Convention Relating to the Establishment of the International Association of Seismology

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SEISMOLOGY

• Revised convention adopted at the International Seismological Conference held at Berlin August 15, 1905^[1]
• Effective from April 1, 1904; participation of the United States in the Association effective from April 1, 1906^[2]
• Terminated March 31, 1916, in accordance with the terms of article 16; assets of the Association transferred to the International Research Council

Comptes-rendus des séances de la troisième réunion de la Commission permanente de l'Association internationale de sismologie réunie à Zermatt, du 30 Août au 2 Septembre, 1909 (Budapest, 1910)

[TRANSLATION]

Convention Relating to the Establishment of the International
Association of Seismology—July 1903

Revised August 1905

Art. 1

The purpose of the Association is the study of seismology problems whose solution requires the cooperation of many stations distributed around the globe.

In order to achieve that purpose it seems advisable:

(a)	to make observations in accordance with common principles;
(b)	to institute experiments for the elucidation of matters of special importance;
(c)	to establish and maintain seismic observatories in all countries that may need financial help from the Association;
(d)	to organize a Central Office in which all reports sent by the various observatories shall be assembled, studied and published.

Art. 2

All states that make application to the President of the Permanent Commission and declare their adherence to this Convention shall be members of the Association.

Art. 3

All States, members of the Association, pledge themselves to contribute annually to the Central Office, through their Governments or through one of their scientific societies, the quota fixed in article 4.

These annual assessments must total at least 25,000 francs (or 20,000 marks).

Art. 4

The annual quotas shall be determined on the basis of the population of the States, according to the following schedule:

• (a) A State whose population is less than five million inhabitants will pay an annual quota of 500 francs (or 400 marks);
• (b) A State whose population is between five and ten million inhabitants will pay an annual quota of 1000 francs (or 800 marks).
• (c) A State whose population is between ten and twenty million inhabitants will pay an annual quota of 2000 francs (or 1600 marks).
• (d) A State whose population is over twenty million inhabitants will pay an annual quota of 4000 francs (or 3200 marks).

The annual assessments of the States shall not be modified by new admissions of States to the Association. A newly admitted State shall pay the assessment corresponding to its population, in accordance with the above schedule.

Art. 5

The organs of the Association shall be:

a) the General Assembly.

b) the Permanent Commission.

c) the Central Office.

Art. 6

The General Assembly shall be composed of delegates of the member States of the Association. It shall meet at least once every four years.

In a case where the entire quota is paid by a scientific society, its delegate shall have the right to vote as representative of the State to which the society belongs.

It shall be convened by the President of the Permanent Commission and with the consent of the latter.

The notice of meeting shall include the agenda of the General Assembly.

The President of the Permanent Commission may be appointed President of the General Assembly.

Societies, academies, and scientific institutes concerned with seismology may, at their request, be authorized by the President of the Permanent Commission to delegate one or more of their members to the General Assembly, but in an advisory capacity only.

Persons invited by the President of the Permanent Commission may attend meetings of the General Assembly.

Art. 7

At meetings of the General Assembly, each member State of the Association represented by one or more delegates shall have only one vote on questions relating to the establishment of the Association or to administrative matters.

States members of the Association that have not sent a delegate to the General Assembly may give their vote to one of the delegates present.

The delegates of at least half of the States members of the Association must be present in order to constitute a quorum.

No decision may be taken on a matter not listed on the agenda accompanying the notice of a meeting of the General Assembly unless it is approved by a number of delegates equal to at least half the number of States members of the Association.

Art. 8

The General Assembly may set up committees to examine scientific matters. All delegates may participate in meetings of these committees.

In the balloting of the General Assembly, decisions on scientific questions shall be taken by an absolute majority of the votes of all delegates present.

Art. 9

In doubtful or mixed questions, the vote shall be taken by States (see article 7) if the delegate of any State so requests.

Art. 10

In case of a tie in voting either by States or by delegates, the President shall cast the deciding vote.

Art. 11

The Permanent Commission shall be composed of the Director of the Central Office and a member appointed by each State to take part in this Commission.

The Permanent Commission shall elect its own President, Vice President, and Secretary General.

The offices of President of the Permanent Commission and Director of the Central Office may not be held by the same person.

The President's correspondence with States members of the Association shall be prepared by the Secretary General and be signed by him and by the President.

The Permanent Commission shall take care of current business either at its meetings or after an exchange of views by correspondence. It shall draw up its own rules of procedure.

It shall be responsible for the execution of the decisions of the General Assembly and the proper use of the funds at its disposal.

Art. 12

The sums paid by the States members of the Association, and the income from other sources, shall be used:

a) to defray the Association's administrative and publication expenses;

b) to pay the salary of the Secretary General;

c) to pay the fees or remunerations due for theoretical works or for experiments commissioned by the General Assembly;

d) to cover the expenses of construction and upkeep of the seismological observatories founded by the Association.

The distribution of funds among these various items shall be determined by the Permanent Commission.

The sums so allocated shall be expended on the responsibility of the Director of the Central Office and under the supervision of the Permanent Commission.

The sums so allocated shall be expended on the responsibility of the Director of the Central Office and under the supervision of the Permanent Commission.

All payments shall be ordered by the Director of the Central Office with the authorization of the President of the Permanent Commission.

A justification of disbursements and a statement of receipts shall be published in the minutes of the meetings of the Permanent Commission.

Any unused funds shall be carried forward as assets in the budget of the following year and applied to the expenses of that year.

Art. 13

The Central Office shall be connected with one of the principal seismological stations, whose director shall at the same time serve as director of the Central Office. The seismological station shall be designated by the General Assembly.

The Central Office shall receive reports or observations from the various countries, draw general conclusions therefrom, and publish them.

Art. 14

The Director of the Central Office shall submit an annual report to the President of the Permanent Commission covering the whole field of activity of this Office. He shall also submit to him the work program for the following year. This annual report, as well as the work program, shall be published and sent to all the delegates of States members of the Association.

On scientific matters, the Director of the Central Office shall correspond directly with the members of the Permanent Commission, with the national seismological offices, and with learned societies or individuals concerned with seismology.

Art. 15

The Secretary General shall submit to each General Assembly a report on the work and the situation of the Association. He shall also publish the minutes of meetings of the Permanent Commission, the proceedings of the General Assemblies, and the results of work performed in the name of the Association (art. 1, par. 2b). He shall have charge of the correspondence and, under the direction of the President of the Permanent Commission, of such current business of the Association as does not fall within the province of the Director of the Central Office.

Art. 16

This convention is concluded for a period of twelve years beginning April 1, 1904. Upon the expiration of this initial term, it shall continue in force for four-year periods, unless terminated on six months' notice to that effect.

[The following countries were, at some time during the existence of the organization, members of the Association: Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, the Congo, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.]

1. Convention first drafted at the Second International Seismological Conference at Strasbourg July 24–28, 1903.
2. The U.S. Congress made provision for U.S. membership in the International Seismological Association by act of June 30, 1906 (34 Stat. 728); the U.S. quota of expenses of the Association was first paid for the fiscal year beginning Apr. 1, 1906.