Sune 10, 1886 | 
NATURE 
127 
“8. Astronomers are now apparently finding many 
difficulties in the present duplication of time, and are 
desirous of a speedy change. 
“9. At sea it causes but little practical inconvenience, 
as the two systems do not come into collision, being used 
for totally different purposes ; and my Lords agree with 
the opinion expressed to them by the Board of Trade, 
that the change will not be unattended with risk from the 
possibility of mistakes during the period of transition, 
and that it must be made with all possible precautions. 
“My Lords also fully recognise that the fact of the 
change rendering the existing epitomes and text-books of 
Navigation to a great extent useless must receive due 
consideration from several points of view. 
“yo. It does not, however, appear to my Lords that 
there is sufficient reason to cause them to place obstacles 
in the way of making the change desired by British 
astronomers and many seamen, and recommended by the 
unanimous votes of the Delegates of the Washington 
Conference, as they consider that the rearrangement of 
the Nautical Almanac may be so carried out as to 
minimise the above-mentioned risks. 
“11. My Lords will, therefore, be prepared to sanction 
such alterations in the Nautical Almanac as will be 
necessary to establish the change to the new reckoning at 
a date sufficiently far in advance to give ample warning 
to seamen. 
“12. As, however, the fundamental objects in view of 
the Washington Conference were, to simplify and unify 
the modes of reckoning time, to remove present discre- 
pancies, and to endeavour to establish an international 
system, it would appear that no decided move of any kind 
should be made until the views of other nations, and 
more especially those maritime powers which publish 
astronomical ephemerides, are ascertained. It would be 
manifestly contrary to the interests of simplification that 
England should alter the practice of centuries only to 
find herself alone in the new method of reckoning 
astronomical time ; nor would it be courteous to announce 
her intention of so doing without consulting other 
Governments on the steps proposed by their representa- 
tives, but not plenipotentiaries, at the Washington 
Conference. 
“13. My Lords will, therefore, be pleased to learn that 
the opinions and intentions of the other maritime nations 
have been ascertained at as early a date as practicable, in 
view of the wishes of British astronomers. 
“lam, &c. 
“(Signed) EVAN MACGREGOR. 
“The Secretary, Science and Art Department, 
“South Kensington, S.W.” 
After the receipt of the second letter from the Admiralty 
another meeting of the committee was held, and the 
following report was drawn up for the information of 
my Lords :— 
“Your committee find that the Science and Art Depart- 
ment having consulted the various bodies named in the 
accompanying list, the first five of the resolutions of the 
Washington Prime Meridian Conference have received 
unanimous approval, but demand no action on the part of 
this country. 
“As regards the sixth resolution, which proposes that as 
soon as may be practicable the astronomical and nautical 
days shall be arranged everywhere to begin at mean mid- 
night, it appears that the opinion in England is generally 
in favour of this change in the mode of reckoning astro- 
nomical time, and that the Admiralty have expressed their 
willingness to take the necessary steps to give effect to 
this resolution of the Conference by introducing civil 
reckoning into the British Nautical Almanac, the re- 
arrangement of which they are satisfied may be so carried 
out as to minimise risks from mistakes by navigators during 
the period of transition, if other maritime nations are pre- 
pared to adopt the proposed method of reckoning 
astronomical time. 
“Under these circumstances your committee suggest 
that the Foreign Office be invited to communicate this 
result of the inquiries of the Science and Art Department 
to the Government of the United States, and to inquire 
whether, as conveners of the Washington Conference, 
they are now prepared to take steps to invite the adhesion 
of other maritime States ” 
Next follows a letter from the Science and Art Depart- 
ment to the Foreign Office, asking them to make the 
inquiry referred to in the previous report, and another 
from our ambassador at Washington, stating that the 
United States Government had taken the matter in 
hand. 
FACILITIES FOR BOTANICAL RESEARCH 
ie an article under the above heading, published in 
NATURE, vol. xxxi. p. 460, I endeavoured to draw the 
attention of our younger botanists to the importance of 
extending their studies over a wider field than is at present 
usual, and mentioned some easily accessible stations at 
which students might observe tropical vegetation. Since 
that article was written, I have had the opportunity of 
acting on my own suggestion, and of visiting Ceylon; I 
am therefore now in a position to enlarge upon my pre- 
vious suggestions, and to fill in from personal experience 
many details which, though often trivial in themselves, 
may yet bring the possibility of Eastern travel home to 
the mind of some in such a way as may lead to future 
action. But while giving some account of the facilities 
for botanical work in the East, care must be taken not to 
over-colour the picture ; it happens too often that writers 
of an enthusiastic bent raise expectations in the minds of 
their readers, which actual experience can only disappoint: 
in the following paragraphs | shall endeavour to make a 
purely matter-of-fact statement, and leave the colouring 
to be filled in at the will or opportunity of the reader. 
Taking first Peradeniya, we may consider what are its 
attractions as a station for botanical work, and then pass 
on to discuss the relative merits of other stations. 
In the first place, hardly any port in the east is more 
accessible than Colombo: it has been aptly called the 
“Clapham Junction” of the East: the steamers of all 
nations meet there, and the competition between them 
produces a moderate scale of fares. Once there, a direct 
train service lands the traveller in about three hours 
almostat the gate of the Royal Gardens; the mechanical dis- 
comforts of many a journey to remote districts inthe United 
Kingdom are greater than this. The cost of the journey 
will vary according to the line of steamers selected; by 
the Peninsular and Oriental line a return ticket can be 
had from London to Colombo for go/., 100/7., or r10/., 
according as the return journey is completed in three, six, 
or twelve months. The charges on the Messageries 
Maritimes are about the same. The Star, Clan, and 
British India lines make more moderate charges, but the 
pace is correspondingly slower. It is little use making 
a journey of more than 5000 miles for a brief visit; and 
it may be presumed that, except where the circumstances 
are extraordinary, students would find it convenient to 
stay in Ceylon for three or four months, or more, Little 
is to be gained by scamping an expedition such as 
this, in which it may often happen that a man may gain 
his first and last experience of tropical nature ; further, 
the surroundings are so new that it is some little time before 
one with even a good knowledge of our temperate flora 
can accommodate himself sufficiently to them to carry on 
successful work. We may then regard the cost of the 
journey as roo/., and the time required to make it a suc- 
cess about six months. The choice of season is an im- 
portant point: in a country of alternating wet and dry 
