e Conference, when it was
unanimously agreed to.

The PRESIDENT thereupon said that he was ready to lay before the
Conference the subject of the election of Vice-President.

Count LEWENHAUPT, the Delegate of Sweden, stated that elections in
such large bodies were always difficult, and inquired whether it was
necessary to have a Vice-President. He further said that for his part
he had every reason to hope and to expect that the services of a
Vice-President would not be required.

It was thereupon agreed that a Vice-President should be dispensed
with.

The PRESIDENT then stated that the next business was the election of
Secretaries; but suggested, in view of the proceedings already had,
and of the necessity of some consultation in regard to the matter,
that the election might be postponed till to-morrow.

Mr. VALERA, Delegate of Spain, stated that he saw no reason why the
nomination of Secretaries could not be made just as well at present as
at any future time.

Mr. LEFAIVRE, Delegate of France, inquired what would be the functions
of the Secretaries.

The PRESIDENT in reply said that an acting Secretary had been
appointed by the Secretary of State, who was at the same time a
stenographer, and that the principal labor of keeping the records of
the Conference would devolve upon him; that nevertheless regular
Secretaries of the Conference had to be appointed, for the purpose of
examining and verifying the protocols from day to day, which would be
the more important in the event of the records of the Conference being
made in two or three different languages, and that these Secretaries
ought no doubt to be members of the Conference, in order to give the
requisite authenticity to the acts thereof, and, in view of the
character of the proceedings, should be specialists and informed as to
the subjects under discussion.

Mr. SOTELDO, Delegate of Venezuela, said that he thought the
Conference should adjourn until to-morrow, as they had done already
enough to-day in settling its organization; that by adjourning over it
would give an opportunity to the delegates to consult as to the
functions of the Secretaries, and who would be most likely to be
qualified for those functions; that there were gentlemen from
different countries who were not familiar with the English language,
and by to-morrow the Conference could determine as to the languages in
which the proceedings should be had, although, as it seemed to him,
that the