Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-13
Common Pri me Meridian

Inc American members OF the com.
mittee appointed by the association for
the reform and codifcation of the laws OF
nations, have just issued a pamphlet, in
which we find the following synopsis OF
the plan approved by them for the estab-
lishment of universal system of stand
ard time:
WHEREAS, Since the creation of vast svs.
TEN of artificial lines of rapid transit and tel.
egraphic communication, extending through
wide differences of longitude upon both con-
hnents, great confusion in time-reckoninp has
arisen in consequence of the use, throu ghout
the same districts of country, of the different
times of many local meridians; and
WHEREAS, The actual time in use at any
place is generally arbitrary and at variance,
often by many minutes, with the true local
time of such place; and
WHEREAS, Such differences between true
and arbitrary time are in no way practically
Instantaneous in the affairs OF life, when
universally understood and observed; and
WHEREAS, 1t is practicable, by referring the
times of all places on the globe to limited
number OF meridians suitably chosen, to create
time system for the world so nearly uniform
that the minute and the second shall be every.
where the same, and the times of places widely
differing in longitude shall differ only by entire
hours-a system of great simplicity, and
| likely to be conducive to the convenience OF
all mankiud therefore.
| RESOLVED, That this association approves and
| recommends to the favorable consideration OF
| the governments of all nations, as we'll as 70
all boards of trade, and Geographic and trans.
portation companies, a time system for the
world. founded on the following PRINCIPLES:
L. Twenty-fOur standard meridians to be
| fixed upon, distant from each other fifteen de-
grees or one hour each in longitude, to which
and to which only the arbitrary local times
kept on all places on the earth's surface shall
be referred.
2. The prime meridian, or that by reference
to which the positions of all the remaining
one hour meridians are to be determined. tc
be the meridian situated in longitude $50 de
grees or twelve hours distant from the
meridian of Greenwich, which prime meridian
passes near Behring's strait, land lies almost
wholly on the ocean.
8. The diurnal change of count in the
monthly calendar to begin when it is mid
night on this prime meridian, and the same
change to take place for the several meridians
successfully until the circuit of the globe has
been completed from east to west.
4. The hour of the day at any place to be
regulated by the standard meridian nearest
such place in longitude, it being reckoned
at IL O'Clock, noon, at the moment the NEAR
| o0u passes cuCn SlduuaIQ m6rlQlan. Int
| minute and second 20 be the same at all time.
and for all places throu ghout the earth.
5. The hours of the day to be numbered
from one to twenty four without interruption
and the division of the day into two halves oil
twelve hours each to be abandoned.
o: For special purposes with view to pro-
mote exactness in chronology and to facilitate
synchronous observations in science, the day
and the time of the day as determined by tht
prime meridian to be employed as kind Of
universal time-reckoning under the name oil
Cosmic time.
z. For the sake of distinction the hours o.
Cosmic time to be denoted by symbols and no,
by numbers, and preferably the letters of the
English alphabet taken in their order, which
omiting and G, are twenty four in number
these letters being also associated with the
standard meridlans 10 regular order from east
10 west, so that F corresponds to the 90 de.
grees meridian passing near Calcutta, NJ to
the meridian of New Orleans, go degrees, and
to the prime or zero meridian.