64 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME, ^ 



expressed in the resolutions. Without deciding, ' the Committee 

 desires to draw attention to the proposition of the American Dele- 

 gates that the proposed International Commission should meet at 

 Washington. 



EEMAKKS ON THE COSMOPOLITAN SCHEME FOR EEGULATING 



TIME. 



By Professor Simon Newcomb, Superintendent of Nautical Almanac, 

 Washington, 1882. 



A capital plan for use during the millennium. Too perfect for 

 the present state of humanity. See no more reason for considering 

 Europe in the matter than for considering the inhabitants of the 

 planet Mars. 



No ; we don't care for other nations, can't help them, and they 

 can't help us. 



PHOCEEDINGS OF THE ITALIAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. 



Mcamination of the scheme of Time reform ; from the work of M. Ferdinando 



Borsari, 1883. 



(translation.) 



Is Universal Time possible ? * 



The question of the choice of a Cosmopolitan Meridian being de- 

 .termined, it remains to be seen to what extent it may be possible to 

 carry into effect in different countries the propositions of Mr. Sand- 

 ford Fleming and of the other Americans interested in the introduc- 

 tion of the system of Cosmic Time and of twenty-four different 

 systems of local Time, each in succession differing from the other by 

 one hour. 



The form given to this proposition, moreover, the very extraordi- 

 nary clearness with which it has been set forth (see Part II.), is 

 marked by much logic, so that a pi-ofitable and well-considered 

 investigation of it may be held. Nevei-theless, there is strong reason 

 why we should not deceive ourselves as to the difficulties to be over- 

 come. The idea relative to the introduction of the one Time in all 

 ■ countries will need a long period to popularize it in Europe, and to 

 enter, so to say, into the convictions of the majority ; and many of 

 the propositions of Mr. Sandford Fleming (above all, that relative to 

 local Time,) will perhaps encounter much insurmountable difficulty 

 from the inhabitants of different countries, besides striking against 

 several national traditions. 



In our opinion, the most serious obstacle consists in the fact that 

 there is no means in the different countries to bring Cosmopolitan 



■* Extracts from II Meridiano Miziale e L'Ora Universale, Studio di Ferdinando Borsari Socio 

 a Tita della Society Geografica Italiana, Direttore della rassegna geografica a L'Esplorazione- 

 Napoli, 1883. (Page 62.) 



