Attest: HENRY B. STONE,
_Secretary pro tempore_.

Count LEWENHAUPT, Delegate of Sweden. Mr. President, I propose as an
amendment to the resolution just offered the fourth resolution adopted
by the Congress at Rome:

"It is proper to count longitude from the meridian of
Greenwich in one direction from west to east."

Baron H. VON ALVENSLEBEN, Delegate of Germany. Mr. President, I beg to
state that I think that this is only a question of detail; and, if the
question is put to the Conference, I shall not be able to vote, and I
shall abstain from voting.

The PRESIDENT. May I ask the Delegate from Germany whether his remark
applies to the amendment?

Baron H. VON ALVENSLEBEN, Delegate of Germany. Yes, sir; to the
amendment, and to the resolution, also.

Prof. ADAMS, Delegate of England. Mr. President, I must say that I am
very much inclined to agree with the Delegate of Germany in the
opinion that this is only a question of detail.

It is a mere matter of convenience whether we count longitudes in one
direction only, or in two opposite directions, considering longitudes
measured in one direction as positive and in the opposite direction as
negative. These two methods are nominally different from each other,
but in reality there is no contradiction between them.

In the mathematical reckoning of angles we may agree to begin at zero,
and reckon in one direction round the entire circumference of 360
degrees, but this does not prevent a mathematician, if he finds it
convenient for any purpose, from reckoning angles as positive when
measured in one direction, and negative when measured in the opposite
direction.

If angles be considered positive when reckoned towards the east, it is
quite consistent with this usage that they should be considered
negative when reckoned towards the west.

It is much more convenient to consider all angles as positive in
astronomical tables, but for other purposes it may be more convenient
to employ negative angles also, especially when, by so doing, you
avoid the use of large numbers.

In comparatively small countries, like Great Britain for instance, it
is more convenient when giving the longitude of a place in the west of
England to consider it as being a few degrees west of Greenwich,
rather than 350 and some degrees to the east of that meridian.

Commander SAMPSON, Delegate of the United States. Mr. President, while
I think the question of reckoning longitude