Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-17
James G. Blaine Opens the Meeting Wi
an Eloquent Address.

James G. Blaine Opens the Meeting With
an Eloquent Address.
WASHINGTON, October 16th.-The first
| meeting of the International Maritime
Congress was held to-day. The members
met at the State Department, about fifty in
number, and were addressed by Secretary
Blaine in the diplomatic room. Mr.
Blaine's remarks were as follows:
GENTLEMEN: 1t is a case of extreme gratifca-
ton to the Government of the United States that
is invitation to The maritime powers of the
World has been met with so general a response.
.tepre sentatiyes from Asia, Europe, North and
South America and the isles of the sea will
compose the conference. On behalf of the
United States welcome you ALL gentlemen to
the honorab e, scientific and philanthropic
duties which lie before you Already the great
and rapidly increasing intercourse between
Continent and Continent and nalion and nation
demands that every protection against dangers
from sea, and every guard for the safety of
human life should be provided. The spoken
languages of the world will continue to be
many, but necessity commands that the un-
spoken language of the sea shall be one. That
language must be as universal as the needs of
man for commerce and his intercourse with fel-
lowmen. The deep interest which the mari
time nations have taken in the questions at
issue is shown by the eminent character and
wide experience of the delegates to whom have
been committed the important work. Again,
gentlemen, welcome you, and after your pre-
liminary organization is completed it will be
my pleasure to present you in person to the
President of the United States.
After the organization the delegates were
driven to the White House and paid their
respects to the President, after which they
repaired to the Wallach building, where
the sessions will be held until the return of
the American Congress, for which it was
secured. The Maritime Congress is con-
ceded to be one of the most important
bodies which has met in Washington in
long time, aud its personnel is most dis
tinguished. 1t will Immediately take up
the chief question for which it was called
to meet, viz, the adoption of universal
code of marine signals and other means Of
obtaining increased safety in navigation.
After the delegates had been presented to
the President, the latter, standing in the
center of semi-circle, spoke few infor-
NAL words of welcome, expressing his graf.
iicstion that the conference has assembled
under such pleasant auspices. He ex-
pressed deep personal interest in the results
which might be anticipated and he trusted
attained by the conference, and hoped that
the passage OF the seas might be made as
safe IS it has been made rapid. The Pres
ident in conclusion said that the object for
which the conference had assembled was
one which would attract universal interest
throughout the world, and its attainments
would be warmly welcomed by all the ma
tions.
Following is the official list of delegates
present:
United States-Rear Admiral Samuel r.
Franklin, United States Navy; Captain
William I. Sampson, United States Navy
Sumner l. Kimball, General Superintendent
United States Life-saying Service; Captain
James w. Norcross, Master Merchant Ma
rine; Captain John w. Shackford, Master
Counselor. at-law; Clement A. Griscom,
President International Navigation Com.
pany. V. L. Cottman, Lieutenant United
States Navy, acts as Secretary.
Austria -Hungary-Baron Hermann de
Spaun Rear Admiral OF the Imperial Royal
BeIgium-Theodore Verbrugghe.
China-Captain A. NJ. Bisbee, Com
mander Chenengan Tao of the Chinese
Navy; Lieutenant CHA Guy She, Chinese
Navy.
Denmark. A. Garde, A. Schneider
France-Naval attache of the French
Vice President of the Geographical Society
of Bordeaux Mr.. Vetillart, Engineer-in-
Chief of Bridges and Roads Mr.. Riviere,
Engineer of First Glass; Mr.. We'll, Judge
of Tribunal of First Instance of the Seine.
Germany-Dr. Sieve King, President of
the Supreme Court of Hamburg; Captain
Mensing of the German Navy; August
Fe gel, Consul General of Germany at New
York; Privy Councillor Donner, retired
Captain of the Germany Navy; Auten San
chez de la Gordo Liutenant in the Navy
and Secretary.
Great Britain-Cbarles Hall, Q. GIMP;
Admiral Sir R: Molyneaux, K. 9. B.; Ad-
miral Bowden Smith, Admiral Sir George
Naroo X n r ThO1naa Grau AcoiSfapt
Secretary of the Marine Department Board
of Trade; Captain H. Wyatt, P. and 0.
Steamship Company; Captain Kendall
Dublin Steam Packet Company, accomparI-
led by Cecil A. Spring Rice as Secretary
Observation-Disclosures Cruise, Minister of
Guatemala at Washington.
Hawaii-Hon. A. p. Carter, Hawaiian
Minister at Washington.
Honduras-Dr Don Jeronimo Zelaya,
Diplomatic Representative OF Honduras at
Washington.
Italy-Chevalier Raphael Set!embrini,
Captain in the Royal Navy.
Japan-P Tenkahara, Imperial Depart
ment of Communications; Lieutenant
r. Baba, Imperial Navy, Attache 10 Japan
ese Legation at Washington.
Mexico-Seno- Don Matias Romero,
Mexican Minister to Washington; Senior
Don Angel Ortiz MONSTERS, Commodore
Mexican Navy.
Norway-P. T. Selvesen, Captain Nor
wegian Royal Navy; s. W. Flood, agent of
the several maratime insurance companies
in New York.
Russia-Vice Admiral Kazukoff Chief
Inspector Marine Artillery.
Spain-Senor Don Jadobo Varolo, Pres
ident OF the Spanish Marine Commission
in New York; Don Baldomero Vega, Lieu
tenant in the Spanish Navy.
Sweden-T. s. Malmberg, Chief of Nau-
tical Meteorological Bureau and Captain in
the Royal Navy.
Siam-Frederick William Verney of the
Siamese Legation in London.
Netherlands-D. Hubert, Captain Steam
Navigation Company; j. II. Vanstrin,
Commander of the Netherlands Royal
Navy.
Venezuela-Senor Alessandro Urbancja;
Senior Nicola Bolet Perazo; Senior Fran
cisco Antonio Silva. Charge d Affaires of
Venezuela at Washington Senior Jose
Aurade.
Rear Admiral Franklin was chosen to
preside over the conference.