1899.] R. D. Oldham— On Time in India. 51 



would, however, cause some inconvenience on account of the extent of the 

 Emjiire from east to west. Extending over more than 30° of longitude 

 the difference between local and standard time would, at some places, exceed 

 an hour, and though a small difference between the nominal and real time 

 of a place is of no importance, it becomes a sovirce of inconvenience when 

 the difference is great. 



This difficulty can be simply and effectually met by adopting the 

 system, in use throughout Europe and North America, of what are known 

 as hour-zones. On this system the land is divided into belts running 

 north and south, each 15° of longitude in width, and over each 

 belt the same time is used, while in the belts to the east and west a 

 change of a whole hour forwards or backwards is made. The standard 

 adopted is Oreenwich mean time, and wherever the system has been adopted 

 all watches and clocks show the same minute, the only difference being in 

 the hour. 



But, as a strict adherence to this system would lead to practical incon- 

 venience, since it would be constantly necessary to consult a map to find 

 the exact longitude of a place, a compromise has been adopted, and the 

 boundaries of the hour-zones are made to follow the principal political 

 boimdaries. In Europe, for instance, three times are recognised ; 

 East Em'opean time, exactly two hours fast of Greenwich, Mid European, 

 one horn* fast of Greenwich, and West European, or Greenwich time. 

 Mid-European time is used by Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, 

 Holland, Denmark and Norway and Sweden. Throughout these countries 

 the traveller has no trouble about time, his watch needs no alteration, nor has 

 he to do any sums of addition or subtraction. If he goes east of these 

 countries the only change he has to remember is one of exactly an hour 

 fast, a correction which can be easily remembered and automatically made 

 without any proficiency in mental arithmetic. If he goes westwards, to 

 England, he has only to make a similar correction of an entire hour, 

 but in the opposite direction, to obtain Greenwich time. 



In France this has not yet been adopted as the standard, and a change 

 of some minutes is necessary, just as when going from one place to another 

 in India ; France is, however, in advance of us, in so far that there is only 

 one standard time in use throughout the country and its African colonies. 



In India a similar system of hour-zones could be adopted, the lines 

 of division following the boundaries of the principal administrative 

 divisions, as is done in the United States, Canada and Russia, but as regards 

 the standard to be used there are three courses open. First, to retain 

 Madras time, secondly to adopt a standard of 5| hours in advance of 

 Greenwich, or thirdly to adopt the even hour time zone system. 



The first of these, Madras time, is not likely to be universally adopted, 



