with equal 

 authority without regard to the number of representatives, or the 

 stand-point of national development [Culturstand^, the extent of 

 territory, or the amount of population of each country. There were 

 many important points of considei'ation diflfering in character, which 

 pointed towards this mode of proceeding. Indeed, as it turned out, 

 a procedure essentially different appai-ently would have led to the 

 same result, as the proceedings, as they ai-e set forth in the Protocol, 

 testify. In all important matters, Great Britain and the United 

 States went hand in hand with Russia, and this accord on the part 

 of the 1 epi'esentatives of those countries, which, at least with regard 

 to extent of territory, were the most affected by the questions under 

 discussion, perceptibly exercised great influence on the result of 

 the vote. 



As the conference on the 1st October, 1884, met in the Diplomatic 

 Hall of the Department of State, in Washington, they immediately 

 selected as President the Honourable Admiral Rogers, of the Ameiican 

 Navy. The prudence, skill, and impartiality with which he presided 

 over the proceedings are sufi&ciently established in the record of the 

 Protocol. Lieut.-General Strachey, of the English, M. Janssen, of 

 the French, Dr. Cruls, of the Brazilian Legation, were appointed 

 Secretaries. 



The conference held eight sittings between October 1st and Nov- 

 ember 1st ; some of which were prolonged for many hours. After 

 several delegates, among them those of Russia, had made the 

 declai'ation that they were unable to consider the resolutions of the 

 conference as binding on the countries which they represented, and 

 that they could only pledge themselves to recommend to their res- 

 pective governments, such resolutions as they might vote for, the 

 determination was then taken as to organization, and the mode of 

 conducting the business of the congress. With regard to the essential 



