SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 



MEMORIAL OF THE CANADIAN' INSTITUTE TO HIS EXCELLENCY 

 THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF CANADA, SUBMITTING PAPERS" 

 ON TIME-RECKONING AND A PRIME MERIDIAN, READ DUR- 

 ING THE SESSION 1878-79. 



To Ills Excellency, the Rhjlit Ilonourahle Sir Johx Douglas Sutherland, 

 Marquis of Lome, one of Her Majesty's Privy Council, Knight of the Most 

 Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, and Knight Grand Cross of 

 the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Goi^ernor- 

 General of Canada, and Vice-Admiral of the same. 



The raemox'ial of the Council of the Canadian Institute 



Eespectfully Sheweth : 



That the Canadian Institute, established in Toronto for a period 

 of thirty years, has specially aimed at promoting scientific study and 

 research ; and by means of its Journal of Proceedings has main- 

 tained communication with men of science in Europe and Amei'ica. 



At meetings of the Institute, during the present session, com- 

 munications have been submitted to it by one of its members, Mr, 

 Sandford Fleming, C. M. G., with the special object of determining 

 a First or Prime Meridian, common to all nations ; and promoting 

 the adoption of a universal system of Time-reckoning, adapted alike 

 to the requirements of an uniform historical record, and to the novel 

 requirements of civilization, consequent on the rapid extension of 

 railvvay and telegraphic lines over the globe. 



While the geographical circumstances of Canada invest this sub- 

 ject with peculiar interest to the Dominion, its importance is not 

 limited to Canada. In every civilized country, circumstances have 

 tended in recent years to demonstrate the desirableness of adop ting- 

 some uniform system of notation of time and space ; and, as your 

 Excellency will see by the papers herewith transmitted to you, the 

 attention of various scientific bodies, both in Europe and America, 

 as well as of your memorialists, has been directed to this important 

 subject. 



Your Memorialists have accordingly welcomed, with special satis- 

 faction, the suggestion by one of their own members whose practical 

 experience, especially in his trans-continental surveys as Chief En- 

 gineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway, peculiarly fits him for the 

 task: the suggestion of a Prime Meridian, free from the objections 

 liithorto urged against other propositions, and so offering an accept- 



