116 TIME-RECKONING. 



ever, to consider the points in which all parts of the earth have 

 equally an interest ; and it is important to inquire how the scheme 

 of reckoning proposed can be generally adapted to the ordinary 

 requirements of life. 



The diurnal return of the prime meridian to a point in the heavens 

 opposite the siin, would mark the common unit-measure of time 

 throughout the world. Its beginning and ending, its twenty-four 

 divisions and its sub-divisions, would each in turn prevail everywhere 

 at the same moment of absokite time. This common measure would, 

 however, completely coincide with the local day of only one meridian. 

 The local days of countless other longitudes would have as little coinci- 

 dence with the unit-measure as with each other. At the same moment 

 they would all differ ; while it woiild be noon with one, it would be 

 midnight with another, sunrise with a third ; and so on. 



Men and nations may agree to establish for convenience a common 

 unit-measure of time ; but dawn and dusk, light and darkness, will 

 sweep round the globe, following each other in silent yet certain 

 succession, as long as the world lasts — phenomena to prescribe in 

 every land when men shall sleep, and when return to active life. 

 The position of the sun in every local sky will always control domestic 

 usages and continue to govern social customs. Do what we may, the 

 eve I" changing local day, as it continully progresses from longitude to 

 longitude, will everywhere assert itself and exact recognition. 



How then are we to derive any practical good from the advantages 

 which, as a theory, the system of cosmopolitan time appears to 

 promise ? 



(1) All old customs may be retained for local purposes as at present, 

 the new system being introduced as the means of more accurately 

 reckoning time in connection with telegraphs and steam communi- 

 cation by land and water, and in describing events in which all 

 mankind have a common interest. 



(2) On the other hand, the new system may to some extent 

 supersede present customs, and be employed for reckoning local as 

 well as general time. 



(3) A compromise may be suggested by which we would have 

 cosmopolitan time as a common measure for reckoning dates and 

 periods of general interest, and a number of sub-standards, each 

 equally related to the common standard, for distinct local time. 



