IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) "^ A c: <.^.^^ % i.c I.I lii|28 12.5 US Ui2 12.2 li 2.0 L25 i 1.4 1.6 js m ^M w ^j^ V /A '^ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproduction* institut Canadian de microreproductions historiquet 1980 Technical Notes / Notes techniques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best originft' copy available for filming. Physical features of this copy which may alter any of the images in the reproduction are checked below. L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a it6 possible de se procurer. Certains dAfauts susceptibles de nuire A la qualit* de la reproduction sont notte ci-dessous. 'iw, D D Coloured covers/ Couvertures de couleur Coloured maps/ Cartes giographiques en couleur D D Coloured pages/ Pages de couleur Coloured plates/ Planches en couleur D D Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ Pages d^colorAes. tacheties ou piquAes Tight binding (may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin)/ Reiiure serri (peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge intdrieure) D D Show through/ Transparence Pages damaged/ Pagre endommagdes Additional comments/ Commentaires supplimentaires Original copy restored and laminated. Bibliographic Notes / Notes bibliographiques □ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Bound with other material/ Reii6 avec d'autres documents D D Pagination incorrect/ Erreurs de pagination Pages missing/ Des pages manquent D D Cover title missing/ Le titra de couverture manque Plates missing/ Des planches manquent D IVIaps missing/ Des cartes g^ographiques manquent \2\ Additional comments/ Commentaires suppMmentaires Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible these have been omitted from filming. '■': l,F,', (meaning CONTINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Un des symboles suivants apparaftra sur la der- niire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols —^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". The original copy was borrowed from, and filmed with, the kind consent of the following institution: Libraiv of the Public Archives of Canada I\1ap8 or plates too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grflce A la g*n6rosit6 de i'Atablissement prAteur suivant : La biblioth^que dei Archives publiquas du Canada Les cartes ou les planches trop grandes pour Atre reproduites en un seui clich6 sont fiimdes d partir de Tangle sup6rieure gauche, de gaurhe A droite et de haut en bas. en prenant 3e nombre d'images nicessaire. Le diagramme suivant illustre la m^thode : 1 2 3 j 1 2 3 4 8 e arated 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 railway, the different local times (so called) with which the railway authorities had to deal, produced much confu> sion ; in order to atttdn security for life and property in operating the line, and likewise to promote the convenience of the public using it, it became necessary to observe a uniform notation, which received the name of Railway Time ; that id to say, the many local reckonings which prevailed at the numerous points between the two terminii were 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 early 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 wlio'e globe. Investigation also estjiblished, that Ruch an extension would contravene no law of nature, or principle of •cience. . , ;y,. /, :r-\---i«' y . - >»-■ !>,'*■"' ■♦•V** ,(■..:' ■^■ iV The proposal to superaede vhe numberlegs local times by a single notation, synchronous in e /ery ]ongittide, had a somewhat Utopian aspect. Many indeed regarded it is a revolutionary innovation, for it came into direct conflict with the customs and the habits of thought which had descended from a remote antiquity. Nevertheless the potent agencies, Steam and Electricity, which have co-operated in making astonishing transmutations in h\iman affairs, have forced on our attention the inves- tigation of time and it^ 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 find that it is wholly independent of material bodies and uninfluenced by spaee or distance ; that it is essentially non-local and an absolute unit}' ; that it is not possible for two times to co-exist, or for time to be divided into two parts having a separate entity, in the sense that material things cpti be divided. This view of time in- controvertably estalilished, tin re is no ground for the theory that there ai*e many local times. We may, therefore, sweep away the ordi- nary usages based on that theo'T as being unsound and untenable, and the way ia made clear for a comprehensive system of time reckoning to embrace the whole globe. About fourteen years ago the effort was first made to introduce a reform which would satisfy t'l > ret]uirements of the age. Whatever system might be adopted it wns felt that it should be based on the fun- damental principle that there ( « only one time. It was moreover held to be expedient that there should be only one reckoning of time common to all nations; and to secure a common reckoning, one established zero, and one common unit of measurement became necessary. ■ 1- With the attainment of these objects in view, preliminary discus sions took place at the mee'/ings of several scientific associations in Europe and America, and it was held that in a matter of such wide- spread importance the unit of time should be a measure which could be readily referred to, as a perpotual standard for the use of the entire human family. It was likeNvise felt desirable, if not indispensable, that all nations should acquiesce in its recognition. It was accordingly propos- d at an International Geographical Con- gress at Venice in 1881, and confirmed at a Geo 4\ tended over the month of October, 1884 ; with substantial unanimilj they passed a series of resolutions, in whiru the unit of measurement was constituted, and they recommended that time be computed Accord- ing to the solar passage on a recognized zero meridian of the earth's surface. The resolutions of the Washington conference thus authoritatively established the fundamental principles which underlie the scheme for a general unity of time reckoning; each nation being left in its discretion to accept the details of the reform whenever deemed expedient in each individual case. To facilitate the acceptance of the new system, the cir- cumference of the globe has been divided into twenty-four sections, the reckoning in each section being based on a standard, subsidiary to, but directly related to the unit measure. In the twenty-four subsidiary standards thus constitutad the hours are simulta*'eoufl, although differ- ently numbered in accordance with the longitu \; of the several sections. Wi(h the single exception respecting the numbers by which the hours are locally to be known, there is complete identity in every sub-division of time throughout the twenty- four Kcctions. The many local days which follow in succession during each diurnal period are by this arrangement reduced to twenty-four normal