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Le diagramme suivant illustre la mdthode : 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 i t t DOCUMETSTTS BELATINU TO THE FIXING OF A STANDARD OF TIME AND THR LEaAI.IZA.TIO]S[ THEKEOF. PRTNTKD BY OR! Hilt OF rAJlLlAMENT. SESSION 1891 OTTAWA: rUINTED BY BROWN CIIAMBKRUN. PRINTKR TO THE (QUEENS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, '^> « MUHl mwmi^mismimmmm'^^ip. ^ SiLCii-> RETURN (44) To an Order of the House of Commons, dated the loth Muy, 1891 : — For copies of all letters, communications and reports in the possession of the Government, relating to the fixing of a Standard of Time, and the legalization thereof. Ottawa, 4th June, IHOl. By order. J. A. CHArLEAU, Secretary of State. No. 1- No. 2- No. 3 No. 4 No. 3 No. 6 No. 7 No. 8 No. 9 CONTENTS. -Despatch dated "ilst November, 1800, from the Colouiiil .Secretary, Lord Kiiiitsford, trans- mitting certain papers, viz. : — fa) Letter dated 2()th July, 1890, from the ^icienco and Art Department, expressing concur- rence in tiie views of Mr. .Sandford Fleming with reference to time reckoning, and recommending that they he cf>mmunicateil to the ( Jovernnients of all the (.Colonies with a view to the adoption of tlie Hour Zone system, and the '24hour notation. (h) Resolutions dated 2otii April, 1890, of Connnittee on tlie Prime Meridian Conference, supporting the movement for tlie general reform in time reckoning in all the liritish possessions. (r) Memorandum of Mr. .Sandford Fleming, 20th November, 1889 (with map), on the movement for reckoning time on ii scientilic basis, by whicii the greatest possible degree of simplicity, accuracy and uniformity will be obtainable in all countries tlu'ougliout the world. -Report, dated 27th Decend)er, 1890, of .Mr. Charles Carpmael, Director of the \Jeteorological Depiirtment, on the documents referred to in Lord Rinitsfonrs despatch, 21st November, 1890, reconunejiding tliat with a view of legalizing the new system of reckoning time throughout the Dominion, a Hill be introduced in Parliament as a (Jovernment measure. -Bill referred to in Mr. Carpmael's report, introduced last Session of Parliament by a private member, on the petition of the Canadian Institute and others. -Petition referred to in Mr. CariJUiael's report, from the Canadian Institute, Toronto, tlie Mayor and Corporation of Toronto, the Hoard of Trade, and citizens of 'i'oronto. -Circulars of the Secretary of State, Washington, calling an International Conference, and Resolutions passed ]>y the Washington Internation.il Conference of 1884, determining a zero of longitude and standard for time reckoning tlu'oughout the glolje. -Bill introiluced in the Congress of the United States respecting the reckoning of time throughout the United States. -Report of the Special Committee on Uniform Standard Time, American Society of Civil Engineers, dated 2l8t .January, 1891. -Speeeii of Count Yon Moltke, in the Imperial Parliament of Germany, on the time reform movement in Europe, ilelivered Kith March, 1891. -Communication ilated Ist June, 1891, from the Royal Society of Canajla, transmitting report adopted at the Montreal meeting of the Society, and other papers respecting time reckoning. 44—1 No. 1. CIRClTLATi DISPATCH FROM THE COLONIAL OFFICE, LONDON, TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA AND THE GOVERNMENTS OF ALL BRITISH COLONIES. Downing Strfet, 2l8t November, 1890. Sir, — I have the honour to transmit to you a copy of a letter from the Science and Art Department (26th July, 1890) forwarding a copy of Mr. Sandford Fleming's memorandum on Time Reckoning together with the map which accompanies it. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient, bumble servant, The Officer Administering the KNUTSFORD. Government of Canada. No. 1 (a.) Department of Science and Art to Colonial Office. Members of Committee : The Astronomer Royal. Professor J. C. Adams, M.A., F.R.S. Lt. Gen. R. Stratchey, R.E., C.S.L, F.R.S. Dr. Hind, F.R.S. The Hydrographer of the Navy. Maj. General Donnelly, C.B. Department of Science and Art, London, S.W., 26th day of July, 1890. Sir, — Referring to the letter from the Colonial Office of the 16th February last, transmitting a copy of a despatch from the Governor General of Canada enclosing certain papers relating to the reform in time-reckoning which the Canadian Institute was desirous should be communicated to this Departmeiit, I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Council on Education to inform you that these papers were submitted to the Committee appointed to advise My Lords with reference to this question. The Committee consider "that it is desirable that Mr. Sandford Fleming's " memorandum bo forwarded to the Governments of all the Colonies for their " consideration with a view to the adoption of the Hour Zone system in " reckoning time generally and ofthe24hour notation for railway time tables." " The Committee desire to express their concurrence in Mr. Sandford " Fleming's viev/s as to the advantages Avhich would result from this reform and the ease with which it could be carried out." I am also to request you to inform the Secretary of State for the Colonies that the Astronomer Royal calls attention to a paper by Dr. Schram published in the April number of the "Observatory" showing that " Standard time" is likely to be adopted shortly on the railways of Germany and Hungary, whilst other European countries are favourably disposed towards it. I am directed to request that you will be good enough to move Lord Knutsford, should his Lordship consider the action expedient, to cause copies ' 8 of the raeraoraiidum and of the map which have been printed for the purpose to he sent to the Governo»'8 of Her Majesty's Colonies. I am, &c., The Under Secretary of State W. D. DOXNELLY, for the Colonies, Colonial Office, S.W. No 1 (b.) ConDnittee on the Prime Meridian Confa'cnce. Meeting of 25th April, 1890. Present : — The Astronomer Royal (in the Chair). The Hydrographer of the Navy. General Donnelly, C.B. Resolved — 1. That it is desirable that Mr. Sandford Fleming's Memorandum bo for- warded to the Governments of all the Colonies for their consideration, with a view to the adoption of the Hour Zone System in reckoning time generally, and of the 24 hour notation for railway time tables. The Committee desire to express their concurrence in Mr. Sandford Fleming's views as to the advantages which avouUI result from this reform, and the ease with which it could be carried out. 2. That it would be advisable that a similar recommendation should be forwarded to the Indian Government, and that the adoption of the 24 hour notation for railway time tables (which they understand has been adopted on several lines in India) should be recommended to the Railway Companies of the United Kingdom. No. 1 {c). Memorandum on the movement for reckoning time on a scientific basis, by which the greatest possible degree of simplicity, accuracy, and uniformity will he obtainable in all countries throughout the world. 1. Notwithstanding the great advance which has been made during the present century, in all the Arts and Sciences and their application to the affairs of human life, the reckon' g of time is still in a primitive condition in many countries and in an imperfect condition in every country. Difficulties have been developed since the introduction of rapid means of communication, through the twin agencies steam and electricity, which, when examined, prove that time is computed generally on principles which arc untenable. The world's time reckoning is, in fact, an exceedingly complicated combination ; it is productive of confusion and the confusion is apt to be increased and intensified as population increases and lines of rapid communication are multiplied. 2. During the last ten years efforts have been made to overcome the evils* referred to by establishing a remedial system on a sound scientific basis which would be acceptable to all nations and by which perfect accuracy, uniformity and simplicity would everywhere be obtainable. 44— IJ 3. The subject has been carefully considered by many individuals and by scientific societies in Europe and America. It has been discussed at Geographical and Geodetic Congresses at Venice and Rome ; anaralk'l mid west of 89th njeridiaii. Thtire is not a province in (Canada whore it is not idrcudy in uw,'. It hiis hoon adopted f)n the railwayn in Nova Scotia, New JJniiiHwick, I'rinci' Edv\ard IsUind, Manitoha, AHsinihoia, All>crta, HritiHli Cohimhia, and partly in Qiuihcc and Ontario ; ho satisfactory are the rcsnlts of the new notation tlnit it lias heen determined to extend its application and it is expected that hefore ionf^; it will he in general use for railway purposes througliout the Dominion. 