ASTRONOMY. 227 



about one-lialf of an inch upon a small bell. This sound is distinctly 

 heard through the telephone, and fixes the beginning of each minute. 

 The minute is never doubtful, and consequently we have all the elements 

 for rating this clock. 



UNIFORM STANDARD TIME. 



For some time past the American Meteorological Society has been 

 engaged in the consideration of a uniform standard time, a matter of 

 some moment from a popular and from a scientific standpoint. 



A circular has lately been published by the society, which calls public 

 attention to the great advantage of a more thorough uniformity of accu- 

 rate time to the business community, as well as to the scientific world. 



As at present arranged there is great uncertainty and confusion. Lo- 

 cal time, in the astronomical meaning of the term, varies with every 

 change of meridian. This cannot be conveniently retained by the trav- 

 eling public or by railroad and telegraph companies. The result is 

 that the most convenient meridian is adopted by each such transpor- 

 tation company. 



Consequently over seventy such standard meridians are now in use 

 by railroad and other companies throughout the United'States and Can- 

 ada. The larger towns and cities frequently adopt their own special 

 local times, and the smaller ones adopt the railroad times most conven- 

 ient to them. There are thus now in ordinary use at least one hundred 

 local times or meridians, many of them differing but a few minutes from 

 each other. 



It is suggested, therefore, that the community at large unite upon a 

 division of this continent into a few sections, and that throughout each 

 such division all transportation and telegraph companies, all town 

 clocks and clock-makers shall be kept in agreement with one standard 

 meridian. Five such different standards would be established for the 

 whole continent ; a central meridian would be adopted in the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley, exactly ninety degrees or six hours west of Greenwich, 

 and proceed to the east or west by steps of one hour each, as shown in 

 the schedule" given below. The meridian of five hours would be called 

 "Atlantic time," that of six hours "Valley time," and the meridian of 

 seven hours would be the standard " Mountain time " for the entire 

 region of the Eocky Mountains, while "Pacific time," eight hours slower 

 than that of Greenwich, would goTern the time-keepers of the Pacific 

 States. 



