72 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



the adjournments. At last, however, the choice of a Prime Meridiart 

 was obtained. The following resolution was passed, the delegates 

 voting by nations : 



' • Resolved, That the Conference proposes to the Governments here 

 represented the adoption of the meridian passing through the centre 

 of the transit instrument at the Observatory of Greenwich as the 

 initial meridian for longitude. 



The above resolution was adopted by the following vote : 



In the affirmative- ; 



AUSTRIA, MEXICO, 



CHILI, NETHERLANDS, 



COLOMBIA, PARAGUAY, 



COSTA RICA, RUSSIA, 



GERMANY, SALVADOR, 



■ GREAT BRITAIN, SPAIN, 



GUATEMALA, SWEDEN, 



HAWAII, SWITZERLAND, 



ITALY, TURKEY, 



JAPAN, UNITED STATES, 



LIBERIA, VENEZUELA. 



In the negative : 



SAN DOMINGO. 



Abstained from voting : 



FRANCE AND BRAZIL. 

 Ayes 22. Noes 1. 



There was less difficulty and even greater unanimity displayed; 

 when the consideration of Universal Time was submitted. The Con- 

 ference adopted the principle of a Universal Day without a single 

 negative vote. The resolutions carried are substantially in accord 

 with the essential principles, if not with the precise features of the 

 proposals set forth in the proceedings of the Institute, published in. 

 1879. 



The resolution defining the Universal Day reads as follows : " Re- 

 solved, That this Universal Day is to be a mean solar day ; is to begin 

 for all the Avorld at the moment of mean midnight of the initial 

 meridian, coinciding with the beginning of the civil day and date of 

 that meridian, and is to be counted from zero up to twenty -four 

 hours." 



This definition, taken in conjunction with the other resolutions o£ 

 the Conference, is fraught with important consequences. 