28. In the United States a strong expression of opinion in favour of the 24 hour notation has he»;n ohtained. The American Society of Civil Engineers, deeply conccsmed in the perfection ofthe railway system of the liepuhlic, has since the year 18H0 takoi an active interest in time reform. This Society led the way in preparing the minds of men for the general acceptance of the IFour Zone system r*ix years ago, and since then it has vigorously directed !ittenMf)n to the "24 hour notation." It has a special Committee whose duty under the authority ot the Society is to correspond with Railway Managers on the suhject, and in every proper way to promotx^ the adoption of the new notation. The communications whi(;h have heen sent out hy the American Society t)f Civil P^ngineers to the leading railway men throughout the country have eli(Mted a very large numher of rei»lies. They emhrace tht; oi)inion of, it is believed, a considerahle majority of the managers of all the Railway Companies in North America, and of all who have been heard from about 97 per cent, are in favour of the adoption of the 24 hour notation in the railway service of the country at an (?arly date. It is quite obvious that there is a widespread feeling in favour of tlie change and it oidy remains for the CJeneral Time? Convention, an organized body, representing all the railways in the United States, to take decisive action in the matt(n", so that the new notation may be brought into us(! simultaneously in every section of the country. 24. (-anada in adopting ttie hour zone system and in introducing the "24 hour notation " has umloubtedly taken the lead in carrying into effect, in the most practical manner j)0ssiblc, the essential jirincipl(!s of Universal time. The "24 hour notation" has likewise been introduced in the llailwjiy servi(!e of (!hina, and it is not a litths remarkabU; that on(! of Hk; oldest Eastern civilizations conjointly with the youngest Western civilization should set an example in breuking through the trammels of custom to itiaugurate a reform which every intelligent person believes to b(^ desiraijie. Uni- versal time will be substantially ado[»ted in North America so soon as the "24 hour notation" is brought into use throughout the United States, There is but one step necessary to secure to Great I'iritain all the advantagcf; of Universal time, that is the adoption of the "24 hour notation " ; this one reform concerns the railway system and railway travc^Uers especially, and in a country where all travel more or less, I cannot but think that if English railway managers were informed as to the ease with which the changt! baa been introducinl in Canada, and the satisfactory results which have followed, they would very speedily take moans to obtain similar advantages. I am confirmed in this view by an examination of the letters which have been re- ceived by the Science; and Art ])(!partment, South Kensington, (topics of which I have been favoured with. These letters go to show that the resolu- tions of the Washington Conference on this subject are cordially favoured by the following important bodies ami departn)ents, viz. : — 8 1. Royal AHlroiioinical Society. 2. Tlic Uovnl Hociotv. 8. Tho Hoard of Triido. 4. The Gonoral Vmi OlHce. T). Thti Eastern Tol«'j;!;rapli Company. (I. Tlio KuHtcrn KxtciiHion 'I'dfj^rapli C-oTni>Miiy. 7. Tlio KaBt<^rti and tSoiitli Alrii-aii Tc'ltiji^raph Company. 8. Tlio Society of Telegraph Engineers. i>. ThoTrinif'v House. 10. The India 'Ofliee. 11. The Colonial Oflieo. 12. The Admiralty. To these nniy he ad(h'd tlie C\)mmi1t<'(; of Council on EducatiVOBJJ) 0]y MERCATORS PROJECTION. SHEWmC 18 Uim.--,. ^|BrJ4fr„j|k,. jgt ii|(i loU la^ Uf uo i«*6 ta tab . Hour 1^6 jfii£ vmsmsmmmBBimsi TNG THE 24 HOim MERIDIANS FOR KEGUL^ING STANDARD TIME. 12)0 I3i6 W if;'6 Jtowi/on Be lea 1 to tlu ser qU; del H^^K ira] ^^^^^^■1 ZOI pre in hoi tio) ma the llOl ma mu Cai 1186 the con list wh ^^^^■T' Or 1 1 ^HHE ' 1 I i \ 9 BRITISH POSSESSION'S. Tablk indicating the Hour Meridians, number'^d as on the accompanying Map, which ina^ he. selected as Local Standards for reckoning time in each of the several British Possessions. The last column gi v(;h tlie ditferenoes lietweeii local rfekoiiings a.Ji(i the time of tlic world- Universal Time. The sign PLUS indicates that local reckonings are in advance of, and MINUH that they are l>ehiud, World Time in each case. Hour Meridians. Hour Zone Reckonings Countries. faster or slower than World Time. East or West of Nuniliered on (ireenwich. Map. The Britinh Islands (comprising) — Kngliind and Wales — 12 hours. Scfitland - 12 do Ireland - 12 do Canada (comprising) — Xova Scotia. . fiO west 10 + 4 do Xew IJrunswick . . 75 do 17 - 5 do Prince Kdward Island (iO do .... 10 - 4 do ()uel)ec 7.") do .... 17 - 5 do Ontario . . 75 do .... 17 - 5 do Manitoba 00 do .... IS - 6 do AssiiiilKiia 105 do .... I'.l - 7 do Siiskatcliewan 105 do 1!) - 7 do Alberta 120 do 20 - 8 do Athabasca 120 do 20 - S do liritisli (Jolumhia 120 do .... 20 - 8 do Australasia (comprising) — New South Walea 1,50 do 2 4 10 do \'ictoria ... .... ir.0 do 2 + 10 do < Queensland ; 'lasmania • ....... .. . 150 do 2 + 10 do 150 do .... 2 + 10 do South .'.ustralia .' 1.35 east a + !) d(j Western Australia 120 do 4 + 8 do New Zealand 105 do 1 + 11 do Fiji 1()5 do 1.50 do .... 1 2 + 11 do New (iuinea + KI do Possi'ssiouH in Asia (comprising) — India ... 75 do .... 7 -> 5 do B'.irmah !K) do ... + 6 do Ceylon 75 do 7 + 5 do 1 long Kong 120 do ... 4 + 8 do Straits Settlements. 105 do 5 + 7 do Labuan 120 do 4 + 8 do West India (c-omprising) — Jamaica 75 west . . . 7.5 dt) 17 17 - 5 do Turks Island - 5 do British ( luiana (iO do ... 10 - 4 do Bahamas 75 do .. . 17 - 5 do Trinidad 00 do 10 - 4 do liarbadoes 60 do . .. 10 - 4 do (■leiiada (K) do 10 - 4 do I'lritish Honduras !»0 do (>0 do IS 10 - 6 do St. Vincent - 4 do >St. I>ucia (iO do Ki - 4 do Tohagt) «0 do Hi - 4 do Antigufi 00 do . . 10 - 4 do Montserrat (W» do Ki - 4 do St. Christo|>her 00 do 10 - 4 do Virgin Islands 00 di Ki - 4 do Dominica (M) do .... 16 - 4 do PoBseHsi(jns in Africa (com|)ri8ing)— ("«!«• of (i(M)d Ho]* ao east . . . 10 H 2 do Heehuanaland 3<1 do .... 10 + 2 do liasutoland 30 do 10 + 2 do Natal 30 do ... 10 + 2 do 10 BRITISH POSSESSIONS— C'owHu£/e./. Tabt,e inflicntin^ the Honr Meridians, &.c. — Concluded. Hour of Meridi^UH. Hour ZoiK! Reckonings Countries. faBter or nlower than World Time. East or West of Numbered on CJrHfnwidi. Map. PoHHttHHionH in Africa (cuin|iriHiiiK) — HitTi-ft Ii»'(m<> 1') wost .... l.< - 1 honr. • (iaiuliiii 15 do . .. K! - 1 do (tolfl CoaHt " - r.' do LaKt'H- " 12 do Mincfll»iic(ius ((lompming)- - St. HcU'im () — 12 do (iil)raltar - 12 do Malta 15 ea*it ... 11 + I do CvpniM 30 do ; ID + 2 tlo 15«*r!iilKi:i. . W Wf^Ht . . . (W do . . . 1(> 111 - 4 do Kalklaiid iHlandH - 4 do HcliK'ilanil 15 cant .... 11 + 1 do Adtii 45 do .... >.( + 3 do AxceiiMiim 15 went . la - 1 do Faiiniinr I)an Mexico NetherhinilH Nicaragua Norway I'araguay Persia 60 west K) 15 east ... 11 -- ... . 12 (50 west ... 111 45 do ... 15 (iO do . . . 1(1 •M east 10 !K) west IS "5 do 17 120 east . . . 4 105 do . . . 1) 75 West . . . . 17 15 east 11 15 do 11 75 west 17 Wi east W ^ . . 12 15 east 11 ;{o do .... I) + 7 do S«Tviii ») do 10 + 2 do Spain - 12 do Swi'dfii 15 fftHt 11 -^ 1 do Swit/.fi land 15 do 11 + 1 do 'I'ltrki'V :J0 do ... , 10 + 2 do HuHMiii in Kiii-otK? ■Jo di> 1 !t ■i- 3 do < ;«» do . . 10 + 2 do Huhniii ill Ahiii 1(15 do ... 1 150 do 2 + 11 do do + 10 do do 135 do 3 + !* do do 120 do 4 + 8 do do 105 do .... 5 + 7 do do !K) do . . li + li do •> -10 do Vcufzuf'Ia '■(0 do Ki - 4 do No. 2. REl'ORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE METE0R0L0(JI(^AL JJEPARTMENT, OX THE DOCUMENTS OX TIME RECKOXINO FORWARDED BY THE HOME GOVERXMEXT. METEOkoLortiCAL Office, Toronto, Doccrnber 27tli, 1890. Sir, — r liiivo to ;ickiio\vlc(lia;o the rocoiiit of ynur Icttor of tlie Otli inst., eiiclo.siii_if a letter from Lord Knutsford to Hiw Excellency the Governor General, together with a eopy of a letter from the Science and Art Department, for- wardint;, a copy of Mr. Saiidford Fleming's memoninduni on time reckoning, and nm[) accompanying it, and requesting me to report thereon. I have tiie honour to report tliat on tlie 4th Deoemlxir, 18H9, the Canadian Institute addressed a letter to the Governor General, enclosing a memorandum, prepared by Mr. Sandford Fleming, dat(!d -Oih Xovemher, 1880. The i)aper8 which you sent me show that this memorandum was submitted toacommittee consisting of the Astronomer Royal, Professor J. C Adams, Lt.-Gen. R. Straehey, Dr. Hind, Superintendent Nautical Almanac Office; the Hydro- graphor ofthe Xavy, and Major-Gen. Donnelly, recommended that copies of tlie memorandum and of the maps be sent to tlie Governors of Her Majesty's colonies. 