in Washington upon invitation addressed by the Government of the
United States to all nations holding diplomatic relations with it,
"for the purpose of fixing upon a meridian proper to be employed as a
common zero of longitude and standard of time-reckoning throughout the
globe," held their first conference to-day, October 1, 1884, in the
Diplomatic Hall of the Department of State.

The following delegates were present:

On behalf of Austria-Hungary--

Baron IGNATZ VON SCHÆFFER,
_Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary_.

On behalf of Brazil--

Dr. LUIZ CRULS,
_Director of the Imperial Observatory of Rio Janeiro_.

On behalf of Colombia--

Commodore S. R. FRANKLIN, _U. S. Navy_,
_Superintendent U. S. Naval Observatory_.

On behalf of Costa Rica--

Mr. JUAN FRANCISCO ECHEVERRIA,
_Civil Engineer_.

On behalf of France--