6 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 



new conditions of life. While on the one hand it was argued that 

 the introduction of a comprehensive scheme by which time could be 

 universally reckoned was highly desirable, it was equally maintained 

 that the determination of a common Prime Meridian for the world 

 was the key to its success, and that the establishment of such a 

 meridian, as a zero, recognized by all nations, was the first important 

 step demanded. 



These proceedings were brought under the notice of His Excel- 

 lency the Marquis of Lome, then G-overnor-General of Canada. 

 In the name of the Institute, they were submitted, in the form of a 

 memorial,* with the hope that His Excellency would see fit to lay 

 them before the Imperial Government, that they would by these 

 means obtain the attention of the several scientific bodies throughout 

 Europe, and that some general systematic effort would be made in 

 the right direction to secure the important objects sought to be 

 attained. 



Through the good offices of His Excellency, copies of the Canadian 

 Instittite Proceedings found their way to the British Admiralty, the 

 Astronomer Royal, Greenwich, The Astronomer Royal for Scotland, 

 Edinburgh, The Royal Society, The Royal Geographical Society, The 

 Royal Astromomical Society, The Royal United Service Institute^ 

 and other societies of eminence and weight in the United Kingdom. 

 Copies of the papers were likewise sent through the Imperial Gov- 

 ernment to the Governments of the following countries, viz. : 



FRANCE, GERMANY, 



ITALY, NORWAY and SWEDEN, 



THE UNITED STATES, RUSSIA, 



AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, 



BRAZIL, DENMARK, 



JAPAN, THE NETHERLANDS, 



SPAIN, PORTUGAL, 



SWITZERLAND, TURKEY, 



GREECE, CHINA. 



In the year following, the American Metrological Society issued a 

 Report of the Committee on Standard Time. The Report bears the 

 name of Mr. Cleveland A-bbe, the Chairman of the Committee, 

 and the date of May, 1879. It draws attention to many of the 

 causes calling for the establishment of accurate time, and the 



* See page ^7. 



