Mat 12, 1911] 



SGIUNCE 



717 



tral bureau would render it possible to 

 make many improvements and also to 

 broaden the scope of the catalogue. The 

 sum needed is so small in comparison with 

 the good that could be accomplished that it 

 would be strange indeed if in these days 

 of large endowments some individual can 

 not be found willing to provide the neces- 

 sary funds. As the idea of the Interna- 

 tional Catalogue originated in the United 

 States the writer is encouraged to hope 

 that some American will further add to the 

 credit already given to this country by en- 

 dowing the now organized body with a 

 sufficient fund to properly carry on and 

 extend the work. 



At the session of the convention on July 

 13 methods of administration likely to 

 come before the International Council and 

 the executive committee before the next 

 meeting of the International Convention 

 in 1920 were discussed. Professor Arm- 

 strong emphasized the great need of con- 

 fining the catalogue to references to orig- 

 inal contributions to scientific knowledge 

 and of the desirability of constantly con- 

 sulting specialists in the several sciences 

 regarding the proper classification of the 

 papers indexed. It was thought that the 

 organization could now claim some meas- 

 ure of authority in dealing with questions 

 connected with the bibliography of science 

 and thus bring about greater uniformity 

 in practise. On account of the almost in- 

 surmountable difficulties in dealing with 

 the present vast number of journals in- 

 cluded in the work of the catalogue it was 

 agreed that a revised list of journals 

 should be prepared to contain only those of 

 recognized scientific importance and that 

 the regional bureaus should agree to in- 

 dex all scientific papers published in these 

 journals early in the year following their 

 publication. The International Catalogue 

 could thus within the year following the 



appearance of a paper publish a full index 

 of its contents. After much discussion this 

 subject was embodied in the following 

 resolution which was unanimously adopted. 

 Besolved, That each regional bureau be re- 

 quested to prepare a list of journals in each sci- 

 ence which the Catalogue will completely index in 

 the annual issue following the year of publication 

 and that the central bureau be authorized to pub- 

 lish the lists thus prepared. 



The publication of this list does not 

 mean that no other journals are to be con- 

 sidered but the list will consist essentially 

 of journals devoted almost exclusively to 

 scientific matters and these journals will 

 therefore be given precedence in the work 

 of the regional bureaus. 



To make it possible to carry out this plan 

 to promptly publish future volumes of the 

 catalogue the following resolution was 

 adopted : 



That the resolution of the year 1900 authorizing 

 the central bureau to close these volumes at dif- 

 ferent stated dates, each volume to correspond to 

 the literature of a period of twelve months, be 

 confirmed. 



The effect of this resolution will be that 

 the separate volumes of the catalogue will 

 not necessarily cover a whole calendar year 

 but will cover a period of twelve months. 



Reference was made in the report of the 

 executive committee to a proposed interna- 

 tional scheme for the publication of yearly 

 tables of physical-chemical constants and 

 in this connection a communication from 

 Sir William Ramsay was read written in 

 consequence of a resolution passed at the 

 International Association of Academies in 

 Rome to whom an application for patron- 

 age had been sent. In the report of the 

 executive committee it was pointed out 

 that this work had been embraced in the 

 original plan for the catalogue and though 

 it was one of great difficulty it was still the 

 intention to publish such tables in connee- 



