NOMENCLATURE IN TIMB-EECKONING. 



25 



■Washington International Conference of 1884, with respect to the nomenclature of the 

 twenty-four divisions of the standard time-unit. The proposal to number the hours in a 

 single series from mid-night to mid-night is favoured by many persons. The change has 

 indeed been introduced for some years on the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Interco- 

 lonial Railway. The new notation has been brought into use throughout the Indian 

 Empire, and it has likewise been recommended by the British Government to the favour- 

 able consideration of the authorities of all the British Colonies. But for a supposed inter- 

 ference with existing clocks and watches, the simple nomenclature known as the " twenty- 

 four hour notation " would more speedily be brought into use generally. Experience has 

 established that the difficulty is non-existent, inasmuch as ordinary time-pieces can readily 

 be adapted to the new notation by inscribing on their dials the afternoon hours in some 

 such manner as the diagram indicates. It will be obvious that hours having a lower 



number than twelve belong absolutely to the first part oi the day ; those having a higher 

 number to the after part. By this expedient the introduction of the twenty-four hour 

 notation in any part of the world involves no change in time-pieces beyond the simple 

 inscription on their dials of the new numbers of the afternoon hours. 



Sec. Ill, 1891. 4. 



