International Conference Held at Washington for the Purpose of Fixing a Prime Meridian and a Universal Day. October, 1884. Protocols of the Proceedings   By: D.C.) International Meridian Conference

HELD AT WASHINGTON

FOR THE PURPOSE OF FIXING

A PRIME MERIDIAN

AND

A UNIVERSAL DAY.

OCTOBER, 1884.

PROTOCOLS OF THE PROCEEDINGS.

WASHINGTON, D. C.

GIBSON BROS., PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERS.

1884.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Page

I. Protocol, October 1, 1884 1

II. Protocol, October 2, 1884 13

III. Protocol, October 6, 1884 35

IV. Protocol, October 13, 1884 73

V. Protocol, October 14, 1884 113

VI. Protocol, October 20, 1884 151

VII. Protocol, October 22, 1884 195

VIII. Protocol, November 1, 1884 205

Final Act 199

Act of Congress authorizing the President of the United States to invite the Conference (ANNEX I) 209

Act of Congress making appropriation for expenses (ANNEX II) 209

Circular to United States representatives abroad bringing the subject to the attention of foreign governments (ANNEX III) 210

Circular to United States ministers extending invitation to foreign governments (ANNEX IV) 211

International Meridian Conference

HELD IN THE

CITY OF WASHINGTON.

I.

SESSION OF OCTOBER 1, 1884.

The Delegates to the International Meridian Conference, who assembled in Washington upon invitation addressed by the Government of the United States to all nations holding diplomatic relations with it, "for the purpose of fixing upon a meridian proper to be employed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time reckoning throughout the globe," held their first conference to day, October 1, 1884, in the Diplomatic Hall of the Department of State.

The following delegates were present:

On behalf of Austria Hungary

Baron IGNATZ VON SCHÆFFER, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary .

On behalf of Brazil

Dr. LUIZ CRULS, Director of the Imperial Observatory of Rio Janeiro .

On behalf of Colombia

Commodore S. R. FRANKLIN, U. S. Navy , Superintendent U. S. Naval Observatory .

On behalf of Costa Rica

Mr. JUAN FRANCISCO ECHEVERRIA, Civil Engineer .

On behalf of France

Mr. A. LEFAIVRE, Minister Plenipotentiary and Consul General . Mr. JANSSEN, of the Institute , Director of the Physical Observatory of Paris .

On behalf of Germany

Baron H. VON ALVENSLEBEN, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary .

On behalf of Great Britain

Captain Sir F. J. O. EVANS, Royal Navy .

Prof. J. C. ADAMS, Director of the Cambridge Observatory .

Lieut. General STRACHEY, Member of the Council of India .

Mr. SANDFORD FLEMING, Representing the Dominion of Canada .

On behalf of Guatemala

M. MILES ROCK, President of the Boundary Commission .

On behalf of Hawaii

Hon. W. D. ALEXANDER, Surveyor General .

Hon. LUTHER AHOLO, Privy Counsellor .

On behalf of Italy

Count ALBERT DE FORESTA, First Secretary of Legation .

On behalf of Japan

Professor KIKUCHI, Dean of the Scientific Dep't of the University of Tokio .

On behalf of Mexico

Mr. LEANDRO FERNANDEZ, Civil Engineer . Mr. ANGEL ANGUIANO, Director of the National Observatory of Mexico .

On behalf of Paraguay

Captain JOHN STEWART, Consul General .

On behalf of Russia