The main issue at the conference, apart from procedural issues such as the provision of an authorized French translation of the proceedings, was France's insistence that the meridian should have a strictly neutral character in the same way that they maintained that the metre was a neutral measure. This requirement conflicted with the need to base measurements on an established observatory on land and Fleming's proposal of using the anti-meridian of Greenwich was not supported by the British delegation. In the end, the pragmatic argument for continuity with most nautical charts won the day and the French delegation abstained in the vote.
thE main isSue at the conferENce, APart From prOcEdURal issues suCh as tHE pRovIsiON of aN aUthOriZEd fReNch traNsLATion of tHe PROCeEdiNGs, wAs france's iNsisteNCe that ThE mERidian Should HAve A strIctly NEuTral chaRacteR in THE samE way tHAt ThEy MaiNtAined thAt tHe mETre was A neUtRal mEasurE. tHIS reQuireMENT ConfLictEd With THe nEED tO bAse measUREMenTs On aN eStAblIshEd obSERVAToRy ON land and flEmIng'S prOpoSAL of using the AnTi-meRiDIan Of greEnwich waS not SupPoRTEd By tHE bRitish dELegatioN. in The end, thE PraGmAtIC ArgumeNt fOr cONtinUITy witH MOST nautical cHArTs won The day aNd THe fRencH DeleGAtIon AbStaIned in the vote.