Mr. M. DE J. GALVAN,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

On behalf of Salvador—­

Mr. ANTONIO BATRES,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

On behalf of Spain,

Mr. JUAN VALERA,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. 
Mr. EMILIO RUIZ DEL ARBOL,
Naval Attache to the Spanish Legation. 
Mr. JUAN PASTORIN,
Officer of the Navy.

On behalf of Sweden—­

Count CARL LEWENHAUPT,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

On behalf of Switzerland—­

Colonel EMILE FREY,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

On behalf of the United States—­

Rear-Admiral C. R. P. RODGERS,
U.  S. Navy.

Mr. LEWIS M. RUTHERFURD.

Mr. W. F. ALLEN,
Secretary Railway Time Conventions.

Commander W. T. SAMPSON,
U.  S. Navy.

Professor CLEVELAND ABBE,
U.  S. Signal Office.

On behalf of Venezuela—­

Senor Dr. A. M. SOTELDO,
Charge d’Affaires.

The following delegates were not present: 

On behalf of Chili—­

Mr. FRANCISCO VIDAL GORMAS,
Director of the Hydrographic Office.

Mr. ALVARO BIANCHI TUPPER,
Assistant Director.

On behalf of Denmark—­

Mr. CARL STEEN ANDERSEN DE BILLE,
Minister Resident and Consul-General.

On behalf of Germany—­

Mr. HINCKELDEYN,
Attache of the German Legation.

On behalf of Liberia—­

Mr. WILLIAM COPPINGER,
Consul-General.

On behalf of the Netherlands—­

Mr. G. DE WECKHERLIN,
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

On behalf of Turkey—­

RUSTEM EFFENDI,
Secretary of Legation.

The delegates were formally presented to the Secretary of State of the United States, the Honorable FREDERICK T. FRELINGHUYSEN, in his office at 12 o’clock.  Upon assembling in the Diplomatic Hall, he called the Conference to order, and spoke as follows: 

GENTLEMEN:  It gives me pleasure, in the name of the President of the United States, to welcome you to this Congress, where most of the nations of the earth are represented.  You have met to discuss and consider the important question of a prime meridian for all nations.  It will rest with you to give a definite result to the preparatory labors of other scientific associations and special congresses, and thus make those labors available.

Wishing you all success in your important deliberations, and not doubting that you will reach a conclusion satisfactory to the civilized world, I, before leaving you, take the liberty to nominate, for the purpose of a temporary organization, Count Lewenhaupt.

     It will afford this Department pleasure to do all in its
     power to promote the convenience of the Congress and to
     facilitate its proceedings.