43 



There were three sections : the first intended for the discus- 

 sion of questions of electrical theory; the second for applications 

 of electricity to telegraphy, telephony, and railway engineering; 

 and the third for the discussion of the electric lights and other 

 applications of electricity not included in the second section. 



The general questions to be submitted to the plenary meet- 

 ings were thus specified ; — 



I. The discussion of the measures to be taken for arriving at 

 the general adoption of an international system of electrical 

 units. 



II. Measures to be taken for facilitating the service of inter- 

 national telegraphic lines. 



III. Measures to be taken for facilitating scientific inter- 

 national relations as regards special applications of electricity. 



The Congress was opened on the 15th September, by an 

 inaugural address from its President, M. Cochery, Ministre des 

 Postes et des Telegraphes, and there was a splendid muster of 

 the savans of Europe. 



From Germany, we had such men as Helmholtz, Kirchhoff, 

 Clausius, Wiedemann and Werner Siemens. From Italy, Govi, 

 Rosetti and Ferraris. From Switzerland, Wartmann and Hag- 

 genbach. From Sweden, Nrystrom and Thalen. From Russia, 

 Stoletow and Avenarius. From the United States, Rowland 

 and Barker. From France, Berthelot, Wurtz, Becquerel, Cornu, 

 Dumas, Fizeau, Jamin, Marey, Allard, Blavier, Crova, Jabloch- 

 koff, Joubert, Le Roux, Lippmann, Mascart, Mercadier, Plante, 

 Potier, Terquem, and Violle. From England, Abel, Adams, 

 Ayrton, Barrett, Sir Charles Bright, Chrystal, Latimer Clark ? 

 Clifton, Crookes, De La Rue, Dewar, Fitzgerald, Carey Foster, 

 Dr. Gladstone, Gordon, Hopkinson, Hughes, Moulton, Preece, 

 C. W. Siemens, Smith of Oxford, Willoughby Smith, Spottis- 

 woode, Sir Wm. Thomson, and myself. The total number of 

 members was somewhere about 300. 



The Congress Room or Salle des Seances was of an ample size, 

 and arranged so that every seat had a desk in front of it, each 

 seat and desk being intended for two persons. The platform 

 consisted of three tiers : the highest being for the President, 



