Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-17
THE MARITIME CONFERENCE.

11NdlONs IL. u IHUl
THE MARITIME CONFERENCE.
Organization Completed and the Com
gress Gets to Work.
LIEUT.. GOTHAM KLIcTKD sIcRKrARY, WIFE
SEVERAL ASSISTANTS Haox TIE ToaxIax
DxLEoATHs-RuLxs ADOPTED AND INTEREST
mo roP1os DISCUSSED.
Seamen are proverbialiy prompt, and Il was
exactly II O'Clock this morning when Admiral
Franklin, president Of the international mari
time conference, raped on the head table with
his little gavel in the long hall of the Wsllach
house, whore the conference u 20 hold it, sss-
| sions until svicted by the returning Pau-Amsr-
lean congress. For half an hour previous the
old house had been the scene Of busting activ-
ity In preparation for the first meeting Of the
conference. State department wagon ar
rived early and huge map, fastened into q
roll with nickel.plated chain, was carried into
the house.
TIE DELEGATES BEaAx TO ARRIVE.
The fnery Of their uniforms was abandoned
for sober black. long coats, and tall, shiny hats
The messengers and servants ct the door were
somewhat at loss to know where to deposit all
OF the hats, canes, and overcoats that were
thrust upon them in an avalanche. The mirror
shelf In the hallway was soon filled with row
OF high hats and then they began to appear On
on the floor. Some Of the delegates
carried their credentials in their hands and
some OF them bore large leathsrn cases, ap-
parentiy containing papers. In the long meet
ing room, which is on the left Of the hallway
no L. Ali
rapidly increasing crowd of delegates made
much more commonplace picture than they
presented yesterday morning at the State de-
partment
REPRODUCTIONS.
The work Of making each one known to the
other was carried on at . rapid rate, and the
somewhat formal atmosphere Of the occasion
soon thawsd. Two tables had been put in posi-
ton along the center of the room, the smaller
one across the axis of the other. thus forming a
1. tads OF paper, pens, pencils and other
machinery Tor the purpose Of official business
Lay at intervals along the cloth. These tables
were provided with seats for twenty-four
persons.
THE RULE FOR SEATING THE CONFERENCE
10 this: Delegations having more than three
members are entitled to two seats at the table,
while nations represented by three delegates
or less have one seat. The other members Of
the conference are seated around the walls
There Is slightly raised platform at the north
end OF the room, on which the presidents and
secretarys tables stand. Admiral Franklin oc-
cupies q high-backed chair, whose branching
frames extend above his head. Lieut.. Cottman
Is seated at smaller desk at the right hand
and his assistant secretaries at q similar one on
the other side.
The American delegates have the post Of
honor, at the end OF the table nearest the presi-
rUh IL
is to be their spokesman. The Englishmen sit
at the other end, facing the president. Their
mouthplece Is Mr.. Chas Hall, Q,CM.P. The
order OF sitting around the table is alphabetic,
oy the nations represented.
LIEUT.. coTTMAN ELECTED SECRETARY.
Upon calling the conference to order Ad-
miral Franklin suggested that the further or
ganization be accomplished. Mr.. Charles
Hall of Great Britain thereupon moved the
election OF Lieut.. Cottman as secretary of the
conference. This was unanimously agreed to.
ORGANIZATION COMPLETED.
Then MIR. Goodrich, American delegate,
moved the election of Mr.. Cecil B. Spring. Rice
OF the British delegation as additional secrs-
tary. This international courtesy was also car
ried through and Mr.. Charles Rbiere of France
and Mr.. Walter Biaess Of Germany were elected
secretaries. The roll was called, showing the
absence Of several delegates.
On motion Of Mr.. Goodrich, Parkers Manual
was adopted as the parliamentary guide Of the
conference.
HOURS FOR BUSINESS.
resolution was introduced by the same
delegate and adopted, to the effect that the
conference hold sessions from II Am. to 4 D. m,
on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs
day. with recess of one hour at / o'clock,
and from 10 am. to pm. on Friday. There
wiii DO no session on Saturday. The change of
hour on Friday is attended to allow delegates
who might wish to leave the city for Sunday
an opportunity to do 90 comfortably.
1t was ordered that $50 copies of the present
rules OF the road" be printed in English and
200 in French, with q memorandum showing
the difference between the American and En-
glish codes.
MR.. HALLS PLEASANT LITTLE SPEECH.
Mr.. Hall then arose in his place at the end of
the table and with smile upon his typical
English, smoothly shaver face made little
speech. His diction was quite perfectly
proper" model Of parliamentary precision,
He Said It was important to state briefly the
instructions OF her majestys government to
her delegates upon the subject Of the work Of
the conference. That government, he said, is
most actively interested in the work Of tho
conference and recognized the
BENEFICIAL OBJECT OF THE UNITED STATES
III Gaming tnis Dody t0getner IN order to pro-
mote the welfare Of all sea-going nations of the
world. Her majesty's government had limited
its instructions to the general divisions num-
bered one and three, on the theory that the
scope Of the program formulated by che Ameri-
can delegates b too extensive to permit the
most beneficial results in the limited time at
the disposal Of the conference. The British
delegates, he assured the conference, would
use their best efforts to aid the work, but he
thought it should be understood that any
proposition made by them or any action Of the
conference would not be binding on her
maiestys government.
ORDER OF BUSINESS.
On motion OF Mr.. Goodrich these resolutions
were adopted: That upon the decision of ques-
tons each nation represented shall have one
vote; that the conference proceed with the dis
cussion Of general division of the program
and continue until the consideration is COM
pleted, and that the international rules be con-
sidered article by article.
admiral Franklin announced that the French
interpreter and stenographer attached to the
conference was unavoidably absent, and asked
whether the conference desired to proceed to-
day without him, the discussion to be altogether
in English. There was no objection to this.
and Mr.. Goodrich moved that the general dis