ommission, directed by
Commandant GREEN, of the United States Navy. Now, gentlemen, up to the
day on which the Conference met for the first time, I had hoped that
these discussions entered upon under the influence of a generous
rivalry, and having for their only purpose the establishment of a
measure, the necessity of which is strongly sought by many interests
of a diverse nature, would lead to a complete and final solution of
the problem. Unfortunately, and I regret to be obliged to add it, the
differences of opinion which have manifested themselves in this
Congress permit scarcely a hope of this result. For my part,
gentlemen, I cannot lose sight of the fact that it is indispensable
that the question for which this Congress is assembled should receive
a complete settlement; if not, the purpose of the Congress will not be
attained. Since the Delegates of France have manifested from the
begining of our discussions their opposition to the adoption of any
meridian which had a national character, which has given rise to the
motion presented by Mr. JANSSEN, it follows that every measure voted
by the Congress tending to the adoption of a national meridian, will
be, by the very fact of the abstention of France, an incomplete
measure, and which will not answer the purpose sought by the
Conference. I hasten to add, in order to avoid all erroneous
interpretations which could be given to my words, that it would be the
same, if, for instance, the meridian of Paris was proposed, and any
great maritime nation, such as England, the United States, or any
other, should abstain from voting for its adoption. In that case,
also, the measure adopted would not be complete, and in that case,
also, my line of conduct would be the same.

To resume, I would say that the great benefits that the whole world
will receive from the adoption of a common prime meridian will not be
fully produced unless the measure is unanimously accepted by all the
most important maritime nations. In any other event, I am, for my
part, absolutely convinced that the measure adopted will be partly
inefficacious, its adoption not being general, and everything will
have to be done over again in the not distant future. The discussions
at which we have been present abundantly prove to me that it will
always be so, as long as the meridian of some great nation is
proposed. In the face of this difficulty, which appears to me
insurmountable, the only solution which, by its ver