A-28 KOYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 



Appended to the Third Report of the Joint Committee of the Canadian 

 Institute and the Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto. 



Replies of Mr. Simon Newcomb, Washington, to queries issued by 

 the Special Committee on Standard Time of the Americsm Society of 

 Civil Kngineers, 1882 : 



Extract from the Publications of the Societv. 



Question 3. — Do you consider it advisable to secure a Time System 

 for this country (the United States), which would commend itself to 

 other nations and be adopted by them ultimately ? 



Answer (bj^ Mr. Newcomb). — No. "We don't care for other nations ; 

 can't help them, and they can't help vis. 



Question 4.^ — Does it (the scheme for regulating Time), seem to 

 possess any features which generally commend themselves to your judg- 

 ment ? 



Answer (by Mr. Simon Newcomb). — A capital plan for use dui'ing 

 the millennium. Too perfect for the present state of humanity. See no 

 more reason for considering Europe in the matter than for considering 

 the inhabitants of the planet Mars. 



