ate 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.

States voting in the affirmative:

Austria-Hungary, Mexico,
Brazil, Netherlands,
Chili, Paraguay,
Colombia, Russia,
Costa Rica, San Domingo,
France, Spain,
Great Britain, Switzerland,
Hawaii, Turkey,
Italy, United States,
Japan, Venezuela.
Liberia,

States voting in the negative: None.

Abstained from voting:

Germany, Sweden.
Guatemala,

Ayes, 21; noes, 0; abstained, 3.

The PRESIDENT. The resolution of the Delegate of France is, therefore,
adopted.

General STRACHEY, Delegate of Great Britain. Sir, before concluding
the session to-day, I hope that the Delegates will be in a position to
listen to the two resolutions which I now desire to propose, and which
I think will tend to clear up a good deal of the discussion which we
have had. The first of these resolutions is as follows:

"The Conference adopts the opinion that, for the purposes of
c