384 The American Geologist June, i89o 
invitation which had been presented by liis fellow citizens. There 
were two reasons on account of which the Congress has done well in 
selecting Philiulelphia as its host. The first is that in 1801 the Univer- 
sity of Pennsylvania will celebrate its centennial anniversary, in which 
celebration savants from all parts of the world will take part. The 
University of Pennsylvania is one of the five oldest universities of the 
American continent, and although it is with one exception best pro- 
vided with halls, laboratories, and various buildings, it is intended to 
expend $3,000,000 to increase and render it more useful. The Provost 
of the University had permitted him to say that the necessary halls 
shall be put at the disposition of the Congress, and that all possible 
facilities shall be given to its members. As the exercises of the cen- 
tennial will not commence till after the 23d of September, the halls 
will be free before that date. In addition to this, there is to be a 
session of the International Medical Congress at Washington at about 
the same time. But the principal reason for the invitation of the 
International Geological Congress to Philadelphia was that the com- 
mittee.which inaugurated the Congress is called the " Comit6 fondateur 
de Philadelphie," because it was created in 1876 during the celebration 
of the centennial anniversary of the Independence of the United States. 
The mayor ; the principal officers of the city government ; and of select 
and common councils ; the judges of the difterent courts; the United 
States officers stationed in Philadelphia; the presidents of banks, of 
the great railways, and of the great industrial enterprises ; the lawyers, 
business men, and professors, — in short, all the citizens united in 
oflFering a warm reception to the Congress. He was not able to give 
the exact figures, but as the officers of three great transcontinental 
railways who are in relation with the steamship companies had joined 
in the invitation, he did not hesitate to say that excursions at reduced 
prices would be arranged to the Rocky mountains, the great lakes, to 
the southwest, and probably also to Canada. Besides, it is probable 
that the cost of the ocean transit will be reduced one-half. 
Prof, von Zittel (acting President) said that the members of the 
Congress were delighted to hear what Dr. Frazer had just told them, 
and that he was certain that the Congress of 1891 would succeed. 
****** 
At the end of the proceedings of the last session of the Congress, 
President Prestwich declared the session closed and adjourned to 
Philadelphia in 1891. {Official Comptes Eendus, London Session). 
Third session of the Provisional Committee, Nov. 15th, 1S8S, North 
Sheffield Hall, New Haven. Present, Prof. J. D. Dana, James Hall, O. 
C. Marsh, Persifor Frazer, Mr. C. D. Walcott, and Mr. C. K. Gilbert, 
and Dr. J. S. Newberry, Chairman. The minutes of the two previous 
meetings were read and approved. The chairman declared that the 
meeting was open for business and asked if any propositions were 
ready. 
Mr. Gilbert offered the following resolution : That the selection of 
the organizing committee be by ballot as follows . Each member of 
our committee shall write on a"^ ballet not to exceed twenty-five names, 
and all persons whose names appear on a majority of the ballots cast 
shall be declared elected. If less than twenty are thus elected, one or 
more additional ballots shall be taken, the chairman indicating in each 
case the number of names to be written. 
Dr. Newberry thought that it was the duty of this committee to name 
another committee, and that with that this committee's functions 
ceased. 
Dr. Frazer sketched the action of previous organizing committees 
before the sessions of Paris, Bologna, Berlin, and London. 