12 At the last session of Purliameiit a Bill whs introduced by a private member, on petition of the Canadian Institute and others, with the object in view of permitting and legalising the new system of reckoning time, but the matter being but little understood, the Bill was withdrawn. Now that tlie principles of the system are set forth in a memorandum, which is endorsed by the higliest authorities in the sei-vice of the Home Government, and the Home Govern- ment has seen tit to bring the matter to the attention of the Dominion Gov- ernment, I would respectfully recommend that a Bill similar to that introduced last session be again presented, this time as a Government measure. This measure would not compel the use of the new system, but merely permit it and define it. I remain, sir, your obedient servant, CHARLES CARPMAEL, Director. Wm. Smith, Esq., Deputy Minister Marine, Ottawa. Preamble. No. 3. BILL INTRODUCED IN THE SENATE OF CANADA, 1890. An Act respecting the Reckoning of Time. (Reprinted as proposed to be amended in Committee.) \\7IIEREA> on the invitation of the President and Congress V T of tlie United States of Amc ica, an International Con- ference was held at Washington in 1884, consisting of duly appointed delegates from twenty-five nations, at which Canada was duly represented, to determine certain leading principles by which the inhabitants of the world could have a common system of reckoning Time ; and whereas the said Conference, after prolonged delil)eration, unanimously passed resolutions ernbodyii tlie principles which should govern all nations in the mea .rement and notation of Time and recommended the meridian passing through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England, as a prime or initial meridian for the purpose of a Time-Zero ; and whereas the "Hour meridian system," common- ly called Standard Time, now in general use in Canada, and the twenty-four hour notation employed in operating the Govern- ment railways of Canada and the Canadian Pacific Railway from Lake Superior to Vancouver, are in harmony with the said resolutions and recommendations of the said International Conference ; and whereas petitions have been presented to Parliament, urging that it would be in the general public interest to have these reforms in the measurement and notation of time legalized and sanctioned by Parliament ; and whereas, since the general adojition throughout Canada of the mode of reckoning known as Standard Time, doubts have arisen as to the reckoning which has force in hnv and it is expedient to remove all such doubts : Therefore Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows : — 18 itia. !• In pO far as Parliament has power to define and control Howtini«i»to the same, time throughout Canada shall be reckoned ifi '>" >««koned. accordance with the hour meridian system, commonly called Standard Time ; and the system of hour meridians throughout Canada shall he based on the initial or prime meridiati which System nf passes through the Royal Observatory at Greenwich ; and the Jj'iJ^'/^""'^'' reckoning of time throughout Canada shall be in agreement with the reckoning of civil time at Greenwich, excepting only with respect to the commencement of the day and the notation Tii.i.- in Can- of the hours, which shall be as hereinafter provided, in all *,''"*"''*' '*-V",' I , !• • • 1 , ,. . . • 1 1 • chnmoiw with otlier respects the division and sub-division ot the day into (JrfHinwich hours, minutes and seconds in Canada shall be synchronous *""'^" with the division and sub-division of the day at Greenwich. 2. The commencement of the day and the notation of the Notation of hours in the following Provinces and Territories of Canada honn*. shall differ from the commencement of the civil day at Green- wich and from the notation of the hours of Greenwich civil time as follows : — {((.) In Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia they shall be P. E. iHiand four hours behind the civil time at Greenwich, — that is to say, jl;"!!^'^'"^* when it is four by the clock in the morning at Greenwich the day shall commence throughout Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and when it is twelve by the clock at Greenwich it shall be eight by the clock throughout Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. {!>.) Ill New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario they shall be X'-w Bnms- five hou s behind the civil time at Greenwich. aiKM)Ii'tarior (e.) In Manitoba they shall be six hours behind civil time at Manitoba. Greenwich. ((/.) In Assiniboia and Saskatchewan they shall be seven Assiniix^aand hours behind the civil time at Greenwich. wan^***^*^' (e.) In Alberta, Athabasca and British Columbia they shall Alberta, Atiia- be eight hours behind the civil time at Greenwich. Br1ti«h'co- lumbia. JJ. The hours of the day may in any of the Provinces or (iovemorin- Territories aforesaid be numbered from midnight to midnight ^^!^\^!!'ll!!^^l. in a single series of numbers from one to twenty-four, and this tious for other method of designating the hours of the day, commonly known Temtones. as "The Twenty-four Hour Notation," shall be equally valid with that of numbering the hours in two series of twelve hours each, from midnight to noon and from noon to midnight, dis- tinguished as ante mcriiiem and post meridiem hours. -1. The Governor in Council may from time to time, make "j^ul,!"!^^ such regulations as he sees fit, not contrary to this Act, as to all from i to 24. matters relating to the reckoning and notation of time in any part of Canada not mentioned in the second section of this Act. 14 fiovfrimr in Council mivy chaufff not.i- tinn to Miiit convi'jiit'ncn of particular liIuceM. Short title. !i» If it is shown to the satisfaction of the Governor in Council that it would be to the advantage or convenience ot the inhabitants of any Province, Territory or part of a Pro- vince or Territory to have the commencement of the day and t]»e notation of the hours in such Province, Territory, or part thereof, defined otlierwise than as in the second section of this Act, the Governor in Council may make such change as he deems expedient, and may appoint the date at wluch such change shall have effect, and upon proclamation thereof in the Canada Gazette such change shall come into force at the date appointed therefor. O. Whenever the doing or the not doing of anything at a certain time of day, or during a certain part of the day, has an effect in law, such time or part shall be reckoned and ascer- tained according to the provisions of this Act. 7. This Act ma}- be cited as " The Beckoning of Time Art, 1890." H. This Act shall come into force on the first day of July, A.D. 1891. No. 4. PETITION OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE, THE MAYOR, COR- PORATION AND CITIZENS OF TORONTO ASKING FOR LEGISLATION. To the Honourable the Senate of the Dominion of Canada, in Parliament Assemhled : — The petition of the undersigned, the President and Members of the Canadian Institute, Toronto; the Mayor and Corporation of the City of Toronto; the Toronto Board of Trade ; the Harbour Commissioners; and other citizens of Toronto : Respectfully Sheweth : — That the establishment of railways and telegraphs has developed imper- fections in the ordinary modes of reckoning time, and that during the past ten years efforts have been made to obviate the difficulties which have arisen. That to discover the means of overcoming the attendant confusion, which results in friction and tends to danger, the subject has received the earnest attention of scientific societies and individuals in Europe and America. That an International Conference was held at Washington, in 1884, to discuss the question. That the conference consisted of duly appointed repre- sentatives from the Governments of twenty-five nations, and that after pro- longed discussion in meetings extending over a month, thoy with unanimity passed resolutions embodying the principles upon which the difficulties may be overcome in all parts of the globe. That the hour zone system (commonly called Standard Time) and the 24-hour notation are based on the resolutions of the Washington Conference. 