NEW TIME-KECKONING. 349 



shoukl govern should be such as to secure complete accord in the detail 

 of its admeasurement independently' of locality. All peoples are con- 

 cerned in the attainment of harmonious results, and therefore it is im- 

 ])ortant that they sliould acquiesce in the employment of the same unit 

 of computation and in counting the measurements from one common 

 zero. 



We have not to look in vain for a convenient unit and the most per- 

 fect instrument for measuring the i>assage of time. The rotation of 

 the earth on its axis is marked hj- complete uniformity of movement, 

 and nothing is more certain than the recurrence of this diurnal phenom- 

 enon. Accordingly the earth itself supplies all our wants as a time- 

 keeper; in it we have at our command a perpetual standard for the use 

 and guidance of the entire family of man. 



Before, however, we can attain this end it is essential that mankind 

 should come to an agreement on the following points: 



1. With respect to a zero from which the revolutions are to be counted. 



2. The acceptance of a common subdivision and a common notation 

 by which parts of revolutions will be known by all and receive univer- 

 sal recognition. 



The importance of a definite understanding on these points is self- 

 evident, for if each individual or group of individuals adheres to the 

 l)ractice of observing time from ditferent zeros and each maintains sep- 

 arate reckonings of it, the outcome must be general confusion, such as 

 we now experience. 



If in imagination we place ourselves at one extremity of the earth's 

 axis, we shall find ourselves in a peculiarly' favorable position, free from 

 all local influences, for observing the revolutions of the globe. At no 

 other point in the northern hemisphere are the conditions the same. A 

 spectator standiug at the north pole would have neither east nor west ; 

 in whatever direction he might cast his eyes he would look towards the 

 south; he would no longer see the daily return of sunrise and sunset; 

 the sun when visible would move, or seem to move, in a horizontal line, 

 and its path would encircle the earth parallel to and not far distant 

 from the horizon. Under such circumstances it would not be possible 

 to note the diurnal revolutions of the earth by the rising or setting of 

 the sun, or by the sun's greatest altitude at midday, or by his southern 

 position in the heavens. As the passage of time can only be marked 

 by events, what course could be followed? Obviously it would be nec- 

 essary to take special means to observe the earth's diurnal rotation, and 

 the method most readily to suggest itself would be to select a conspic- 

 uous object near the horizon and according to this object observe the 

 sun's passage over it. The object so selected would become the zero of 

 time, and the interval between two successive solar passages would be 

 the period occupied by a revolution of the earth. If from zero the hori- 

 zon be divided into a series of arcs of 15° each the whole circle around 

 will consist of twenty-four divisions. If each of the division points be 



