I need not trespass further upon your attention, except to lay before you the subject we are invited to discuss:  the choice of “a meridian to be employed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time reckoning throughout the world;” and I shall beg you to complete our organization by the election of a Vice-President, and the proper Secretaries necessary to the verification of our proceedings.

Mr. LEFAIVRE, Delegate from France, stated that on behalf of his colleague he would suggest that all motions and addresses made in English should be translated into French.

The PRESIDENT inquired whether the proposition made by the Delegate for France met with the approval of the Conference, when it was unanimously agreed to.

The PRESIDENT thereupon said that he was ready to lay before the Conference the subject of the election of Vice-President.

Count LEWENHAUPT, the Delegate of Sweden, stated that elections in such large bodies were always difficult, and inquired whether it was necessary to have a Vice-President.  He further said that for his part he had every reason to hope and to expect that the services of a Vice-President would not be required.

It was thereupon agreed that a Vice-President should be dispensed with.

The PRESIDENT then stated that the next business was the election of Secretaries; but suggested, in view of the proceedings already had, and of the necessity of some consultation in regard to the matter, that the election might be postponed till to-morrow.

Mr. VALERA, Delegate of Spain, stated that he saw no reason why the nomination of Secretaries could not be made just as well at present as at any future time.

Mr. LEFAIVRE, Delegate of France, inquired what would be the functions of the Secretaries.

The PRESIDENT in reply said that an acting Secretary had been appointed by the Secretary of State, who was at the same time a stenographer, and that the principal labor of keeping the records of the Conference would devolve upon him; that nevertheless regular Secretaries of the Conference had to be appointed, for the purpose of examining and verifying the protocols from day to day, which would be the more important in the event of the records of the Conference being made in two or three different languages, and that these Secretaries ought no doubt to be members of the Conference, in order to give the requisite authenticity to the acts thereof, and, in view of the character of the proceedings, should be specialists and informed as to the subjects under discussion.

Mr. SOTELDO, Delegate of Venezuela, said that he thought the Conference should adjourn until to-morrow, as they had done already enough to-day in settling its organization; that by adjourning over it would give an opportunity to the delegates to consult as to the functions of the Secretaries, and who would be most likely to be qualified for those functions; that there were gentlemen from different countries who were not familiar with the English language, and by to-morrow the Conference could determine as to the languages in which the proceedings should be had, although, as it seemed to him, that the proceedings should be recorded in French and English.  He then moved that the Conference adjourn until to-morrow.