protocols; but I thought it my duty to make this declaration.

Mr. LEFAIVRE, Delegate of France. I desire to make some remarks on the
question when it is put to a vote; for the time being I shall only say
a few words on the remarks of my honorable colleague, the Delegate of
Spain, Mr. Valera. I believe that though the question of weights and
measures is not before the Conference, it is allowable for a member to
state, in the name of his Government, the conditions to which his vote
has been subordinated. Even though the question is not under
discussion, it may appear from such an explanation that the vote is
conditional, instead of being a simple affirmation. If my honorable
colleague has received from his Government instructions to subordinate
his vote to such or such a condition, even when the question to which
it is subordinated is not submitted to the Conference, it follows from
it, according to me, and everybody will admit it, that the
consequences of that vote are at least conditional.

Mr. VALERA, Delegate of Spain. My Government has charged me to express
here its hopes and desires, but the vote which I have given is not, in
my opinion, conditional; for I have received instructions to pronounce
in favor of the Greenwich meridian to measure the degrees of
longitude. However, it was necessary for me to say at the same time
that it was with the hope that England and the United States would
adopt the French weights and measure.

General STRACHEY, Delegate of Great Britain. While I entirely agree
with the view which the Chair has taken of the question whether the
adoption of metrical weights and measures is before this
Conference--namely, that it is beyond our competence to discuss
it--yet I am glad to have the opportunity of saying that I am