International Conference Held at Washington Part 23

The universal day, as defined by the resolution, will at once be the mean of all possible local days, and the standard to which they will all be related by a certain known interval, that interval being determined by the longitude.

In my judgment, the resolution is an exceedingly proper one, and the Conference will act wisely in pa.s.sing it.

The PRESIDENT. In taking the vote upon the resolution, it is requested that the roll be called.

The following States voted in the affirmative:

Brazil, Liberia, Chili, Mexico, Colombia, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Great Britain, Turkey, Guatemala, United States, Hawaii, Venezuela.

j.a.pan,

States voting in the negative:

Austria-Hungary, Spain.

Abstaining from voting:

France, San Domingo, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland.

Netherlands,

Ayes, 15; noes, 2; abstained, 7.

The PRESIDENT then announced that the resolution was pa.s.sed.

Mr. RUTHERFURD, Delegate of the United States. Mr. President, I now present for the consideration of the Conference the following resolution:

"_Resolved_, That the Conference expresses the hope that as soon as may be practicable the astronomical and nautical days will be arranged everywhere to begin at midnight."

Before action is taken upon this resolution, I would make a verbal correction. I think that the word "_mean_" ought to be introduced before the word "_midnight_" and I therefore alter my resolution in that way.

The vote was then taken upon the resolution just offered, and it was carried without division.

The PRESIDENT. The Chair begs leave to state that the protocols in French and in English of the first and second sessions of the Conference, have been examined, and are now before the Conference for adoption. If any Delegate wishes to make any correction in these protocols, he can submit it to the Conference, and, if approved, it can be immediately made.

No objection was raised, and the President put the question to the Conference on the adoption of the protocols of the first and second sessions in French and English, and they were unanimously adopted.

M. JANSSEN, Delegate of France. Mr. President, we have been directed to present for the approval of the Congress the desire that studies relative to the application of the decimal system to the division of angular s.p.a.ce and of time should be resumed in order that this application may be extended to all cases--and they are numerous and important--where it presents real advantages.

I would say that a similar desire upon the same subject was expressed by the Conference at Rome.

You are aware, gentlemen, that at the time of the establishment of the metrical system the decimal division had been extended to the measurement of angular s.p.a.ce and of time. Numerous instruments were even made according to the new system. As to time, the reform was introduced too abruptly, and, we might say, without enough discretion, and it came into conflict with old habits and was quickly abandoned; but as to the division of angular s.p.a.ce, in which the decimal division presented many advantages, the reform sustained itself much better, and is still used for certain purposes. So, the division of the circ.u.mference into 400 parts was adopted by Laplace, and we find it constantly employed in the Mecanique Celeste. Delambre and Mechain used, for the measurement of the are of the meridian from which the metre was derived, repeating circles divided into "_grades_." Finally, in our own time, Colonel Perrier, Chief of the Geographical Division of our Department of War, has used instruments decimally divided, and at the present time logarithmic tables appropriate to that method of division are in course of calculation.

But it is especially when it is a question of making long calculations of angular s.p.a.ce that the decimal system presents great advantages. In this respect we find, so to speak, only one opinion expressed by scientists.

The Conference at Rome, which brought together so many astronomers, geodetists, eminent topographers--that is to say, the men most competent and most interested in the question--expressed in respect to it a desire, the high authority of which it is impossible to mistake.

It is, therefore, now evident that the decimal system, which has already done such good service in the measurements of length, volume, and weight, is called upon to render a.n.a.lagous services in the domain of angular dimensions and of time.

I know that this question of the decimal division encounters legitimate doubts, princ.i.p.ally as to its application to the measurement of time. It is feared that we want to destroy habits fixed for centuries, and upset established usages.

In this respect, gentlemen, I think that we ought to be fully satisfied. The teachings of the past will be respected. It will be perceived that if we failed at the time of the Revolution, it is because we put forward a reform which was not limited to the domain of science, but which did violence to the habits of daily life. It is necessary to take the question up again, but with due regard to the limits which common sense and experience would prescribe to wise and well-informed men.

I think that the character of the reform would be well defined by saying that it is intended especially to make a new effort towards the application of the decimal system in scientific matters.

