XVII ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
in which it was recommended “ that the Council be instructed to memori- 
alize the Governor General asking His Excellency to bring the subject of 
the Reform of the Almanac to the attention of the Imperial Government 
with the view of steps being taken to obtain the assent of all civilized 
nations thereto.” 
In the month of March last the Honorary Secretary received a 
letter from Sir Sandford Fleming K.C.M.G., part of which it may be 
well to quote. “The Royal Society of London,” wrote Sir Sandford, 
“founded about two and a half centuries back, has during that long 
period enjoyed a reputation of a semi-official character in initiating 
useful measures or aiding and advising the government on a great many 
important public questions of a scientific or general character. May not 
the Canadian Royal Society embrace in its aims a similar function or ac- 
tivity. JI enclose some papers which came by the last mail from England 
which go to show that the subject of the Reform of the Calendar already 
brought before our Royal Society is beginning to attract attention in 
Europe. ” 
The writer proceeds to recommend that the Society as a whole 
should memorialize the Government to suggest to the Home authorities 
that the question should be referred to an international conference whose 
sittings might be held in London, unless the initiative thus taken by 
Canada might justify its being held in Ottawa. 
As Sir Sandford mentions, the matter is being mooted in many 
different quarters; and it is almost impossible for any one who has looked 
into the question to doubt that a change will be made in the direction of 
simplification at perhaps no very distant day. It will be remembered 
that the movement to establish a Time standard for the world took its 
origin in Canada, though the international conference which decided 
on the adoption of Standard Time sat at Washington. Would it be too 
much to hope that a similar conference on the subject of the Calendar 
might hold its sittings at Ottawa? 
Amongst those who have communicated with this Society on the 
subject, and submitted plans, are Mr. Moses B. Cotsworth, formerly of 
York, England, now of British Columbia, who contributed a paper to 
the Transactions of 1908; Mr. Alexander Philip, of Brechin, Scotland, 
who sent to the Society some time ago a dozen copies of his pamphlet 
entitled “A Proposal for a Simplified Calendar”; Mr. Charles A. Hesse, 
of Iquique, Chile; Mr. John C. Robertson of Kirkealdy, Scotland; 
and the Permanent Committee of the International Congresses of 
Chambers of Commerce, Brussels. At the London meeting of this 
Congress in June last the question was brought up by the dele- 
gate of the Society of Industry at Haarlem, Holland, and after some 
iscussion a resolution was adopted favouring the establishment of a 
