INTRODUCTION. 
The documents included in this fuscécu/us not being part of the 
ordinary transactions of the Canadian Institute, their publication by 
the Institute calls for a word of explanation. 
During the winter session of 1878-1879 Mr. Sandford Fleming, one 
of the earliest members of the Institute, communicated to the So- 
ciety two remarkable papers—one on “‘ Time-Reckoning,” and the 
other on “ The Selection of a Prime Meridian to be Common to all 
Nations, in Connection with Time-Reckoning.” 
These communications were of such world-wide interest, the 
questions discussed were of such practical importance, that the 
Council of the Institute thought it desirable that they should be 
brought officially under the notice of as many leading learned 
societies as possible, both on this continent and in Europe; this 
seemed all the more desirable inasmuch as the suggestions made by 
Mr. Fleming could only be carried out by the united action of the 
civilized nations of the world, and such action could be best secured 
through the intervention of the national scientific societies. 
The Council accordingly addressed a memorial to the then Gov- 
ernor-General, the Marquis of Lorne, requesting him to transmit 
Mr. Fleming’s communications to the Imperial Government and to 
the representative learned societies of Europe and America. His 
Excellency kindly acceded to their request, and in forwarding the 
papers to these scientific societies, he invited them to communicate 
to him their views upon the proposals discussed in the papers. The 
replies received have been placed by His Excellency at the disposal 
of the Institute, and are included in this volume. 
In publishing these replies, and the other documents which 
accompany them, the Institute is influenced by the desire to 
preserve a full and permanent record of the history of, this interest- 
ing scientific movement, from its first practical discussion before 
the Canadian Institute in the winter of 1878, until the virtual 
