76 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 
standing are accustomed to take their longitude from this meridian. How- 
ever, an objection against this proposition is, that the meridian of Greenwich 
passes through two countries of Europe, and thus the longitude would be 
reckoned by different signs in different portions of our own continent and also 
of Africa. 
“¢ Moreover, the close proximity of the meridian of Paris, which, per- 
haps, some French geographers and navigators of other nations would still hold 
to, from custom, from a spirit of contradiction or from national rivalry, might 
easily cause sad disaster. To obviate these inconveniences, I have proposed 
to choose as Prime meridian another meridian, situated at an integral number 
of hours east or west of Greenwich, and among the meridians meeting this con- 
dition, I have indicated, in the first place, the meridian proposed to-day by 
scientific Americans, as that which would combine the most favorable condi- 
tions for its adoption. Thus the meridian situated 180° from Greenwich 
presents the following advantages :— 
‘©, It does not cross any continent but the eastern extremity of the North 
of Asia, inhabited by people very few in number and little civilized, called 
Tschouktschis. 
“©2 It coincides exactly with that line where, after the custom introduced 
by a historical succession of maritime discoveries, the navigator makes a 
change of one unit in the date, a difference which is made near a number of 
small islands in the Pacific Ocean, discovered during the voyages made to the 
east and west. Thus the commencement of a new date would be identical 
with that of the hours of Cosmopolitan Time. 
‘3. It makes no change to the great majority of navigators and hydro- 
graphers, except the very simple addition of twelve hours, or of 180° to all 
longitudes. 
‘¢4. Tt does not involve any change in the calculations of the Ephemerides 
most in use among navigators, viz., the English Nautical Almanac, except 
turning mid-day into mid-night, and vice versa. In the American Nautical 
Almanac there would be no other change to introduce. With a cosmopolitan 
spirit, and in the just appreciation of a general want, the excellent Ephemer- 
ides published at Washington, record all data useful to navigators calculated 
from the meridian of Greenwich. : 
‘* For nniversal adoption, as proposed by the Canadian Institute, it recom- 
mends itself to the inhabitants of all civilized countries, by reason of the great 
difference in longitude, thus removing all the misunderstandings and uncer- 
tainties concerning the question, as to whether, in any case, Cosmopolitan or 
Local Time was used. 
‘<TIn answer to the first question offered by the Institute at Toronto, I would, 
therefore, recommend the Academy to pronounce without hesitation in favour 
of the universal adoption of the meridian situated 180° from Greenwich, as 
Prime Meridian of the globe,” 
I quote from the report of M. Otto Struve to the Imperial Academy of 
Sciences of St. Petersburg, 30th Sept. 1880. 
I respectfully submit, we have thus the means of solving the problem 
presented to us, without attempting to find such a meridian as that contem- 
plated in the motion of the honorable delegates. Whatever its origin, the Pa- 
cific meridian referred to would soon be recognized as being as much neutral as 
any meridian could possibly be. If, on the other hand, we adopt the motion, 
I very greatly fear that the main object of this Conference will be defeated 
and the settlement of a question so pregnant with advantages to the world will 
be indefinitely postponed. 
