XXII EOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



tions from past history. This work should be done in connection with 

 the Archives branch of the Department of Agriculture, which might 

 advantageously be placed in this building, as at present the accommo- 

 dation for valuable papers, maps and plans is quite unsatisfactory. In 

 this way the proposed building would be a permanent exhibition of 

 science, history, ethnology and various departments of industi-ial and 

 artistic work, which would be creditable to Canada, and be of infinite 

 value to students who are now devoting themselves to scientific, historical 

 and other useful studies. 



The council propose that during the next six months the whole 

 subject of a National Museum should be formally brought before the 

 Government of Canada b}" means of a delegation composed of Dr. 

 George M. Dawson, director of the Geological Surve}^ of Canada ; Dr. 

 Selwyn, late director ; Abbé Laflamme, Sir J. W. Dawson, Dr. Sandford 

 Fleming, Sir James Grant, Dr. Boui-inot, Dr. Brymner, Dr. Fletcher, 

 Senator Scott, the representatives of the city of Ottawa in the House of 

 Commons, and such influential citizens of Ottawa as may be willing to 

 join the deputation and) urge the necessity of erecting a National 

 Museum as soon as the public finances justif}^ such an expenditure. 



16. Unification of Time. 



In accordance with a resolution passed at the last general meeting 

 of the Royal Society, the following memorial has been sent^ to His 

 Excellency the Governor General, with respect to the unification of 

 nautical, astronomical and civil days, so that all may begin everywhere 

 at midnight : 



" To His Excellency the Earl of Aberdeen, Governor-General of Canada. 



" The memorial of the Royal Society of Canada, humbly showelh : 



•• That the Roj^al Society of Canada has repeatedly had under con- 

 sideration the unification of the nautical, astronomical and civil days, so 

 that all may be in agreement and begin everywhere at midnight, as 

 contemplated by the sixth resolution of the International Prime Meridian 

 Conference held at Washington in the year 1?84 ; 



" That for many years Canadian scientific societies have taken a 

 leading part in the general movement for reforming the system of time- 

 reckoning throughout the world ; 



" That the Canadian Institute was the first society to promulgate 

 the system of Standard time-reckoning which has been adopted in whole 

 or in part in various countries in each of the continents ; 



'• That the International Conference of 1884 is an outcome of efforts 

 which originated in Canada to establish a time-zero which would be 

 common to all nations; 



