116 TIME-RECKONING. 
ever, to consider the points in which all parts of the earth have 
equally an interest ; and it is important to inquire how the scheme 
of reckoning proposed can be generally adapted to the ordinary 
requirements of life. 
The diurnal return of the prime meridian to a point in the heavens 
opposite the sun, would mark the common unit-measure of time 
throughout the world. Its beginning and ending, its twenty-four 
divisions and its sub-divisions, would each in turn prevail everywhere 
at the same moment of absolute time. This common measure would, 
however, completely coincide with the local day of only one meridian. 
The local days of countless other longitudes would have as little coinci- 
dence with the unit-measure as with each other. At the same moment 
they would all differ ; while it would be noon with one, it would be 
midnight with another, sunrise with a third ; and so on. 
Men and nations may agree to establish for convenience a common 
unit-measure of time; but dawn and dusk, light and darkness, will 
sweep round the globe, following each other in silent yet certain 
succession, as long as the world lasts—phenomena to prescribe in 
every land when men shall sleep, and when return to active life. 
The position of the sun in every local sky will always control domestic 
usages and continue to govern social customs. Do what we may, the 
ever changing local day, as it continully progresses from longitude to 
longitude, will everywhere assert itself and exact recognition. 
How then are we to derive any practical good from the advantages 
which, as a theory, the system of cosmopolitan time appears to 
promise ? 
(1) All old customs may be retained for local purposes as at present, 
the new system being introduced as the means of more accurately 
reckoning time in connection with telegraphs and steam communi- 
cation by land and water, and in describing events in which all 
mankind have a common interest. 
(2) On the other hand, the new system may to some extent 
supersede present customs, and be employed for reckoning local as 
well as general time. 
(3) A compromise may be suggested by which we would have 
cosmopolitan time as 2 common measure for reckoning dates and 
periods of general interest, and a number of sub-standards, each 
equally related to the common standard, for distinct local time. 
