1897.] The Geological Congress in Russia. 959 
The Congress endorsed strongly a proposition by Androus- 
soff, Dorpat, for the establishment of an International Floating 
Institute, or laboratory, for the study of Oceanography, to be 
supported by various Governments in place of the isolated ex- 
peditions sent out for this purpose from time to time by differ- 
ent ones. 
The invitation of the French geologists to hold the next ses- 
sion of the Congress in Paris in 1900 was accepted. A bulle- 
tin was distributed showing the proposed excursions to Brit- 
tany, to Normandy, and, after the session, to the Central Pla- 
teau and the French Alps. 
A sad incident of the Congress was the sudden death in St. 
Petersburg of one of its members, Spendiaroff, Dorpat, who 
had taken part in the Ural excursion and was to have been a 
leader during a part of the Caucasus excursion. At the clos- 
ing session of the Congress it was announced that the father of 
the deceased had presented a sum of money to commemorate his 
son, the interest to be awarded as a prize for the best paper on 
a stated subject at successive meetings of the Congress. 
Numerous festivities and excursions were a part of the 
week’s program at St. Petersburg. The Tsar received in 
audience at his palace of Peterhof,a small number of the more 
distinguished representatives of each country. At a later day, 
but in his absence, the whole Congress visited the palace and 
beautiful grounds, journeying down the harbor by steamer 
and enjoying a luncheon in the magnificient imperial dining 
hall. 
Another day was devoted to a visit to the cataract of Imatra 
in Finland, a hundred miles north of St. Petersburg, where a 
sumptuous banquet was served ina pavilion erected for the 
purpose on the edge of the thundering torrent. 
Among the entertainments in St. Petersburg, the most nota- 
ble were the reception by the Grand Duke Constantine at his 
palace and that by the Mayor and city officials at the City 
Hall. Many pleasant reunions took place at the German Club 
which was placed at the disposal of the members during the 
session. The museums and collections of the city were made 
easy of access through special open hours, and their manifold 
65 
