Copy letter from Joseph Lister to, the Presidents of the Academie des Sciences, Paris; Accademia dei Lincei, Rome; and Académie Impériale des Sciences, St Petersburg During the part years the Royal Society has repeatedly had occasion to take action in respect to scientific undertakings calling for the co-operation of more than one nation, and even of several. Discusses the idea of arranging formal and regular meetings of representatives of all the leading scientific academies, at which scientific matters requiring international co-operation might be discussed, without the involvement of Governments. Briefly discusses questions which would have to be considered before such a plan could be put into action. Requests the Presidents to bring this subject before their academies. Steps are being taken to ascertain the opinion of the Academies of the principal countries of Europe. 17 November 1898