t our last meeting, I feel constrained to say that I
am not disposed to ask the Congress to proceed to a vote upon them. I
find that, although I had reason to think that those resolutions, in
substance, that is in their main features, would be acceptable, still
there is extreme difficulty in finding precise expressions that shall
meet the views of everybody, and there are divisions of opinion as to
the exact manner in which these resolutions should be modified.

My object in bringing forward the resolutions was mainly to obtain a
decided expression of opinion on the part of the Congress, that the
method of counting local time, so as to harmonize as far as possible
with universal time, should be left for settlement locally; and that,
at the utmost, all the Congress could do would be to suggest some
general principle such as that embodied in my resolution. There was,
of course, never any intention of employing the universal day so as to
interfere with the use of local standard time; and as I shall, no
doubt, elicit a further clear expression of opinion on the part of the
delegates, that there is no intention of bringing about this
interference, I will now, with the permission of the Conference,
withdraw the resolutions.

Mr. RUTHERFURD, Delegate of the United States. Mr. President, I think
that all of us appreciate the desire which moved the Delegate of Great
Britain to present these resolutions. There is a wish on his part that
we should not seem, in any way, by our action here, to interfere with
the convenience of the world in the use of its present civil time, or
any other time which it may be found convenient to adopt, while he
recognizes that some of the proposals made as to local time are such
as could not be objected to. Still, I cannot refrain from expressing
my satisfaction that he has come to the conclusion that these
resolutions are not necessary.

I think the whole question is covered by the resolutions already
adopted by this Congress; that our universal day is for those purposes
only for which it may be found convenient, and that it is not to
interfere in any way with the use of civil or other standard time
where that may be found convenient. This seems to me to be so fully
embodied in our resolutions that it is unnecessary to enunciate again
in a negative form the same idea, and I therefore express my
satisfaction that the resolutions are withdrawn.

Mr. SANDFORD FLEMING, Delegate of Great Britain. Mr.