EIGHTH ORDINARY MEETING. 65 



In Italy, the Italian Geographical Society lias given its counten- 

 ance to a work by Mr. Fernando Bosari, who, in a pamphlet of 68 

 pages, reviews the whole question at length, and lays down three 

 principles ; 1. The determination of a zero meridian ; 2. The estab- 

 lishment, of cosmopolitan time based upon it ; 3. The notation of 

 the hours from 1 to 24 in a continuous series. 



The question of Universal Time and the selection of a Prime Meri- 

 dian is discussed with ability in a paper published by M. ^Thury, 

 professor at the University of Geneva. 



At the meeting of the Association for the Reform and Codifica- 

 tion of the Laws of Nations at Cologne, Prussia, in 1881, the 

 question of regulating time on the new system was considered and 

 resolutions moved. 



In the same year (1881), the subject occupied the attention of the 

 International Geographical Congress at Venice, at which a delegate 

 from the Canadian Institute attended. The general question was 

 warmly discussed, and resolutions adopted. The appointment of an 

 international conference to meet at Washington, specially to consider 

 the question, was then suggested by the Canadian' delegate. The 

 president of the Congress communicated the resolutions to the Italian 

 Oovernment, and Prince Teano, on behalf of the Italian Government, 

 undertook to conduct the official correspondence. Out of this appears 

 to have sprung the important discussion at the meeting of the Inter- 

 national Geodetic Association at Rome, in October, 1883, when the 

 "utility of Universal Time was recognized, and a special international 

 conference for the establishment of a zero meridian for longitude and 

 time recommended. 



Turning to this side of the Atlantic, the question of regulating- 

 time for railway, telegraph, and civil purposes generally, was consid- 

 ered at the Convention of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 

 held at Montreal, June 15, 1881, and a committee of men engaged 

 in the management and familiar with the economy of railways, ap- 

 pointed to examine the question. The committee has reported from 

 time to time. They recognized that a proposition to reform the 

 general time system of the country was a problem beset with diffi- 

 culties, but it did not appear to them insolvable. It was felt, how- 

 ever, that the question affected so many interests that any change 

 could only be effected by general concurrence. 

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