76 UNIVERSAL OR COSMIC TIME. 



standing are accustomed to take their longitude from this meiMian. How- 

 ever, an objection against this proposition is, that the meridian oi Greenwich 

 passes through two countries of Europe, and thus the longitude would be 

 reckoned by different signs in different portions of our own continent and alsO' 

 of Africa. 



" Moreover, the close proximity of the meridian of Paris, which, per- 

 haps, some French geographers and navigators of other nations would still hold 

 to, from custom, from a spirit of contradiction or from national rivalry, might 

 easily cause sad disaster. To obviate these inconveniences, I have proposed 

 to choose as Prime meridian another meridian, situated at an integral number 

 of hours east or west of Greenwich, and among the meridians meeting this con- 

 dition, I have indicated, in the first place, the meridian proposed to-day by 

 scientific Americans, as that which would combine the most favorable condi- 

 tions for its adoption. Thus the meridian situated 180° from Greenwich 

 .presents the following advantages : — 



"1. It does not cross any continent but the eastern extremity of the Nortk 

 of Asia, inhabited by people very few in number and little civilized, called 

 Tschouktschis. 



"2. It coincides exactly with that line where, after the custom introduced 

 by a historical succession of maritime discoveries, the navigator makes a 

 change of one unit in the date, a difference which is made near a number of 

 small islands in the Pacific Ocean, discovered during the voyages made to the 

 east and west. Thus the commencement of a new date would be identical 

 with that of the hours of Cosmopolitan Time. 



"3. It makes no change to the great majority of navigators and hydro- 

 graphers, except the very simple addition of twelve hours, or of ] 80° to all 

 longitudes. 



"4. It does not involve any change in the calculations of the Ephemerides 

 most in use among navigators, viz., the English Nautical Almanac, except 

 turning mid-day into mid-night, and vice versa. In the American Nautical 

 Almanac there would be no other change to introduce. With a cosmopolitan 

 spirit, and in the just appreciation of a general want, the excellent Ephemer- 

 ides published at Washington, record all data useful to navigators calculated 

 from the meridian of Greenwich. 



" For universal adoption, as proposed by the Canadian Institute, it recom- 

 mends itself to the inhabitants of all civilized countries, by reason of the great 

 difference in longitude, thus removing all bhe misunderstandings and uncer- 

 tainties concerning the question, as to whether, in any case, Cosmopolitan or 

 Local Time was used. 



' ' In answer to the first question offered by the Institute at Toronto, I would, 

 therefore, recommend the Academy to pronounce mthout hesitation in favour 

 of the universal adoption of the meridian situated 180° from Greenwich, as 

 Prime Meridian of the globe. " 



I quote from the report of M. Otto Struve to the Imperial Academy of 

 Sciences of St. Petersburg, 30th Sept. 1880. 



I respectfully submit, we have thus the means of solving the problem 

 presented to us, without attempting to find such a meridian as that contem- 

 plated in the motion of the honorable delegates. Whatever its origin, the Pa- 

 cific meridian referred to would soon be recognized as being as much neutral as 

 any meridian could possibly be. If, on the other hand, we adopt the motion, 

 I very greatly fear that the main object of this Conference will be defeated 

 and the settlement of a question so pregnant with advantages to the world wUl 

 be indefinitely postponed. 