16 And tliat whorever these systems have been brought into use, great advan- tages to the public liave resulted. That improvements in time reckoning und their application in every day life have so far not been legalized by Statute, and it would be in the general public interest to have them so legalized. Wlierefore your petitioners humbly pray that the 24-hour notation of time and the hour zone system of reckoning (commonly called Standard Time) be sanctioned and permitted by law throughout the Dominion of Canada. And as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray : CiiAS. Carpmael, President Canadian Institute. F. B. BROWNIN(i, Vice-President do Alan Macdouuall, Secrotii ry do E. F. Clark, Mavor of Toronto. Jno. Blevins, City Clerk, Toronto. John J. Davidson, Pres. Board of Trade, Toronto. Edgar A. Hill, Secretary do Charles B.Lee, Chairman, Harbour Commis. Mryant Baldwin, Harbour Master. L. J. Clark, A. Morrison, Alex. Marling, Geo. D. Simpson, J. B. Williams, H. R. Faikc'loigh, J. Davis Barnett, James Bain, jun., 0. MOWAT, A. F. Chamberlain, Geo. Murray, RoHT. F. Scott, Thomas Langton, G. B. About. Robert Young and others. No. 5. THE WASHINGTON CONFERENCE, 1884. Circulars /rom the Department of State, Washington, m reference to the callivg of an ItHernaiional Conference to determine a common zero of Longitude and Standard for 71 me- Beckoning throughout the Globe. Department op State, Washington, 23rd October, 1882. Sir, — On the 3rd of August last the President approved an A ct of Congress in the following words : — "Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, tliat the President of the United States be authorized and requested to extend to the governments of all nations in diplomatic relations with our own an invitation to appoint delegates to meet delegates from the Tnited States in the City of Washington at such time as he may see iit to designate, for the purpose of lixing upon a meridian proper to be emploj'ed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time reckoning throughout the globe, and that the President be authorized to appoint dele- gates, not exceeding three in number, to represent the United States in such international conference. lU It may be well to state that, in the absence of a common and accepted standard for the computation of time for other than astronomical purposes, embarrassments are experienced in the ordinary aflairs of modern commerce ; that this embarrassment is especially felt since the extension of telegraphic and railway conununications has joined stattis and continents possessing indepen- dent and widely separated meridional standards of time ; that the 8ul)ject of a common meridian has been, for several years i)ast, discussed in this country and in Europe by commercial and scientific bodies, and the im(>(( of a general agreement upon a single standard recognized ; and that, in recent European conferences especially, favour was shown to the suggestion that, as the United States possesses the greatest longitudinal extension of any country traversed by railway and telegraph lines, initiatory measures for holding a.i international convention to consider so important a subject should be taken by this Gov- ernment." The President, while convinced of the good to flow eventually from the adoption of a common time unit, applicable throughout the globe, thinks, however, that the effort now to be made should be to reach by consultation, a conclusion as to the advisability of assembling an international congress with the object of finally adopting a common meridian. He, therefore, abstains from extending an invitation for a meeting at Jin assigned day until ho has ascertained the views of the leading governments of the world as to whether such international conference is deemed desirable. I am accordingly directed by the I'resident to request you to bring the matter to the attention of the Government of , through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with a view to learning whether its appreciation of the benefits to accrue to the intimate intercourse of civilized peoples from the consideration and adoption of the suggested common standard of time so far coincides with that of this Government as to lead it to accept an invitation to participate in an international conference at a date to be designated in the near future. You may leave a copy of this instruction with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and request the views of his Government thereon, at as early a day as may be conveniently practicable. I am, Sir, your obedient servant. PRED'K T. FRELINGIIUYSEN. Department of State, "WAsniNOXON, December Ist, 1883. Sir, — By a circular instruction of October 23rd, 1882, you were made acquainted with, (the language of,) an Act of Congress approved August 3rd, 1882, authorizing and recpiesting the President to extend to other Governments an invitation to appoint Delegates to meet in the city of Washington for the purpose of fixing upon a Meridian proper to be employed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time- reckoning throughout the world ; and you were instructed to bring the matter before the attention of the Government to which you are accredited and to inform it that the President deemed it advis- able to abstain from the issuance of the formal invitation contemplated, until through preliminary consultation the views of the leading Governments of the world, as to the desirability of holding such an International Conference would be ascertained. 17 In the year that has since elapsed this Government has received from most of those in diplomatic relations with the United States the approval of the project, while many have in terms signified their acceptance and even named their delegates. Besides this generally favorable reception of the suggestion so put forth, interest in the proposed reform has been shown by the Geographical Confer- euce held at Rome in October last, which very decisively expressed its opinion in favor of the adoption of the Meridian of Greenwich as the common zero of time longitude, and adjourned, leaving the discussion and final adoption of thij or other equivalent unit, and the framing of practical rules for such adop- tion, to the International Conference to be held at Washington. The President therefore thinks the time has come to call the Convention referred to in my instruction of October 23rd, 1882. I am accordingly directed by the l*resident to instruct you to tender to the Government of , through its Minister for Foreign Aflairs, an invitation to be represented by one or more delegates, (not exceeding three) to meet delegates from the United States and otlier nations in an International Conference to be held in the city of Washington on the 1st day of October next, 1884, for the purpose of discussing, and if possible, fixing upon a meridian proper to be employed as a common zero of longitude and standard of time reckoning throughout the tjlobe. You will seek the earliest convenient occasion to bring this invitation to the attention of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of by handing him a eopy hereof and requesting that the answer of his Government may be made known to you. I am, Sir, your obedient hervant, FRED'K T. FRELINGHUYSEN. RESOLUTIONS imssed by the International Conference, in its several sessions, extending from October 1st to October 22nd, 1884, and confirmed by Final Act October 2'2nd. I. " That it is the opinion of this Congress that it is desirable to adopt a single prime meridian for all nations, in place of the multiplicity of initial meridians which now exist." This resolution was unanimously adopted. II. " That the Conference proposes to the Governments here represented the adoption of the meridian passing through the centre of the transit instru- ment at the Observatory of Greenwich as the initial meridian for longitude." The above resolution was adopted by the following vote : — Austria-Hu n ejary , Chili, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Hawaii, 44—2 In thd affirmative Italy, Japan, Liberia, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Russia, Salvador, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Venezuela. 