held at Rome, where twelve of the thirty-eight Delegates were
directors of national observatories, and where the subject of the
conditions which should attach to a prime meridian were discussed
without reference to any particular nationality; that these learned
gentlemen came to the conclusion (which he thought was a very wise
one) that the necessity existed for a prime meridian that it should
pass through an astronomical observatory of the first order; that
modern science demanded such precision, and therefore they excluded
all ideas of a meridian being established on an island, in a strait,
on the summit of a mountain, or as indicated by a monumental building.
Looking at the subject in its various aspects, they came to the
conclusion that there were only four great observatories which in
their minds combined all the conditions, and this decision was
unanimously received by that Conference. Those great observatories
were Paris, Berlin, Greenwich, and Washington. He stated further that,
having this in view, he thought this Conference should be particularly
guarded, looking at the question from a scientific point of view, not
to depart from the conditions laid down by the Conference at Rome;
that he had no desire to advocate any one of the places enumerated,
but merely mentioned them as satisfying all the conditions of science,
which was so brilliantly represented at Rome.

Commander SAMPSON, Delegate of the United States, then said:

I can only attempt to anticipate the arguments which may be advanced
by the learned Delegate from France in support of his resolution to
adopt a neutral meridian. But it is our simple duty, in our present
judicial capacity, to examine the question of a prime meridian from
all points of view. With the object, then, of considering the question
from another stand-point, I ask your attention for one moment. This