EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING. 69 
vocated ; and he himself attended at the meeting of the American 
Metrological Society, and took part in the proceedings when the 
details of the new time arrangements were officially narrated. 
Prominent among those. who have earnestly laboured to advance 
the movement of time-reform is the distinguished president of Col- 
“umbia College, New York. Dr. Barnard has from the first taken 
the deepest interest in the question, and few men have done so much 
to bring it to a practical issue. In the proceedings of the American 
Metrological Society for 1881 will be found a paper prepared by Dr. 
Barnard in 1872, and presented to an association which has since 
assumed an international character, and known as the association for 
the Reform and Codification of the Laws of Nations. In this paper 
Dr. Barnard recommends the selection of Greenwich as the Prime 
Meridian for the world, and he submits the views he held at that 
early date, which at this hour are of peculiar interest. He points 
out that “it is becoming a matter of greater importance every day 
that there should be established some universal rule for defining the 
calendar day for all the world.” 
I have alluded to the valuable report of Professor Cleveland Abbe, 
of the United States Signal Service, to the Metrological Society, and 
I cannot deny myself the pleasure of acknowledging the services of 
the gentlemen with whom I have been associated on the special commit- 
tee on Standard Time of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 
Mr. Paine, of New York ; Mr. Theodore N. Ely, of Altoona, Pennsyl- 
vania ; Mr. J. M. Toucey, of the Hudson River Railway ; Professor 
Hilgard, Coast Survey, Washington ; Professor Egleston, of Columbia 
College; General T. G. Ellis, of Hartford, now unfortunately de- 
ceased, and Mr. John Bogart, Secretary of the Society, 
The American Society of Civil Engineers, since meeting in Mon- 
treal, in 1881, has made persistent and continuous efforts in the 
common interest to advance the movement of Time-reform, having 
greatly aided in bringing about the important change carried into effect 
a year ago. This society is now directing attention to a reform of 
scarcely less importance, the notation of the hours of the day. At 
the Buffalo convention in June last, this particular question received 
prominent consideration in the address of the President, as well as in 
the report of the special committee. Since that date a correspondence 
has taken place between the Secretary and the Railway Managers in 
the United States and Canada. Already replies have been received 
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