18 In the negative : San Domingo. Abstaining from voting : Brazil, France. Ayes, 22 ; noos, 1 ; abstaining, 2. III. " That from this meridian longitude shall be counted in two direc- tions up to 180 degrees, east longitude being plus and west longitude minus." This resolution was adopted by the following vote : — l7i the affirmative : Hawaii, Japan, Liberia, Mexico, Paraguay, In the negative : Spain, Sweden, Abstaining from voting : France, San Domingo, Germany, Turkey. Ayes, 14 ; noes, 5 ; abstaining, 6. IV, " That the Conference proposes the adoption of a universal day for all purposes for which it may l)e found convenient, and which shall not inter- fere with the use of local or other standard time where desirable." This resolution was adopted by the following vote : — Chili, Colombia, Costa Rica, Great Britian, Guatemala, Italy, Netherlands, Austria-Hungary, Brazil, Russia, Salvador, United States, Venezuela, Switzerland. Austria-Hungary, Brazil, Chili, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Great Britain, Guatemala, In the affirmative. Hawaii, Salvador, Italy, Spain, Japan, Sweden, Liberia, Switzerland, Mexico, Turkey, Netherlands, United States, Paraguay. Venezuela. Russia, Abstaining from voting Germany, San Domingo. Ayes, 23 ; abstaining, 2. V. " That this universal day is to be a mean solar day ; is to V)egin for all the world at the moment of mean midnight of the initial meridian, coin- ciding with the beginning of the civil day and date of that meridian ; and is to be counted from zero up to twenty-four liours." This resolution was adopted by the following vote : — 19 for lin- is In the Affirmative. Brazil, Chili, Colombia, Costa Rica, Great Britain, Guatemala, Paraguay, Hawaii, Russia, Jai)an, Turkey, Liberia, United States, Mexico, Venezuela. In the Negative. Austria-Hungary, Spain. Abstaining from Votiiig. France, Netherlands, Sweden, San Domingo, Switzerland. Germany, Italy, Ayes, 15 ; noes, 2 ; abstaining, 7. VI. *' That the Conference expresses the hope that as soon as may be practicable the astronomical and nautical days will be arranged everywhere to begin at mean midnight." This resolution was passed without division. VII. " That the Conference expresses the hope that the technical studies designed to regulate and extend the a[»plication of the decimal system to the division of angular space and of time, shall be resumed, so as to permit the extension of this application to all cases in which it presents real advantages." The motion was adopted by the following vote : — A ustra-Hungary, Brazil, Chili, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Great Britain, In the Affirmative. Hawaii, Italv, Japan, Liberia, ^lexico, ^Netherlands, Paraguay, Russia, San Domingo, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, Venezuela. Abstaining from Voting. Germany, Guatemala, Sweden. Ayes, 21 ; abstaining, 3. Done at Washington, the 22 nd October, 1884. C. R. P. RODGERS. Presidmt. R. STRACHEY, J. JANSSEN, L. CRULS, Secretaries. 44— 2J 20 No. 6. BILL INTRODUCED IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES. In the Senate January 16, 1891. Mr. EvARTS introduced the following bill ; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. A BILL Respecting the reckoning of time throughout the United States. Whereas an act was passed in eighteen hundred and eighty-two to authorize the President of the L^nited States to call an international conference to fix on and recommend for universal adoption a common prime meridian, to he used in the reckoning of longitude and in the regulation of time throughout the world ; and Whereas in pursuance of the said act a conference was held at A\'asliing- ton in eighteen hundred and eighty-four, at which twenty-live nations were represented by delegates duly appointed ; and Whereas the said conference, after prolonged deliberation, with substan- tial unanimity passed resolutions embodying the principles which should govern in the measurement and notation of time, and recommended the meridian passing through the observatory at Greenwich, England, as a prime meridian for all nations ; and Whereas the " hour meridian system," commonly called standard time, now in general use in the United States, is in accordance with the said resolu- tions and is based on the said prime meridian as an initial standard and has been found to bo much to the advantage of 'uterstate commerce ; and Whereas, since the general adoption throughout the United States of tlie mode of reckoning known as the standard time doubts have arisen as to the reckoning which has torcc in law, and it is expedient to remove all such doubts : Therefore, Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That time throughout the United States shall be reckoned in accordance with the hour meridian system, com- monly c*alled standard time, and the prime meridian recommended by the Washington International Conference of eighteen hundred and eighty-four shall bo the initial standard for reckoning time ; and the meridians which are a multiple of fifteen degrees from the prime meridian shall bo the hour meri- dians or substandards by which the local reckoning of time shall be regulated ; and the reckoning of time throughout the United States shall be in agreement with the reckoning of civil time on the prime meridian, excepting only with respect to the commencement of the day and the notation of the hours, which shall be as hereinafter provided ; in all other respects the division and subdi- vision of the day into hours, minutes, and seconds in the United States shall be synchronous with the divisions and subdivisions of the day on the prime meridian. Sec. 2. That the commencement of the day and the notation of the hours in ditteront time sections of the United States shall difl:er from the commence- ment of the civil day and the notation of the hours on the prime meridian as follows : 21 (a) III the time sections where the reckoning of time is regulated by hour meridian number seventeen, or the sub standard meridian which is seventy- five degrees west longitude, the reckoning shall be five hours behind the reckoning on the prime meridian. {(>) In the time section where the reckoning of time is regulated by hour meridian number eighteen, or the sub standard meridian which is ninety degrees west longitude, the reckoning shall be six hours behind the reckoning on the prime meridian. {c) In the time sections where the reckoning of time is regulated by hour meridian number nineteen, or the sub standard meridian which is one hundred and five degrees west longitude, the reckoning shall be seven hours behind the reckoning on the prime meridian. (d) In the time section where the reckoning of time is regulated by hour meridian number twenty, or the sub standard meridian which is one hundred and twenty degrees west longitude, the reckoning shall be eight hours behind the reckoning on the prime meridian. Sec. 3. That the time sections referred tc^in section two of this act em- brace the countrv on each side of and contiguous to the substandard meridians therein mentioned ; but it shall be competent for the constituted authorities of any State, city, incorporated towns and villages, or by the commissioner or courts of any county to adopt the substandard by which to reckon time, as shall seem to them most convenient, and such standard shall be legal and shall be recognized by tlie courts imd oflicials of the United States; and the time for juridical, municipal, registration, or other purposes in any locality shall, iink'ss otherwise specified, be held to be according to the reckoning so adopted and commonly used by the inhabitants of such locality. Sec. 4. That the hours of the day may, in any locality, be numbered in a single series of numbers, from zero to twenty-four, and this method of design- ating the hours, commoidy known as "twenty-four hour notation," shall be e(iually valid with that of numbering the hours in two series of twelve hours each, distinguished as ante-meridian and post-meridian hours. Sec. 5. That this act shall come into force on , anno Domini, eighteen hundred and ninety-one. ■- ^ No. 7. '^^ ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON UNIFORM STANDARD TIME. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS. Presented Jdnuanj 21 s^ 18 J 1. The Special Committee on Uniform Standard Time begs leave to report : Til the last annual report of the Committee it was brought to the notice of the Society that the Government of the United States had not taken any action on the resolutions and recommendations of the International Conference, held in Washington in 1884, and that as Standard Time, so universally adopted in civil life throughout North America, is in complete accord with the resolutions of the Conference, it would be in the public interests to have the recommendations authoritatively recognized by Act of Congress. The sug- gestions of the Committee having been accepted at the annual meeting, it was 22 considered advisable to ascertain the views of the members generally. The Board of Directors accordingly snbmitted to letter-ballot the draft of a memo- rial, representing to the Government of the United States : First. — That, in the opinion of this Society it would be in the general interests of the United States to accept formally the resolutions of the Inter- national Conference, held at Washington in 1884. Second. — That, in the opinion of this Society, it would be in ihe general interests to legalize, by Act of Congress, the now common system of regulating time-reckoning by hour meridians. Third. — That, in the opinion of this Society, it would be in the general interests to embrace in an Act of Congress a permissive clause, authorizing and legalizing the use of the 24-hour notation. It was decided by letter-ballot on March 5th that the memorial should be adopted — 226 voting "yea," 7 voting "nay" ; the majority in favour being 210. The memorial has since been duly forwarded to Washington and presented to the President of the United States, and to both Houses. A bill has likewise been prepared in accordance with the terms of the memorial, having in view the desired legislation. This bill has been presented and referred to committees in both Houses. A printed copy of the Senate Bill is appended hereto. At the last annu"'' meeting the Committee submitted a detailed statement establishing that a majority of the railway managers in the United States and Canada were in favour of the 24-hour notation. Evidence has since been received from ofhcers of railways not before heard from and the Committee is now enabled to report that the total number of railway authorities who have com- municated directly with the Society, expressing themselves in favor of the proposed change to the 24-hour notation of time, is as follows, viz. : 1. Presidents, Vice-Presidents and General Managers.. 