Mr. VELARDE (Bolivia). To answer the question put by the honorable Delegate from Mexico, I beg leave to say that the committee's idea in drafting the article was the following: It believed that each nation ought to name three engineers, so that the commission may consist of a respectable number of intelligent members, experts in the matter; such members to come together in general session to agree upon the plan to be followed in carrying on the explorations, measurements, surveys, and other practical work to be performed. This large membership will permit of subdivision into as many subcommissions as may be required for the several sections of the territory to be surveyed. The article furthermore provides that such commission may appoint other engineers or employés to aid in the work of the different subcommissions. That is to say, the idea was that this commission should have charge of the project in its professional as well as its practical aspects; that it should adopt a plan and then itself carry on, through its subcommissions, the appropriate investigations. By still another article-if I may offer the explanation in advance-it is provided that each Government, over and above the force in question, may, on its own account, employ as many engineers or other assistants as it shall deem necessary, so that the work of the commission may be expedited.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Chairman, I understand the question of the honorable Delegate from Mexico (Mr. Romero) to be whether or not this commission would supervise the whole survey or only the survey in the States from which they are appointed. My under

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standing is that the commission of three engineers from each State will be intended to consider the entire subject. There may be from some States three, and from some other States one, but the commission is intended to take into consideration the entire subject, appointing subcommittees, and making a final report as to the costs of the railway, and its practicability, and commercial advantages, etc.

The PRESIDENT. Is the Conference ready to vote upon the article?

Mr. HENDERSON. Mr. President, I suggest a simple verbal amendment. Perhaps the expression "might be" in the last line has crept in by mistake, which should be "may be," I apprehend.

The PRESIDENT. The Delegate from the United States (Mr. Henderson) asks that the words "might be" be changed to "may be." Is there objection? The Chair hears none and it is so ordered.

The third article was declared adopted.

The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh sections were read separately and unanimously approved as read, in the following form:

Fourth. That each of the Governments accepting may appoint, at its own expense, commissioners or engineers to serve as auxiliaries to the subcommissions charged with the sectional surveys of the line.

Fifth. That the railroad, in so far as the common interests will permit, should connect the principal cities lying in the vicinity of its route.

Sixth. That if the general direction of the line cannot be altered without great inconvenience, for the purpose mentioned in the preceding article, branch lines should be surveyed to connect those cities with the main line.

Seventh. That for the purpose of reducing the cost of

the enterprise existing railways should be utilized as far as is practicable and compatible with the route and con. ditions of the continental railroad.

The eighth section was read, as follows:

Eighth. That, in case the results of the survey demon. strate the practicability and advisability of the railroad, proposals for the construction either of the whole line or of sections thereof should be solicited.

Mr. ALFONSO. I move that the words "and advisability" be stricken out, as in my opinion the idea which they suggest is involved in the general approval of the project, for which reason I think that we ought to say: "Eighth. That, in case the work of the commission demonstrate the practicability of the railroad," etc.

Mr. VELARDE. I think it necessary, as the committee did, to retain the word advisability, because that covers the financial aspect of the matter. The ground may be well adapted to the construction of the railroad; the work may be practicable and without difficulty; and yet, financially speaking, the railroad may be inadvisable, since it may not be able to pay expenses. The word advisability, then, covers all the financial elements of the question, all matters of income and disbursements of the line which it is proposed to build, and it seems to me that the article should be retained in its present form.

Mr. DAVIS. Mr. President, in addition to what the chairman has said, the committee desired that the whole subject be considered by the engineer commission, and that nothing should be neglected. Thus, we said "practicability and advisability" in order that the commission might consider the whole subject.

Mr. ALFONSO (Chili). I regret to be obliged to dissent from the honorable members of the committee. To me it seems, and it is the firm opinion which I have formed upon the subject, that such an enterprise should be undertaken not because it pays, not in view of its ability to pay expenses, great or small, but because in itself the enterprise would benefit all America independently of profit or speculation.

From this point of view I welcome it and deem it necessary. A railroad traversing the whole American continent is so important, so great, that, at whatever material cost, its construction must be advisable. Accordingly I became committed to its advisability by the very act of voting to approve the project. The advisability of the road is clear in more than one sense; it is advisable in promoting political harmony; it is advisable as favorable to commercial union, Obviously this railroad is advisable, and because it is I give it my vote. No other advisability need be demanded.

For this very reason I insist that the word ought to be omitted, though I do so with scant hope of success, inasmuch as the committee includes nearly the whole of the Conference. My own vote, however, I must record. The probable route of the line shows that it will not be financially profitable.

VOTE.

The PRESIDENT. Is the Conference ready for the question? Shall the words "and advisability" be stricken out?

The PRESIDENT. The Conference, by fifteen votes against one, refuses to strike out the words.

The ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth sections were then separately read and unanimously approved, as read, in the following form:

Ninth. That the construction, management, and operation of the line should be at the expense of the concessionaires or of the persons to whom they sublet the work, or transfer their rights with all due formalities, the consent of the respective Governments being first obtained.

Tenth. That all materials necessary for the construction. and operation of the railroad should be exempt from import duties, subject to such regulations as may be necessary to prevent the abuse of this privilege.

Eleventh. That all personal and real property of the railroad employed in its construction and operation should be exempt from all taxation, either national, provincial (State), or municipal.

Twelfth. That the execution of a work of such magnitude deserves to be further encouraged by subsidies, grants of land, or guaranties of a minimum of interest.

Thirteenth. That the salaries of the commission, as well as the expense incident to the preliminary and final surveys, should be assumed by all the nations accepting, in proportion to population according to the latest official