days, each differing an hour in its commencement from the day which it suf^ceeds. Twelve of these normal days precede and twelve follow the pnmary standard or unit measure of time, which is the mean of the whole series of normal days. By this expedient, which has received the name of " the stan- dard time system," the means have been provided by which all nations, without any api>arent great departure from old usages, may observe substantially the one common reckoning. The adoption of the system of standard time has already made con- siderable progress. In North America, standard time was first intro- duced in railway economy ; it 1' vs since been generally accepted by the mass of the community. In, jhronous. The unit of measurement authoritatively established by tho reso- lutions of the International Conference of 1884, is the basis of the systei. . by which these results have been obtained ; and we must regard this new system as the one which shall hereafter be oljserved by the great mass of the civilized inhabitants of the world in iheir daily reckoniogs and in their chronology. It is of first importance, therefore, that no doubt or timbiguity should exist in connection with it. By the resolutions of the Conference of 1884, the unit measure may be defined as the interval of duration extending from one mean solar pass-, age on the anti-meridian of Greenwich to the next succeeding passage This standard unit, has been variously designated as toUows, viz.; 1. A Universal Day. 4. A Cosmopolitan Day. 2. A Terrestrial Day. 6. A World Day. 3. A Non-Looal Day. 6. A Cosmic Day. (. It requires no argument to show that no one of these six terms is appropriate. The unit of time is not a day in the ordinary sense, it is indeed much more than an ordinary day. According to our habit of thought, a day is invariably associated with alternations of light and ^^ darkness ; and each day, moreover, has a definite relationship to some locality on the surface of the earth. 'I he day as we commonly under- stand it is essentially local ; and during each rotation of the globe on its , axis, occupying a period of twenty-four hours, there are as many days as there are spots on sea and on land differing in longitude. These numberless days are separate and distinct, each having its noon and mid- night, its sunrise and sunset. The time- unit is an entirely different conception ; it is equal in length to a day, and must from its nature be synchronous with some one of the infinite number of local days ; by the resolutions of the Washington Conference, it is identified with the civil day of Greenwich ; but while the latter is simply a local division of time limited to the Greenwich Meredian, the unit measure is on the other hand not so limited ; it is equally rekted to all points on the earth's surface in every latitude and longitude. Under this aspect, the wider functions and general character of the unit measure remove it from tho oat^ory of ox^inary days, as we undei.'stand the familiar expression, jiad to obviate all doubt and imcertainty regarding it, it is in the highest degi-ee desirable that the universal time-unit, should be distinguished by ■ome appellation by which, apart trom its local relationship, it may ^tiways be indisputably known. r It was Lotd Chief Justice Coke who uid that " error is the parent T i 1 'i I ■■».J < of oonfusioa ;" aa the primary object of time reform ia to obviate con- fusion we abonid take every precaution to preclude error. Ia it not there- fore expedient that we should adopt means to secure a proper and ai>pro- priate designation for the unit measure and aV>audon as misnomers each one of the terms which have hitherto been applied to it. In a paper on the subject of time reckoning publinhed in the transactions of this Society in 1886, the unit measure is defined, its uses described, and it is likewise pointed out that its distinctive appellation remains undetermined. I consider it to be rciy duty to draw attention to the want, and while it would be an act of presumption un my part to pi-opoee a name, i will venture the remark that in the general interesti of science an effort should be made to supply it. It has been found exi»edient to derive technical terms from a classical etymology, and I beg leave to suggest that the same rule might be followed in this case with obvious advantage. Whatever name be chosen, if derived from a Greek or Latin root, the word would in all countries have the same definite meaning, and could readily be incorporated into all languages. If such a word be adoptetl as will clearly express " a unit measure of time," it will gradually come into general use aa in the parallel cases of " telegram," " telegraph," •'photograph," "lithograph," etc., and by this means all nationalities will be enabled to give expression to one and the same meaning when they refer to time reckoning in its br^ad significance. I humbly submit that the Koyal Society of Canada will confer a g«*neral benefit and act becomingly, by taking the initiative in obtaining an appropriate designation for the unit measure of time. If that view be concurred in l>y this Section of the Society, I re- gpectfully suggest that a special committee be appointed to consider the subject, with instructions to report during the present session. ■.»i :■-■"■»;; 1 "./'■J \H ,H'i' "■ 4;,i: ^ ', ',11. '• ■ '-ikV i^''"' ''•''' f ■ V,' ■< ■■■',•■-- ' V'f ...uf%- ^■'■:1>'' ■ . .1<*^r v.- I ■..-t; '-1 '':■■■ ■t'-v'-c. ;^ 'j-r THE UNIT MEASURE OF TIME. ! \ i> I- W' Report of Special Committee of Section III. Presented to the Section by Montignor Hamel. The Oommittee to wbom the expediency of suggesting an appro- priate name for the unit measure of time, has been referred, begs leave reepectfully to report : The Committee recognizes the . advisability of obtaining a suitable nomenclature, and concurs in the views expressed in the address of the President of the Section as to the expediency of some steps being taken by the Society; the Committee is likewise of opinion that we must seek in the classical languages for the material to construct an appropriate word, which will command the acceptance of every nationality. The Oommittee conceives that whatever may be the individual opinions of members of this Society, it is not at present expedient to do more than draw attention to the reqairement. Your Committee there- fore recommends that in the name of the Royal Society of Canada, cor- resspondence be o[>ened with sister societies in other parts of the world with the view of bringing the subject to their notice, asking the favor of an expression of opinion regarding it The Committee recommends that the council \ie requested to take such steps as may be deemed expedient to bring the subject to the atten^ tion of sister societies. The above Report was submitted by Section III to the Society, at the general meeting held May 29th, 1890, and approved. Jno. Geo. Bourinot, Bon. Seoretary, R.H.C. , 'f i ■•- fT" • . -V '■' "■'■■ '-I; ■■{' ' ' . ■' ' • ' _ , .•''■'■' ■ ' "'■" 7 /