SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 65 
Time into accord with the rising and setting of the sun—phenomena 
which, as we say, necessarily regulate all the ordinary occupations of 
human life. 
Besides, there is another fact which would confirm the necessity 
of maintaining the present national hours, in place of adopting the 
secondary Time proposed by Mr. Sandford Fleming, even should 
Cosmopolitan Time be universally adopted. It presents itself in this 
form :—At present the political boundary of the several States of 
Europe establishes the limit throughout which the recognized national 
date would cease to be used, e. g., that of Rome, and at which com- 
mences the use throughout of the other national dates, e. g., that of 
Paris, with regard to which nothing equivocal can take place. But 
supposing this national hour was suppressed and the secondary hour 
adopted, very many, with the exception of the astronomers, would 
not be gifted with the precise knowledge at what place the use of 
one date should cease and the other day of the secondary hour com- 
mence. In the hypothesis that the initial anti-meridian of Green- 
wich should be adopted, it would thence arise that a part of Spain 
would use the Meridian M, and the other the Meridian N; the 
dividing line would be the Meridian situate at 1874° of longitude 
(with the new system it would be no longer necessary to adjoin east 
or west, for longitude would be counted from east to west), and all 
the countries situated to the east of this line would use the Meridian 
M, and that of the west the Meridian N. But how in practice to 
obtain this separation? But admitting even that it be obtainable, 
would it be possible to have part of the same country (in Spain as 
in Switzerland, in Germany, &c.,) with a system of Time different to 
that used in another part. We do not believe this determination by 
hour possible, at least in political life. 
But the question presents itself under another aspect when we 
speak only of scientific consideration. And without doubt in any 
science, as, for example, astronomy, meteorology, in part terrestrial 
physics, and generally in all scientific questions connected with the 
exact determination of time, the universal adoption of Cosmopolitan 
Time would be a precious advantage, and would be brought to pass 
without difficulty. It would save many useless calculations, much 
loss of time, and would remove much misconception. Moreover, 
equally, we must acknowledge, that in other scientific questions the 
use of local Time owing to its agreement with the phenomena of the 
rising and setting of the sun would be preferable. 
Therefore at the present time we ought to recommend the adoption 
of Cosmopolitan Time in all the branches of science in which, with- 
out inconvenience, it can be introduced, with the possibility of ex- 
tending it hereafter ; moreover, in all public services in the depart- 
ments bearing upon international relations. 