135 2. General Superintendents 77 3. Superintendents 114 4. General Traffic Managers 12 5. Engineers 65 Total 403 The aggregate length of railway with which these officers are connected is estimated at about 140,000 miles. A list, revised up to the present date, of railway managers in favor of the new notation of time is appended. From these facts it is plain that the proposal to adopt the 24-hour nota- tion in the working of railways on this continent, meets with general concur- rence, and obviously what is required on the part of those who are responsible for the administration of the railway service of the country, to efiect the desired change, is to act in accord, and by joint arrangement to fix upon some date when the new notation may be brought into general use for railway pur- poses. The Committee therefore respectfully recommends that the question of change, together with the evidence of the harmony of opinion which prevails, be brought by this Society in a formal manner to the attention of the General Time Convention and the Board of Railway Presidents at their next periodi- cal meetings. The advantages of the 24-hour notation are beginning to be recognized in various branches of civil life. In hospitals, for example, to prevent mistakeB 23 I by nurses in the administration of medicine, in recording temperatures, and in other matters, the new system is being gradually introduced ; also in weather tables and in the recording of meteorological readings ; indeed in departments where simplicity of system and accuracy is essential the new notation is being spontaneously bronglit into use in many quarters. For two or three years back the Canadian Almanac has abandoned the old notation and substituted the new. It is in connection with the railway service, however, that the gen- eral introduction of the 24-hour notation mtiy mainly be looked for, and the Committee cannot doubt that, thus brought into use, the intelligence of the community will welcome the change ; the ready acceptance of " Standard Time" by the general public throughouttheUnited States and Canada directly on its adoption by the railway authorities, seven years ago, may be instanced. Althougli it cannot be expected that the 24-hour notation will so speedily come into common use, there are grounds for the belief that eventually it will pre- vail and become universal. The Committee has the satisfaction to report that a communication has been received from the Director-General of railway? in India, which gives official announcement of the fact that the 24-hour notation has recently come into use on all the railways throughout the Indian Empire, and that this result is partly in consequence of the satisfactory trial of the new system on some of the lines during the past few years. The Committee has received the strongest assurances from all quarters that wherever the new notation has been adopted in the working of railways, it continues to give increased satisfiiction. Experience has shown that the change can be effected with great ease, absolute safety and without creating any disturbing influence in any direction. When your Committee reported a year ago, the 24-hour notation was then in use on less than 4,000 miles of railway. It has now been permanently adopted on an aggregate length exceeding 20,000 miles. The time-reform movement has for some years attracted much attention in Austria-Hungary, Germany, Italy, France and Belgium, and there is every prospect of the principle of Standard Time being adopted throughout Central Europe at an early day. An official correspondence has been placed in the possession of tlie Com- mittee which establishes that the British Government has taken steps which will tend to promote the general adoption of Standard Time and the 24-hour notation in all the British possessions. This correspondence can scarce! v fail to be of interest to every member of this Society, inasmuch as we learn by it that the reform in time-reckoning which the American Society of Civil Engineers has taken a leading part in bringing to its present satisfactory con- dition, meets with the approval and hearty recommendation of the highest scientific authorities in the service of the British Government. The committee in England which has so favorably reported on the universal adoption of Standard Time and the 24-hour notation, consists of the Astronomer Royal, the Superintendent of the Nautical Almaiuvc, the Ilydrographer to the Admir- alty, and the Secretary ot the Science and Art Department, South Kensington, together with I'rofessor Adams and General Strachey, both of whom were delegates at the Washington Conference of 1884. A memorandum, prepared by a member of the Special Committee on Uniform Standard Time, setting forth the principles of time-reckoning long 24 advocated by this Society, lias been endorsed by these distinguished men, and recently has been sent by the British Government to the governments i)t' all the British possessions around the globe, with a view to the adoption of Standard Time generally and of the 24-hour notation for railway time-tal)les. The railway companies of England, Ireland and Scotland have likewise been recommended to adopt the 24-liour notation. A copy of this documcint with its aci.'omj'anying map is appended hereto. In concluding this report, the Committee feels that it is not out of place to remark ihat, as the Members of this Society havy (!oiint von Moltke in the German imperial pailisimentwjis on UHubjeet of special intercHt to Caiia- dian.s. On the 16th oi last month the venerable Htatesman-soldier «poke at considerable length on tlu; question of universal time reform, and gave coun- tenanee in f(jreil)le and clear language in favor of the Hystem which we liave introduced into Canada. As the arguments advanced by the aged and railway would, in a iiionnint, render necesHary. (Jentle- njen, it would be ol" groat advantage if wo coidd attain ii (jorninon (Jc^rnum unity of time ; for tliis, above all otlierw, in tlio reekoning by ir)tli meridian eartt of (ireenwieb a(la[»ted. 'J'biH meridian euts flirougb Norway, Sweden, Germany, Austria and Italy. By 0Btnl)liHbing tbo l.'itb meridian aw a rftandard of reckoning tliere will arine at tbe extreirw^ eaHtern boundary a difference of 81 minutt'K, at tbe W(!Ht(!rn of .'U) miniiteH. (Jentltiiiien, in soiitli (Jermany le«» dilKjreneeH bave been easily a»:(!epted into (uistoniary uhi;, and in America tlnsy have rmicb greater dilferencoH. QentleuK'ii, unity of tim(f merely for tlu; railway doe'w not set awide all tbo dinadvantageH wbicb 1 bav(! briefly mentioned ; tbat will only \h: portsible when we reach a unity of time reckoning for tbe whole of (Jermany, that i» to say, when all local time is swept away. Against tbin proje< t all sortH of i)rejudicoH now ara felt by the public, I think wrongfully. Certainly, a('t(!r due ccmsideration, tlu^ Hcientific men of your observatories had given their authority against this spirit of ()i)po8ition. CU'iitlemen, Hciencc! doHires much more than we do. SIk; is not content wilb a (Jerrium unity of time, or with tbat of middle P^urope, but wbc la dertirous of obtaining a world time, basctd upon tlm meridian of (ir(;enwich, and certaiidy with full right from her standpoint, and with the end she has in vi(iw. Now, the! opinion has been expressed that the introduction of this com- mon time into citizen life would cause confusion. Tbe inconvenience it would cause to manufactoriofh poHitivi-ly and ncj^ativolv ; in fortain tiiiu's the difluroiice law to 1)0 addtid, in other tiiiifs to l)odu(iut;tod. Tlio diniax of 10 niimjtiiH is readied only four dayn in the year. Cientlenien, lias anyl'ody anionirn* iih who Hvoh piuiftuully hy a well retfu- luted clock ever remarked tliat he, in a loiirlli part ol' the ycnir, han Hat down to table 1(1 niinuteH t«o early, or that he has retin^d too early to roHt, and in tlie following; fourth of the year too late '! 