But, gentlemen, I have not to discuss here the bearing of the reforms which the study of this question will lead to. It is sufficient for me to show that there is in that direction an indispensable step to be made, and to ask you to express the desire that the question should be studied. I do not think that there is anybody here who would desire to oppose a request which does not in truth commit us to any specific solution of the question, and which appears so opportune at the present time. I would ask the President to be so kind as to submit the following proposition to the Conference:

"_Resolved_, That the Conference expresses the hope that the studies designed to regulate and extend the application of the decimal system to the division of angular s.p.a.ce and of time shall be resumed, so as to permit the extension of this application to all cases where it presents real advantages."

The PRESIDENT. The Chair is of opinion that the Conference was called for a special and somewhat narrow purpose, and the consideration of the decimal system, proposed by the Delegate of France, seems to it foreign to that purpose and beyond the scope of the Conference. The President, however, simply acts for the Conference, and if the Conference shall decide to take the matter up, he will acquiesce, but it strikes the Chair that the resolution is out of order.

Gen. STRACHEY, Delegate of Great Britain. Sir, I desire to express my personal views on this subject. I should be very happy to join the Delegate of France in voting for such a resolution, but I fear that there is a feeling among many of the delegates that it is not within our competence to discuss it. If that is so, I would suggest whether it might not be better that it should not be pressed to a vote. It would be a pity if there should be on the records of the proceedings of this Conference anything in the shape of a vote against the subject-matter of this resolution. I consequently think that if delegates have formed any decided opinion on the subject, they might express their opinion without voting; but I repeat that it would be a great pity if a negative vote should be taken on the subject of the decimal system of dividing the circle and time, particularly as it was received with unanimity in the Conference at Rome.

Prof. ADAMS, Delegate of Great Britain. Mr. President, I may say that while I agree with Gen. STRACHEY in thinking that I should not like to vote against the proposition brought forward by our eminent colleague, Mr. JANSSEN, yet I feel it is somewhat beyond the scope of the subjects which we have to discuss, and, therefore, I should abstain from voting. I quite recognize that, for certain purposes, the decimal division of the circle is very valuable.

The PRESIDENT. Unless the Conference decides to entertain this proposition, the Chair suggests that no discussion shall take place.

If any member present desires to bring the matter up, he can do so by taking an appeal from the decision just made.

Gen. STRACHEY, Delegate of Great Britain. Do I understand, sir, that the subject is dropped?

The PRESIDENT. The Chair has decided that the resolution offered by the Delegate of France is out of order, and unless a difference of opinion is expressed by the Conference, the subject will be dropped.

The Chair wishes to treat with the most distinguished deference the Delegate of France, because we are all most happy to do honor to him in every way. Does the Chair understand that the Delegate of France appeals from its decision, and wishes to take the sense of the Conference upon it?

Mr. JANSSEN, Delegate of France, replied in the affirmative.

Commodore FRANKLIN, Delegate of Colombia. Mr. President, I would like hear the resolution read again. If it be merely a suggestion to consider the subject of the decimal system, I should like to know it.

The vote was then taken upon the appeal of the Delegate of France from the decision of the Chair.

States voting in favor of the appeal:

Austria-Hungary, Netherlands, Brazil, San Domingo, Chili, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, j.a.pan, Venezuela.

Mexico,

States voting against the appeal:

Colombia, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Liberia, Germany, Paraguay, Great Britain, United States.

Guatemala,

Abstaining from voting:

Russia, Sweden.

Ayes, 13; noes, 9; abstained, 2.

The PRESIDENT. The appeal from the decision of the Chair is sustained, and the proposition offered by the Delegate of France is now before the Conference. If no delegate wishes to speak upon the resolution, the vote will be taken.

Mr. JANSSEN, Delegate of France. Mr. President, before the definitive vote I desire to again call my colleague's attention to the fact that it is a question here of the much-needed extension of the decimal system, an extension desired by a large number of the highest scientific authorities and of the most distinguished observers. As I said only a moment ago, the Congress at Rome, whose high authority in the matters which have occupied us is acknowledged, was a still higher authority as to astronomy, geodesy, topography; that is to say, in the domain to which our proposition relates. At Rome a wish, similar to that which we ask you to formulate, was expressed. Besides, if we observe that it is a question here only of expressing the desire that studies should be resumed upon the matter in question, is there anyone among us who would wish to oppose the liberal proposition which prejudges nothing in the solution of the question, but which will surely lead to important progress. I do not doubt, then, that all our colleagues will desire to unite in a resolution, which by its object and by the manner in which it is expressed, ought, it appears to me, to unite the suffrages of all.

No further remarks were made upon the resolution, and the vote was accordingly taken on the question whether it should be adopted.