€ 
1888. ] 3 [Volapiik. 
Meteorological Observatory, New York; College of Phar- 
macy, ‘“ Medical and Surgical Reporter,” Dr. I. Minis Hays, 
Messrs. Thomas Hockley, Henry Phillips, Jr., Mrs. Susan I. 
Lesley, Philadelphia; Second Geological Survey of Penna., 
Harrisburg ; U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis; Director of the 
U.S. Mint, U.S. Government Publications, Washington, D.C.; 
State Board of Health, Nashville; University of California, 
Berkeley; Sociédad Cientifica “ Antonio Alzate,” Mexico ; 
Boletin de Estadistika del Puebla; Imperial Observatorio de 
Rio de Janeiro. 
The Committee on Volapuk presented a supplementary 
report, and the original report was, on motion, read as 
follows : 
THE Committee appointed October 21, 1887, to examine into the 
scientific value of Volapiik presented the following report: 
Your committee proposes first to consider the desirability of a uni- 
versal language ; secondly, what should be its characteristics ; and, 
thirdly, whether that invented by the Rev. Mr. Schleyer, called by him 
Volapiik, meets the requirements. 
1 
Thatin the vastly increased rapidity of interchange of thought in 
modern times, some general medium of intercommunication would be 
welcome, is unquestioned. Wherever there are close commercial rela- 
tions between nations speaking different tongues, sueh media are sure 
to arise from the necessities of daily life. Thus the Lingua Franca in 
the Mediterranean and ‘ pigeon English” in the Chinese ports are dia- 
lects which have sprung out of the urgency of business needs. These 
mixed languages are called “‘ jargons,”’ and have a very high interest to 
the scientific linguist as illustrating the principles of the evolution of 
human speech. The English language is a jargon of marked type, and 
illustrates what was stated by W. von Humboldt early in this century, 
that from such crossings and mingling of tongues, are developed the 
most sinewy and picturesque examples of human language. This con- 
sideration shows that in adopting or framing a universal language we 
need not hesitate to mould it from quite diverse linguistic sources. 
The presence of a number of these jargons in different parts of the 
world testifies to the desirability for some one simple form of discourse 
which could be of general adoption. Another and higher testimony to 
the same effect is the need now frequently and loudly expressed for a 
uniform terminology in the sciences. For many years it has been urged 
