SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 43 
In pursuance of the suggestion implied in the report of the Presi- 
; seule ; : . 
dent and Council of the Royal Society, it appears advisable that an 
effort be made to ascertain how far the scheme would obtain general 
concurrence. 
The establishment of Cosmopolitan Time involves the primary de- 
termination of an initial Meridian, as a zero for computing the revo- 
lutions of the globe on its axis; and it is only by common consent 
that such Prime Meridian can be determined. 
Mr. Sandford Fleming advocates the selection of a Prime Meri- 
dian, common to all nations, from the fact that its establishment is 
really the key to any scheme of Time-reckoning, of universal appli- 
cation. - He has submitted his views free from all local bias, and has 
aimed at the selection of an initial Meridian and Time-zero which, 
while awakening no national susceptibilities, would be generally ac- 
ceptable to all civilized people. 
Tt is earnestly hoped that this attempt to deal with an acknow- 
ledged impediment, alike to International scientific operations, and 
to the rapidly extending relations of trade and commerce, will be 
considered in a liberal spirit; and that civilized nations may be 
found not unwilling to concur in a proposal which offers a ready 
means of bringing into use some scientific system of reckoning Time 
such as the age seems to demand. 
DANIEL WILSON, LL. D., F. R.S. E.. 
President Canadian Institute. 
Toronto, April 5th, 1880. 
NOTE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF 
CANADA, TRANSMITTING MR. SANDFORD FLEMING’S PAPERS 
TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF THE AMERICAN METRO- 
LOGICAL SOCIETY, TO VARIOUS SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES IN 
EUROPE. 
GOVERNMENT Houses, Orrawa, Canapa, May 12th, 1880. 
The subject of a Prime Meridian common to all nations in connec- 
tion with Time-reckoning having been brought to the notice of the 
Governor-General of Canada by a memorial from the Canadian In- 
stitute, the accompanying papers by Mr. Sandford Fleming are for- 
warded with His Excellency’s compliments, together with a report 
of the American Metrological Society on the same subjects. 
The Governor-General of Canada would be glad of any expression 
of opinion as to concurrence with the views therein stated which your 
