June 9, 1899.] 



SCIENCE. 



803 



bureau in Switzerland, aud thought it best 

 that all the work be done by a central bu- 

 reau. Professor Eilcker pointed out that 

 it would probably be easier for the various 

 countries to find the money to pay for work 

 done within their own borders. He also 

 thought that in time authois could be got 

 to prepare their own analyses. Dr. Ber- 

 noulli agreed with the opinion of his col- 

 league. Dr. Graf and M. Otlet also sup- 

 ported the idea of a single central bureau. 

 Professor Darboux, however, warmly up- 

 held the decision reached at the first Con- 

 ference, of having a central bureau and re- 

 gional bureaus. All the resolutions relating 

 to this subject as well as to the business 

 conduct of the bureau were finally adopted, 

 or referred to the International Council. 

 They are given in the Acta and need not 

 be referred to here. 



The next matter of importance was with 

 regard to the persons who should form the 

 International Committee. 



This was discussed at length, informally 

 (the discussion not being reported), and it 

 was finally agreed that the members be 

 Professor Armstrong, Chevalier Descamps, 

 Professor M. Foster, Dr. S. P. Langley, 

 Professor Poincare, Professor Eiicker, Pro- 

 fessor Waldeyer and Professor Weiss, with 

 the understanding that the Committee may 

 appoint substitutes, should any member be 

 unable to serve, and that it have the privi- 

 lege of adding two members. 



M. Mascart then called attention to the 

 desirability of the passage of a resolution 

 which would give the Central Bureau the 

 power of modifying decisions of the Confer- 

 ence, should they be found impracticable ; 

 and this, after discussion, was agreed to. 

 There were some further remarks about the 

 arrangement of the various sciences, which 

 resulted in no formal action, it being held 

 that the International Committee was com- 

 petent to deal with these matters. 



The final sitting of the Conference was 



devoted to the consideration of the finances 

 of the Catalogue. 



Professor Eiicker, on behalf of the Eoyal 

 Society, stated that, while they had not gone 

 into the matter in great detail, they were 

 of the opinion that their estimates were ap- 

 proximately correct. The cost of producing 

 the Book Catalogue was, in round numbers, 

 £5,600. The least remunerative number of 

 complete subscribers would be 350, taking 

 the average of the complete subscription of 

 £16. For the Primary Slip Catalogue a 

 further £.3,000 per annum would be neces- 

 sary, which would be met by 130 complete 

 subscriptions. This estimate is based upon 

 the use of the linotj'pe system. The Second- 

 ary' Slip Catalogue would cost, in round 

 numbers, £6,000 per year. If the scheme 

 were carried out on this scale it would be 

 possible to supply 133 cards for a franc, or 

 160 cards for a shilling. It was the hope 

 of the committee that the Catalogue would 

 ultimately pay its own v;-iiy, though some 

 plan must be found for guaranteeing its 

 success. One way would be to receive di- 

 rect subscriptions from foreign countries, 

 as is done in the case of other interna- 

 tional bui'eaus, or a guarantee fund might 

 be established. The minimum period of 

 experiment for the Catalogue would be 

 fixed at five years, and should the entire 

 scheme for books and cards be entered 

 upon, a sum like £40,000 would have to 

 be guaranteed to make sure of the success 

 of the plan for the period of five j'ears. 

 This would be met if, say, ten of the 

 great powers each take one share, the 

 smaller powers two between them and the 

 English colonies one amongst them ; each 

 share would then amount to £4,000 in the 

 course of five years. 



The delegates of the various countries 

 were then requested to state what their 

 countries might be expected to do. 



Professor Klein, for Germany, stated that 

 he was in no wise authorized to enter into 



