This broad principle required elucidation in its details, and a system based upon it was consequently drawn up with the intention of representing the principal syllabic sounds: this has long been known as the R.G.S. system. * * * * * The system thus drawn up was largely adopted by the War Office, the Admiralty, and other Government Departments and private societies. But it was never officially sanctioned, for India, China,[19] Egypt, and many of our Colonies had already their own system (or want of system) for spelling foreign words; added to this, the private firms of map-makers had their own views on the subject, and still spelt their names in a bewildering variety of ways. The matter came to a head in 1919, when the Admiralty approached the Royal Geographical Society with a request for the authoritative spelling of names. A committee was accordingly formed, with representatives from all Government Departments, each of which bound itself to adopt the spelling recommended. This “Permanent Committee on Geographical Names,” under the chairmanship of a Member of Council, R.G.S., at once got to work and proceeded to draw up: 1. A revised system of Rules and Alphabet, termed the R.G.S. II system, amplifying and improving on the old R.G.S. system of 1878. (This is given in the succeeding pages.) 2. Lists of doubtful names, with their correct spelling and other details concerned. (These will be published periodically, in the form of leaflets, in the ‘Geographical Journal.’) 3. Tables of Foreign Alphabets transcribed into the R.G.S. II system. (These will be published shortly in the R.G.S. Technical Series.) It is hoped that the above procedure will gradually result in the correct and uniform spelling of foreign Place-Names throughout the Empire. It must also be noted that the Government of the United States of America, after an exhaustive enquiry, has adopted a system in close conformity with that of the R.G.S., and has directed that the spelling of all names in their vast territories should, in cases where the orthography is at present doubtful, be settled authoritatively by a Board appointed for the purpose. The two great English-speaking nations are thus working in harmony. RULES FOR THE SPELLING OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES FOR BRITISH OFFICIAL USE. (_Termed the R.G.S. II system._) 1. The spelling of every place-name in an independent country or self-governing dominion using the Latin alphabet[20] shall be that adopted by the country or dominion, except in the case in which certain important localities have also, in addition to the official name, another customary name, notably different, in which case the name customary in British use (_i.e._, “conventional”) may be adopted (_e.g._, Geneva, Warsaw, etc., for Genève, Warszawa, etc.). 2. The spelling of such place-names in colonial possessions as belong to languages coming under Rule (1) will be spelt in accordance with that rule.