SUPPLEMENTARY PAPERS. 4'3' 



In pursuance of the suggestion implied in the report of the Presi- 

 dent and Council of the Royal Society, it appears advisable that anr 

 effort be made to ascertain how far the scheme would obtain general 

 concurrence. 



The establishment of Cosmopolitan Time involves the primary de- 

 termination of an initial Meridian, as a zero for computing the revo- 

 lutions of the globe on its axis ; and it is only by common consent 

 that such Prime Meridian can be determined. 



Mr. Sandford Fleming advocates the selection of a Prime Meri- 

 dian, common to all nations, from the fact that its establishment is 

 really the key to any scheme of Time-reckoning, of universal appli- 

 cation. He has submitted his views free from all local bias, and has 

 aimed at the selection of an initial Meridian and Time-zero which, 

 while awakening no national Siisceptibilities, would be generally ac- 

 ceptable to all civilized people. 



It is earnestly hoped that this attempt to deal with an acknow- 

 ledged impediment, alike to International scientific operations, and 

 to the rapidly extending relations of trade and commerce, will be 

 considered in a liberal spirit ; and that civilized nations may be- 

 found not unwilling to concur in a proposal which offers a ready 

 means of bringing into use some scientific system of reckoning Time- 

 such as the age seems to demand. 



DANIEL WILSON, LL. D., F. E. S. E.. 



President Canadian Institute.. 

 Toronto, April 5th, 1880. 



NOTE FROM HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF 

 CANADA, TRANSMITTING MR. SANDFORD FLEMING'S PAPERS 

 TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF THE AMERICAN METRO- 

 LOGICAL SOCIETY, TO VARIOUS SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES IN 

 EUROPE. 



Government House, Ottawa, Canada, May 12th, 1880. 



The subject of a Prime Meridian common to all nations in connec- 

 tion with Time-reckoning having been brought to the notice of the- 

 Governor-General of Canada by a memorial from the Canadian In- 

 stitute, the accompanying papers by Mr. Sandford Fleming are for- 

 warded with His Excellency's compliments, together with a report 

 of the American Metrological Society on the same subjects. 



The Governor-General of Canada would be glad of any expression 

 of opinion as to concurrence with the views therein stated which your- 



