64 Letter to H. E. the Viceroy [June, 



6. This want of uniformity of time is a cause of gi'eat difficulty 

 and confusion in all researches where it is necessary to compare a re- 

 corded time at one place with that at another, and may nullify or vitiate 

 even the most carefully made observations. For this reason and apart 

 from any considerations of general convenience the Council of the Society 

 are desirous of seeing the universal adoption of a single standard time 

 in India, and the abandonment of the use of local times. 



7. The Council of the Asiatic Society is aware that there is al- 

 ready in existence a nominal standard of time for all India, in that of 

 the Madras Observatory, and that tliis time is actually in use on all 

 railways and, formally, by the Telegraph Department. They are also 

 aware that many towns habitually use Madras or railway time in pre- 

 ference to their own local time, but at present there is no uniformity of 

 practice in this matter, and they are further of opinion that the present 

 chaotic method of time-keeping has largely been perpetuated by the 

 printing in the official " Telegraph Guide " of the differences between 

 local and Madras time. By the omission of this information they consider 

 that one standard time at all places would soon follow. They are not 

 however of opinion that the practice has been altogether productive of 

 evil, and if the postponement of the adoption of a standard time should 

 lead to the adoption of a more convenient standard than that of Madras, 

 the delay will even have been advantageous. 



8. Befor-e deciding on the universal introduction of a standard 

 time it would, in the opinion of the Council of the Asiatic Society, be 

 advisable to consider whether the use of only one time for the whole 

 of India is practicable. The local times at the extreme east and west 

 extremities of the te!egi*aph system, as it stands, amounts, to 2 hours 

 and 10 minutes ; when extended to the extreme limits of the Empire it 

 will reach nearly 3 hours. In these circumstances it seems doubtful 

 whether the adoption of one time throughout would not be accompanied 

 by so great an inconvenience that it would not come into universal use. 

 In this case the adoption of standard time could only be enforced if it 

 were accompanied by the introduction of the hour-zone system, by 

 which there would be two or three different times in use, each differing 

 by exactly one entire hour, the minute and second being everywhere 

 the same and the hour also in each separate hour-zone. 



9. This system of hour-zones is consistent with the use of Madras 

 or any other time as a standard, but concurrently with the consideration 

 of the desirability of adopting it the standard to be used should be 

 considered, and it is the opinion of the Council of the Asiatic Society 

 tV.at there is much to be said in favour of the adoption of the system in 

 its entirety, of abandoning the use of Madras or any Indian time as the 



