No. 385.
Mr. Schuyler to Mr. Fish.
St. Petersburg, August 24, 1872. (Received September 12.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the International Statistical Congress is now in session here, under the presidency of the Grand Duke Constantine.
A very large number of delegates, both official and unofficial, is in attendance, and the proceedings thus far are highly interesting. The United States are represented by the official delegates, Messrs. Edward Young, William Barnes, and E. M. Snow, and by the unofficial persons delegated in part by various statistical societies; Mr. Julius L. Clarke, of Boston, State superintendent of insurance Messrs. E. H. Derby and N. L. Derby, of Bosto r. Alexander Delmar, of Washington, and the Hon. Charles T. Gorham, minister-resident of the United States at the Hague. I was especially invited by the imperial government to take part in the congress, and accordingly entered as a regular member.
The congress has now met in the principal capitals of Europe, and a great desire is expressed by nearly all the members to hold their next session, in 1874 or 1875, in the United States, and a strong pressure is exercised to obtain an official invitation from the American delegation. It seems that it is the rule of the congress to meet in no country without an official invitation from its government, and, therefore, that unless this is had from the United States, they will be reluctantly obliged to turn elsewhere.
The American delegation conferred with me on the subject, and stated that there was also a strong desire in the United States to have the next meeting of the congress there.
I am, &c.,
Chargé d’Affaires ad int.