UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 23 



associatsd in our minds with tlie hour of 12, but among the Jews 

 noon was the 6th hour, and astronomers have ahnost invariably recog- 

 nized it as the 24th hour. For a year back throughout the United 

 States and Canada the agreement between 12 o'chDck and precise 

 noon has been at an end. It may be said that, except on four or hve 

 meridians, 12 o'clock is nowhere coincident with mean solar noon. 

 This departure from an old usage must tend to unloosen the tradi- 

 tional idea that the mere numbers of the hours have any necessaiy 

 connection witli the position of the sun in the heavens. If this 

 innovation has any effect it must help to pave the way for still further 

 and more important changes than have yet been introduced. The 

 Meridians by which time is regulated in North America are 5, 6, 7 

 and 8 hours of longitude west fi'om the Prime Meridian. It will only 

 be necessary to move forward our clocks 5, 6, 7, and 8 hours respec- 

 tively to bring them all into agreement vv-ith the time of the Prime 

 Meridian, which is Cosmic Time, and thus obtain complete uniformity. 

 It cannot, however, be looked for that Cosmic Time will at once Ije 

 adopted in ordinary affairs. A generation probably will pass away 

 before it will obtain general acceptance. The difficulties to be ovei- 

 come cannot be ignored, and we may assume that it will only be step 

 by step that the change will be made, the more advanced nations 

 taking the lead. On this continent positive progress has been 

 made, to be succeeded before long, I do not doubt, by another 

 advance in public opinion, and a genei>al acceptance of the principles 

 recently recognized. In the course of years the prejudices en- 

 gendered by inherited customs will bo greatly modified, and the 

 masses will graduallv have their minds familiarized with new idea«. 

 It is a significant fact that the principles of the new system should 

 be unanimously recommended by delegates from all civilized nations. 

 I do not doubt that the several peoples they I'epresent will sooner or 

 later understand that one uniform reckoning of time for every pur- 

 })0se throughout the globe is the only rational system, and the one 

 notation which in coming years will properly meet the necessities 

 and requirements of mankind. 



In these remarks I have narrated the events which have taken 

 j^lace on both sides of the Atlantic to influence and determine the 

 conclusions which, a few weeks back, the President submitted to the 

 Congress of the United States. 



On this OQcasioii I cannot think that I am, entirely wrong when I 



