(1) In the interest of the unification and improvement of the metric system a general convention[991] was signed at Paris on May 20, 1875, for the purpose of instituting at Paris an International Office[992] of Weights and Measures. The original parties were:—Argentina, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden-Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States of America, and Venezuela; but Brazil has never ratified. Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, Roumania, and Servia acceded later.
[991] See Martens, N.R.G. 2nd Ser. I. p. 663.
(2) On December 23, 1865, Belgium, France, Italy, and Switzerland signed the Convention of Paris which created the so-called "Latin Monetary Union" between the parties; Greece acceded in 1868.[993] This convention was three times renewed and amended—namely, in 1878, 1885, and 1893.[994]
[993] See Martens, N.R.G. XX. pp. 688 and 694.
[994] See Martens, N.R.G. 2nd Ser. IV. p. 725, XI. p. 65, XXI. p. 285.
Another Monetary Union is that entered into by Denmark, Sweden, and Norway by the Convention of Copenhagen[995] of May 27, 1873.
[995] See Martens, N.R.G. 2nd Ser. I. p. 290.
On November 22, 1892, the International Monetary Conference[996] met at Brussels, where the following States were represented:—Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Roumania, Spain, Sweden-Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United States of America. The deliberations of this conference, however, had no practical result.
[996] See Martens, N.R.G. 2nd Ser. XXIV. pp. 167-478.