Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-06-02
From the Hampshire Mass. } Gazette.
OLD STYLE AND NEW STYLE.

RUM shS A@e'skSo"SS 1 &Sxuoos II ou-CNG.
OLD STYLE AND NEW STYLE.
All the nations of Europe reckon
time by the new style, excepting the
Russians and Greeks, who use the old
style. Prince Mavrocordato, in the
date ofhis letter to Professor Everett,
inserted in ourlast, used
80 Nov.
both styles, thus-Missolonghi--1S
IL Dec.
the Soth of November in the old calen-
dar corresponding to 18th of Deem
Der in the new. AS there are probably
many OF our readers who do not under
stand why there are two methods Of
reckoning time among Christian ma
tons, we have prepared the following
account ofthe old and new style, from
the Encyclopedias
About 40 years before Christ, Julius
Caesar formed new calendar, which
was much more perfect than those that
preceded it. He made the year to con-
sist of sos days, and the annual excess
of hours, which amounted TO one day
in 4 years, was taken into account by
making every fourth year consist Of
500 days. This year was called Bisser-
tile by the Romans, but our English
ancestors gave il the name of Leap
year-very improperly; for instead of
Leaping Cor skipping over) day, one is
added to the year.
Caesars correction of the Calendar
was imperfect, being founded on the
supposition that the solar year consist
ed of SOS days 6 hours, whereas the
true solar year, or that period in which
the sun performs its revolution in the
eclipfick from any equinox or solstice
to the same again, consisted Of SOS
days, hours, 4S minutes, 45a seconds.
Thus the Julian year exceeded the So
lar II minutes IA seconds, which a
mounted to whole day in $50 years.
In consequence of this inaccuracy in
the Julian calendar, the vernal equinox,
(the time when the SUN crosses the
equinoc,ial line in the spring. which
happened on the 18th of March in the
time Of Julius Caesar, had receoed to
the 2lst of March in the year 325, and
was fixed to that day by the Council Of
Nice. Attempts were afterwards made
at different times to effect some change
in the Calendar, but a complete refor-
nation was not made until 1889. Pope
Gregory XIII. invited to Rome the
most learned astronomers Of the age,
and after the subject had been discuss
ed 10 years, it was decreed, in 1882,
that the vernal equinox, which had re-
coded 10 days since the Council Of Nice,
and consequently happened on the It'll
of March, should be brought back to
the 2ist of March, and that for this
purpose 10 days should be taken from
the month of October, 1882.
To avoid future deviation, it was
determined that instead Of every tooth
year (the last year ofevery century, be-
ing leap year, every 4ooth year only
should be leap year. Many of Our read
ers probably recollect tina, the year
1900 was not leap year, although
1896 was. BY this diminution of the
number of leap years a diminution Of
3 days in 400 years. the error OF the
present calendar will not exceed day
and half in 5000 years.
The calendar thus reformed by Pope
Gregory was immediately introduced
into all Catholic countries, but the Pro-
testants, actuated by an unworthy Jea-
lousy, declined to receive a measure
which originated among the Catholics.
Their objections, however, were gra'
dually removed; and in 1852, when the
error had increased to II days, the new
style was introduced into the British
empire, which included the present u
nited States, by an act OF Parliament.
Eleven days were struck out of the ca
lendar, the Sd of September being reck-
oned the l4th. All the other Protest
ant States have adopted the new style
but Russia, where the established rell'
gion is that Of the Greek Church,
and the Christians attached to the
Greek Church in the various provinces
of Turkey, have to this day obstinately
rejected the new calendar, and still
reckon by the old style. This has &C.
casioned much confusion and apparent
contradiction in the intelligence receiv-
ed from Greece, since the commence
ment of the present contest. The
Greeks in their accounts Of battles and
other events, make use of the old style,
while the English, French, Americans,
sc. in that country, conform their dates
to the new calendar.