on as to the principle which is to govern the
selection of that meridian. Without such a declaration, we should have
no power to begin a discussion on an undefined subject, and we are not
authorized to pledge ourselves.

I must even add that our acquiescence in the principle of an
international meridian could not be maintained if the Congress
proceeded to a choice at variance with the exclusively scientific
principles which we are instructed to maintain. Thus, in the very
interest of the great principle which we all desire to see adopted, it
would, to my way of thinking, be wiser to confine ourselves to a
general declaration which, by uniting the opinions of all, would
sustain the principle with all the authority possible. The principle
having once been adopted, our Governments would subsequently convoke a
conference of a more technical character than this, at which questions
of application would be more thoroughly examined.

Mr. VALERA, Delegate of Spain, stated that it seemed to him the order
of proceeding for this Conference was very well laid down in the
invitations addressed by the President of the United States to the
different countries and in the articles which were formulated at Rome;
that if these were taken up one after the other and discussed there
would be a clearly-defined line of action for the Delegates; that if
an article was not satisfactory it could be altered or amended, or
could be rejected; but if the propositions were taken up one at a time
and the discussions directed to these propositions, the Conference
would be more likely to reach a definite result than in any general
discussion.

The PRESIDENT stated that, so far as he understood the proposition,
there was no desire to press it to an immediate vote; that it was
quite proper for the Delegate from France to offer any other
proposition, as suggested by the Delegate of Spain, in lieu of the
motion now pending; that so far as the Chair was concerned it seemed
to him that the Conference could at once proceed to the discussion of
the general subject of a prime meridian under the pending resolution;
that if the Delegate from France desires to make any other
proposition, or offer anything else in a distinct form, he will be
listened to with great attention and with profound respect.

Mr. RUTHERFURD, Delegate of the United States, remarked that the
Delegate from France, his learned friend, Mr. JANSSEN, had expressed
the opinion that the Delegates