1891-92. ] CIRCULAR-LETTER. B15 
order of affairs; yet, assenting to this argument, we might refer to a still remoter 
antiquity—to the time, not of Ptolemy, but of Hipparchus, the ‘‘ Founder of Astronomy,” 
who reckoned the twenty-four hours from: midnight to midnight, just as the Conference 
has proposed. While it is unquestionably true that some confusion may occur, yet 
the liability to it will be almost entirely with the astronomer, who, through his superior 
education and training, could easily avoid it by careful attention to the ephemerides he 
was using. luring the years of change, before the ephemerides are constructed in 
accordance with the new method, it will only be necessary to place at the head of each 
page of recorded observations the note that the time is reckoned from midnight, to 
call attention to the fact, and thus obviate the danger of error. It is an undeniable 
fact that the educated navigator finds the conversion of time a simple matter, yet 
experience has demonstrated that to the mariner who is not possessed of a mathe- 
matical education there is a decided liability to the confusion which is so greatly 
deprecated by all who are interested in this subject. I believe that to all navigators, 
at least to all English-speaking ones, the new method will prove itself decidedly 
advantageous. As is well-known, for many years navigators kept sea time, by which 
the day was considered to begin at noon, preceding the civil day by twelve and the 
astronomical day by twenty-four hours. The change to civil time now kept on board 
ship was effected readily and without triction, so that the recommendation of the Con- 
ference regarding the commencement of the nautical day has already been largely 
anticipated. The navigator is concerned not with his longitude but with his Green- 
wich time, having obtained which he can take from the Nautical Almanac the 
data he seeks, whether given for noon or midnight, and when the ephemerides shall 
have been made to conform to the new system there will be one time in common use 
by all the world. Jt seems to me eminently proper that the nation which called the 
Conference should be among the first to adopt its recommendations, and while it 
might possibly be better to wait until an entire agreement has been entered into by 
the astronomers of all nations, yet the fact that the first and most conservative 
observatory in the world has acceded to this proposal of the Conference would seem to 
be a sufficient reason why we should not wait for further developments. In deference, 
however, to the views so well advanced by Professor Newcomb, and in view of the 
fact that the President has recently transmitted the proceedings of the Conference to 
Congress, as well also of the desirability of securing uniformity among the astronomers 
of our own country at least, I have suspended the execution of the order for the 
present.—Remarks by Commodore S. R. Franklin, Superintendent United States Naval 
Observatory, Washington, Dec. 11th, 1884. 
VI. The subject of reform in time-reckoning was brought before the Canadian 
Institute many years ago by Mr. Sandford Fleming. The reforms suggested were 
much needed, and were so ably advocated by Mr. Fleming that already several of 
them have been adopted not only on this continent, but in various countries all over 
the world. One important suggestion, however, although recommended by the Wash- 
ington Conference, has not yet been acted upon, viz., the making of the astronomical 
and nautical day to accord with the civil day. It has been suggested that a body like 
this Society may render valuable assistance in this matter by collecting the opinions ot 
astronomers on the subject. The Canadian Institute having been the first society to 
