SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERF. 31 



HIS EXCELLENCY THE MARQUI=! OF LORNE, GOVERNOE-GEX- 

 ERAL OF CANADA, TO SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH, COLONIAL 

 SECRETARY, LONDON. 



[No. 174.] Ottawa, July 12th, 1879. 



SiR,^ — With reference to my despatch No. 147, of the 21st May 

 last, transmitting a copy of a pamphlet, entitled " Time-reckoning 

 and tlie Establishment of a Prime Meridian," I have the honour to 

 forward herewith a further communication, June 24th, 1879, from 

 the Canadian Institute at Toronto, concerning additional copies of 

 the papers in question, and requesting that they may be distributed 

 in accordance with the list appended. 



If you see no objections I should be much obliged if you would 



kindly give effect to the wishes of the Institute. 



I have, etc., 



LORNE.. 

 Sir M. E. Hicks-Beach, &c., &c. 



SIR M. E. HICKS-BEACH, COLONIAL SECRETARY, LONDON, TO 



THE MARQUIS OF LORNE, GOVERNOR-GENERAL, CANADA. 

 [Canada, No. 342.] Downing Street, 15th October, 1879. 



My Lord, — In my despatch, No. 173, of the 11th of June, I 

 acknowledged the receipt of your despatch. No. 147, of the 21st of 

 May, inclosing a Memorial from the Canadian Institute of Toronto, 

 together with a Pamphlet, entitled " Time Reckoning and the Estab- 

 lishment of a Prime Meridian," which the memoralists desired to be 

 brought to the notice of Her Majesty's Government as well as of 

 Scientific Societies in Great Britain, and to be submitted also for the 

 consideration of the Govei-nments of Foreign Powers. 



2. I have now to acknowledge your later despatch, No. 174, of 

 the 12th of July, inclosing a further communication from the Can- 

 adian Institute, forwarding additional copies of the Pamphlet, which 

 they request may be distributed in accordance with a list thereto 

 appended. 



3. It has been the custom of Her Majesty's Government to abstain 

 from interfering with recognized usages in questions of social import- 

 ance until the spontaneous use of any novel system that may be in- 

 troduced in such matters has become so extensive as to make it 

 desirable that authoritative regulations should be sanctioned with 

 regard to it, and it does not appear that such a condition of affairs in 

 reference to the subjects of the Memorial has yet arisen. 



4. It appears, however, that the memorialists consider it desirable 

 that their views on the question should be extensively ventilated, and 

 in accordance with their application, I have forwarded the Pamphlets 

 which they have transmitted, to the scientific societies named in the 

 list, and I will also request the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 



