Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-08-26
The Interview.

| The hrst regular meeting of the associa-
1 ton Was held in Brussels that year, and since
then successive annual meetings have been
held at Geneva, The Hague, Bremen, Ant
| werp, Frankfort, Berne, London, Cologne
and this last one at Liverpool.
I'VE met" said Mr.. Field to a World re-
porter yesterday, ION Tuesday, August Sth.
Tuesday and Wednesday were occupied in
debating new and common form of bill of
lading. Thursday and Friday were occupied
IN debating the subjects of International
copyright, International coinage, interna-
| tIonal weights and measures, standard of
time, srbitration for the settlement of inter-
national disputes, a uniform law of marriage
and divorce and bills of exchange. The
debates were very animated, and altogether
the conference was great success. Lord
OHagan, lately lord chancellor of Ireland,
presided at the opening OF the congress. He
then gave way TO the vice-presidents, and
the chair was excessively held by myself,
Sir Travers Twiss and DIR. Went There
were present many delegates from the United
Kingdom and also from the United States,
France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Den
mark, Sweden and Spain. The name of the
association denotes its aim and character
Its great primary object is 10 prevent war
between nations, and 8 a means 10 that end
to first define clearly the rights of nations
toward each other, and, in the next place, to
\
disputes when they do arise. At this last
meeting We agreed upon a common form of
bill OF ladiug. have copy OF ii drawn
out at my Office, aud will take pleasure in
showing it to anybody who may be interested
in it. In the discussion upon this bill of
lsdipg great contest arose as to whether
ship-owners should be held responsible for
the defaults OF their captains and mariners,
the present rule being, on sea as well as on
Ian hat he hO fat ~
the goods and agrees TO carry them is respon-
sible for the misconduct of his agents. But the
ship owners now claim that the introduction
Of steam and iron ships, and the practice of ma
tons in examining and giving licenses to the
10 aslers of vessels, and, TO a certain extent,
supervising the shipping of the crew, should
release them from the obligations now laid
upon them, and that when an owner has ex-
ercised due care in selecting master and
crew, and has concerned 10 all the require
ments of the law, he should no longer be
held responsible for their misconduct. The
association was in favor of this change in |
the law freeing the ship-owner from liability |
for the acts OF his employees, but there was |
a considerable minority who strenueusly ad- |
vocated retaining upon the sea the same rule |
that exists upon the land. The ship-owners |
of Liverpool and the Continent were, how |
ever, equally earnest in demanding change, |
and their views prevailed.
with reference to the subject of a stand |
ard of time, which has already been ex-
planned in the World, our object is to get the |
nations TO agree upon certain number of |
meridians. 1t is SO regulated in England,
that is 10 say, one standard of time prevails /
there, which is the time of London, but in i
the United States and Canada time varies,
often causing much embarrassment 10 trav-
elers and in other matters leading 10 much |
confusion. We wish to have prime merid-
ian established $50 degrees west of Green
wich and secondary meridians all over the
globe.
"This subject was brought before the last
congress at Cologne by DIR. Barnum, and was
then referred to a committee of American
members, which proposed a series of resolu-
tons, but in the meantime 1t was learned
that the Congress of the United States had
adopted resolutions inviting a conference OF
the nations to agree upon a standard of time,
and il was agreed to await the result of this
conference before taking further action.
SIN the discussion upon uniform law of
marriage it was found that here were great
diversities in the marriage laws of different
nations, and that much difficulty would be
experienced in reconciling them. As the
laws stand at present, Portuguese, Tor ex-
ample, may be legally married in this coun-
Try and live here most OF his life with his
wife and children, but on his return to Por-
Iugal or to some Portuguese settlement he
may find his union declared Illicit and his
children Legitimate. The meeting, after
debate, adopted resolution recommending
that legal marriage in any country should
be recognized as lawful the world over. Great
opposition was encountered from the French
delegation, who insisted upon conformity TO
French rules. A resolution was moved by
French delegate that the association should
call upon the English government 10 open
sfk ek,n 1
with view to the adoption of uniform laws
Of marriage. That resolution was voted
iown and The resolution which 1 have men,
Toned was adopted"