1 think not. (ientkiiTien, just the eireuniHtanceH that this not important difl'ereiKio hetw(»on solar time any a vote or hy ri'8olution to estahiisli all that the movement aimH to accompliMh. l'oHHil)ly this may b(! efiect(!ment if the I'arliariKjnt declares itself in Hym[»a(hy with a principle which, in America, in h^ngland, in Sweden, in Denmark, and Switzerland and in South Germany has already ohtain(!d acceptance. The re[)ort of tin; Imperial Railway Department was approved. StANDAHI) TiMK — FUO.M THE " KmI'IHE." 24th April, 1891. The sudden death of General Von Moltke has cause(l a well known corres- pondent, Mr. Saiidford Fleming, to direcit attention to the nfmarkahle speech delivered by the deceased general only last month in the Jmpc^riai (Jorman Reichstag. The 8ubj(!ct is imity of time, and the occasion was during a dis- cussion respecting tins adojition throughout the German empire of th(! same system of time reform which is already introduced in Canada, The speech of Von Moltke, a translation of wliich appears in another column, a[)pears to have had great intluenoo in Kuiope ; and the action taken by Germany will, no dotdtt, lead eventually to a furth(!r extension of the principle of rectkoning the hours, the ado[)tion of which has removed much fri(!tion on this aid(! of the Atlantic. '^Phere is still one thing needed in connection with thi.s reform : it recjuires to be legalized. From Nova Scotia to Hritish C!oliiml»ia the system is in use, ])ut there is no statute enacting its legality, and doubts have arisen as to the njckoning and notation of time which has force in law. This uncertainty (•liould not (jxist, as it may involve legal ([Uestions in riispect to bankijig, tlie administration of justice, registration or elections, which will readily suggest themselves to gentlemen engaged in legal pursuits. After the establishment of tlu^ railway system in (Jreat Britain, thesatne uncertainty prevailed and it became necessaiy to pass an Act prescribing and defining the use of Greenwich time throughout England and Scotland. The same nec^essity for legislation has become apparent in the United States, A bill was intro- diKM'd hy Mr. Kvarts in the Senate and by Mr. Flowers in the lloustrof Representatives, and next session they will undoubt(>dly become law. Similarly, a bill was introduced into the Ganadian L'arliament last year by Senator Machines, of Burlington, but owing to the late ptuiod of its presenta- tion the measure did not get heyond its second reading. We understand that the bill will again be introduced tliis session. 28 No. 9. ROYAL SOCIETY, CANADA, TO TIIK MINISTER OF MARINE. On tub Standard Unit ok Time and the Hour Meridian. Royal Society of Canada, Ottawa, Ist June, 1891. Sill, — I have the honour on behrlf of the Royal Society of Canada to transmit several pa])ers for the information of tiie Government, including a re- ]»ort ado^ited by the Society at its rerent general meeting in Montreal, on '* the unit mi-asure " and the " hour meridians " in ('onne(ti()n with the subject of universal time reckoning, and bearing on the (question of the legislation which is required in the Dominion. I have the honotir to l)e, G. C. W. HOFFMANN, Hon, Secretary. Tile Hon. C. H. Tuppeu, Minister of Marine. ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA Address at the Opening of Section III, !>>/ the President, Sandford Fleming, C.M.G., LLJX,M. Inst. C.E., F.G.S., tfcc, 27th May, 1890. THE UNIT MEASIJKE OF TIME. I desire, at the opening meeting ot this Section of the Royal Society, to bring to your attention a sulyect of some general importance. For a number of years past attempts have been made on both sides of the Atlantic to eft'ect a reform in the method of reckoning time. The degree of success which has attended the movement is a matter of surprise, when we consider that the changes, involve a departure from the usages of society and are in opposition to the customs of many centuries. The modern introduction of rajnd means of communication has created conditions of life different from those of preceding generations. It may be said that until a few years back localities separated by a few miles of longitude were assumed to have distinct and separate notations of time. When many localities were first brought into close relations by the establishment of a line of railwa}', the different local times (so called) with whicb the railway autho- rities had to deal, produced much confusion ; in order to attain security' fo\ life and property in operating the line, and likewise to promote the con- venience of the public using it, it became necessary to observe a uniform notation, which received the name of Railway Time ; that is to say, the many local reckonings which prevailed at the numerous points between the two terminii Avere reduced to a single reckoning, common to the many localities. As lines of railway multiplied, the unification of the reckoning of time became more indispensable, and it earl}' came to be seen that the benefits to result from unification would be in proportion to the extent of territory embraced within its operations. At length it became obvious that uniformity of reckoning might with advantage be extended to a whole continent or the whole globe. Investigation also established that such an extension would contravene no law of nature or principle of science. 29 The proposal to 8Uj»er8e(le the mim1)erless local times l)y u single notation^ synchronous in every longitude, hud a somewhat Utopian aspect. Many indeed regarded it as a ri'volutionarv innovation, for it came into direct conflict with the customs smd tiie habits of tliought which had descended from a remote antiquity. Nevertheiesfl, the potent ajujencies, Steam and Electricity, which have co-operated in muking a? tonishing transmutations in human attinrs, have forced on our attention the investigation of time and its notation, and demanded some change to meet the altered circumstances of daily life. If we consider the nature and attributes of that which we know as time, we will iind that it is wholly independent ot material bodies and unintluenceil by space or distance ; that it is es8y which the hours are loi'ally to l)e known, there is complete identity in every sub-division of time th(^u>:fhout the twenty-lour sections. The numy local days whicii follow in succession during;; each diurnal period are by this iirrant;en»ent of subsidiary standards reduced to twenty-lour nornuil days, «'ach ditiering an hour in the moment of its commencement from the day which succeeds. Twelve of these normal days precede and twehe follow thi; jirimury standard or unit measure of time, which is the mean ol the whole serii's of nornuil days. By this expedient, which has received the name of "the standard time systenj," the means have been provided by which all nations, withoiitany apparent great departure from old usa;^es, nniy observe substantially the one i;ommon reckoning. The adoption of the system of standard time has already made consider- able progress. In North Ainorica standard time was first introduced in railway economy ; it has since been g(uu;rally acce[>ttid by the imissof the community. In Asia the same system has been legally eBtal)lishetl throughout the Japanese empire. In Europe a general interest has been awakened on the subject <1 at the present moment it attracts special attention in Austria- Hungary, (i^ many and Helgium ; late advices give expression to the belief tliat standard time will !)e adopted by the railway service of these countries Itefore many months. It is already observed in Sweden and Great Britain. Thus, at th(^ present (hiy, standard time has been I'uUy accepted in Asia by not less than forty millions of people, in Kurope by almost an t'(^ual imm- ber, in America by more than sixty millions ; and tlieri; is scarcely a doul)t that in no long period it will be in use throughout the greater part of Central Europe, making a total number of probably two hundred and thirty millions of the most progressive peoples in tlni three continiuits who will have acceptt'd the principles of reckoning l>ased on a common unit. Without taking into acconnt Centnd Kuropo, where the reform is on the eve of adoption, the unifi- cation of time reckoning has so far advanced that in .lapan, Norway, {Sweden, England, Hcotland, Canada and the United States, all well-regulated clocks strike the houre at the same moment (although locally the hours are distin- guislied by dilferent numbers), and the minutes and seconds in all these coun- tries are absolutely synchronous. The unit of measurement authoritatively established by the resolutions of tlio Internatiotud C(»nferon(!e of 1884 is the basis of the system by which tiiese results have been obtained ; and wo must regard this new system as the one wliich shall hereafter l)e observed by the great mass ofthec-ivilized iidiabitants of the world in their daily reckonings and in their chronology. It is of first importance, therefore^ that lu* doubt or ambiguity should exist in connection with it. liy the resolutions of the confen^nce of 18K4 the unit measure may be defined as the interval of duration extending from one mean solar passage on the anti-meridian of (Jreenwich to the next succecsding passage. This standard unit has been variously designated as follows, viz. : — 1. A Universal Day. 4. A Cosmopolitan Day. 2. A Terrestrial Day. 6. A Worhl's Day. 8. A Non- Local Day. 6. A Cosmic Day. 81 It rcqiiiros no :ir<,nim('nt to show that no oiio of tln^so six tortus is uppro- priatf. The unit of tinio in not a day in the ordinary Honwo ; it \h indood nuicii more llian an ordinary day. Afcordin^ to our lial»il of tlioui^dit, aday in invarialily asaociatod with ulternntioiiH of li^ht and darkness ; and each day, niorcitvcr, haH a (h-linili' rchitiouHhip to sonu! locudily on th(! Hurfaccof t hiM-arth. The day as we eoiunioidy underHlaiid it iH eKsentially hxal ; and (hirin^n' eadi rotation of the j^loheon its axin, oecupyinija period of twenty-four iiours, tliere uro as many (hiys as there are spots on sea and on hind dilferini; inh)n^itude. These nund)erh'HS days are separate and distinct, each liavinsj^ its noon and nn(hii^lit, its sunrise and suusi't. The time-unit is an entirely different con- ception ; it is equal in length to a day, ami must from its luiture hesynehronous with some one of the inhnite lunuher of local days; hy (he resolutions ot' the Washin_u;tou C'onferenee it is identilicd with the civil day of (Ireenwich ; hut while tlu- hitter is simply a local division oi" time limiti'd to the Greenwich Meridian, the unit measure is, on the other hand, not so limited ; it is equally related to all points on the earth's surface in every latitudes and hini^itudc. Under this aspect, tlu; wider fuiietionH and general character of the unit measure remove it from the category of ordinary days, as we understand the faiuiliar expression, and to ohviatc all (h)uht and uncertainly regarding it, it is in the highest degree desirahle that the universal time-unit should hi! distin- guished hy some appellation hy whicth, apart from its local relationship, it may always he indisputahly known. It was iiord Chief lustice (-oke who said tluit ** error is tlie parent of con- fusion ; " as the primary ohjcM-l of time reform is to ohviate coid'usion, wc should take every precaution to preclude error. Is it not therefore expedient that we filiould adopt means to se desigmition for the unit mi'asuri! and ahandou as misnomers each one of the terms whicii have hitherto I lecn api 'ied to it y In a paper on the suhject of time reckoning, ])uhlishcd in the transactions of this Society in 188(3, the unit measure is viou8 to the Committee that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to secure names based on such terms, which will be generally acceptable, and the difficulty is increased by reason of the diversity of language among the nations. The Committee, after much consideration, is of opinion that, as a nomen- clature based on numbers would have the one meaning in all languages and would be equally appropriate in both hemispheres, the twenty-four hour meridians should be distinguished by numbers. Everything considered it would in the opinion of the Committee be most advantageous to commence the series of numbers at the anti-prime meridian as zero and follow the appar- ent motion of the sun towards the west. (See explanatory note appended.) This principle generally assented to, the Hour meridians which constitute the substandards for universal time-reckoning would be numbered as fol- lows ; — Anti-Prime Meridian 180° east and west from Prime Meridian, " Zero." Hour Meridian 165° east longitude, numbered 1, "Unus. do 150° do 2, "Duo." do 135° do 8, " Tres." do 120° do 4, " Quatuor." do 105° do 5, " Quinque." do 90° do 6, *' Sex." do 75° do 7, " Septem." do 60° do 8, " Octo." do 45- do 9, " Xovem." do 30° do 10, " Decern." do 15° do 11, " Undecim." do 0° 1 ^rime Meridian, numb'd 12, "Duodecim." do 15° ^^ 'est longitude, number'd 13, " Tredecim." do 30' do 14, " Quatuordecim." do 45° do 15, " Quindecim." do 60^ do 16, " Sedeeim." do 75° do 17, " Septemdecim." do 90^ do 18, " Octodecim." do 105° do 19, " N'ovemdecim." do 120° do 20, " Viginti." do 135° do 21, " Viginti unus." do 150° do 22, " Viginti duo." do 165^' do 23, " Viginti tre« " Anti Prime Meridian 180° east and west longitude " Zero " With tlie view of obtaining approval to the proposed nomenclative, or an expression of opinion regarding it, the Committee recommend that the Council be i*equested to bring the matter to the attention of scientific men and sister societies in other countries. CHARLES CARPMAEL, Chairman of Committee. Approved at the General Meeting of the Society held at Montreal 29th May, 1891. GEO. M. GRANT, Presi(fent. GEO. STEWART, Acting Honorary Secretary. 35 md Explanatory note respectinu the Hour Meridians and Hour Zones. For other reasons tluin those referred to in the report, the Hour Meridians should be distinguished by numbers in the order indicated. 1. The twenty-four hour meridians take their origin from the recognized zero of time, which is diurnally determined by the sohxr passage on the anti- prime meridian ; it is therefore natural that if they are to be known by num- bers, the series of numbers should begin at the anti-prime meridian as zero. 2. If we commence to observe the passage of time at the instant of zero, in the lapse of an hour the earth will have revolved on its axis fifteen degrees and brought the first hour meridian west of the anti-prime meridian under the sun. What more ai)propriate designation for this hour meridian than number one? (anus), at the end of the second hour the earth will have revolved another fifteen degrees and brought under the sun the second hour meridian west of the anti-prime meridian. With equal propriety this may be termed hour meridian number two {duo), similarly the third, fourth and every one of the twenty-four hour meridians may be numbered in consecutive order. If this mode of distin- guishing the hour meri- dians is characterised by simplicity, it will likewise be found to be convenient. Referring to the accom- panying projection of the northern hemisphere, the figures around the circum- ference indicate the hour meridians numbered on this principle : These fig- ures likewise indicate the twenty-four hours into which the world's stand- ard unit measure of time is divided. The motion of the earth on its axis brings each hour meridi- ans in succession to its solar passage, and by numbering them as des- cribed a complete coinci- dence is obtained between the hour meridians and the hours of the world's standard. For example when the solar passage is on hour meridian number twelve it will be 12 o'clock — when on hour meridian number seventeen it will be 17 o'clock and so on for every meridian. Thus we realize the conception 86 that the earth itself is the great standard chronometer while the sun is the index to point out the houff*. The hour zone system has been designed to facilitate a common reckoning in all longitudes without any apparent wide departure from old usages and prevailing customs. The proposed manner of numbering the hour meridians establishes a direct relationship between the reckoning in each zone or section and the world's standard. This relationship may conveniently be reduced to the following formula : — Let II be the number of the hour meridian, then — (1.) In the zone of hour meridian number 12 (duodecim) (corresponding with the meridian of Greenwich) the notation of the hours will agree with the world's standard. (2.) In all EAST longitudes, the notation will be in advance of the world's standard ; the number of hours faster than W.S. will in each case equal twelve minus H. (3.) In all WEST longitudes the notations will be behind the world's stand- ard ; the number of hours slower than "W.S. will in each case equal H minus twelve. The distinguishing number of each hour meridian will be the key to the notation in the zone of that meridian, and it will denote the precise relation which the local reckoning iiears to the world's standard. By this system, uniformity of reckoning throughout the globe will be un- broken, except in the numbers by which the hours will be distinguished in the several zones. The notation will differ an even hour from zone to zone. In all other respects there will be complete identity of reckoning and everywhere synchronism will practically prevail. the ing md ans ion I to mg the Id's ual nd- 'lUS the ion uu- the In ere