SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 29 



HIS EXCELLENCY THE MAR'^JITIS OE LORNE, GOVERNOR-GEN- 

 ERAL OF GA.N^ADA, TO SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH, SECRETARY 

 OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES. 

 [No. 147.] Ottawa, 21st May, 1879. 



S[R, I have tlie honour to forward herewith for such action as you 

 may think proper a copy of a Memorial addressed to me from the 

 Canadian Institute, Toronto, together with a pamphlet with res{)ect 

 to the desirability of establishing a " Prime Meridian " to be common 

 to all nations. 



I have, etc., 



LORNE. 

 Sir M. E. HcciCs-Beach, &c., &o. 



MEM )RANDUM OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE, ACCOMPANYING 

 PAPERS THANSMITTED TO THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT BY 

 HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA, MAY, 

 1879. 



The President and Council of the Canadian Institute (Toronto), 

 having memorialized His Excellency the Glovemor-General of Canada, 

 respecting the accompanying papers, with the special object of deter- 

 mining a First or Prime Meridian to be Common to all Nations, 

 and promoting the ado])tion of a IlNiviiRSAL System of Time-Reck- 

 oning, adapted to the requirements ©f modern progress : 



His Excellency the Governor-General, in view of the important 

 international interests involved, has been graciously pleased to bring 

 the subject under the notice of tlie Impei-ial Government, in order 

 tliat the attention of the official and scientitic authorities of Great 

 Britain and of foreign countries may be directed to it. 



The geographical circumstances of this country invest the question 

 with special interest to the people of Canada., and the peculiar politi- 

 cal status of the Dominion may in some respects enable the repre- 

 sentatives of Canadian science to mediate, especially between their 

 scientific brethren, in the various countries more immediately inter- 

 ested in the questions at issue. The Council of the Canadian Insti- 

 tute will be glad to receive, and to transmit to all the scientific bodies 

 with which they interchange publications, any communications which 

 may be made to them ; and with the view of promoting the objects 

 aimed at, will be happy to collate all comments, suggestions, or ex- 

 ]U'essions of opinion with which they may be favoured. 



R. RAMSAY WRIGHT, 



Secrelary, 

 CAN.vriAN institute, 



Toronto, May, 1S79. 



