The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-27
1inlc.

ADMIRAL. H0pGERS's REPORT ON THE MATTER
OF A grAgDAED TINE FOR THE RAILWAYS
OF TUE UNITED sTATfS-IAILR0AD STA
TIOya 10 HAVE TWO SITS on CLoCk
HANDS, &C.
In RESPONSE to Che circular OF the Gene
raj Time Convention, asking for c0mmun:-
cations bearing upon the matter OF stand
ard time for the railways OF the United
States and Canada, Admiral Rodgers, SUI
perintendcnt OF the United states Naval
Observatory, mas written tho following:
The various countries Of the world gene
rally have their own prime meridian, az
Greenwich, Paris, Pulkova, etc., and the
national maps arc drawn to the respective
national prime meridiaus. The maps OF
the United States arc drawn with refer
cuce to the meridian OF Washington. The
observatorics OF Europe-Pulkova, Green
witch, Paris. etc.-giye time to their re-
spectivc nations. In England the differ
ences OF longitude are not greet, and all
England uses Greenwich time. But the
extent OF The United States renders single
time impracticable, for by the hour ut any
place ia only sought an expression for the
relative positionof the sun in regard to that
place. At the noon of any locality the sun
il on lis meridian; ut 1 O'Clock it IL ono
hour past meridian; at midnight il Is on
the lower meridian, or lust under the feet,
and at O'Clock al night it is one hour past
the lower meridian. All this il very Gle
mcntary, and is known TO every one.
BY local tine man must live, move, and
have his being. Other standard for his
daily avecations ~ chimerical, fit for specu-
lation, but utterly impracticaDle. Sailors
have for a long time kept on board ship,
for their practical purposes, two times
namely, local time. for the daily uses OF
life, and the time Of the national meridian,
Tor astronomical purposes. This is Green
wich, Paris, Pulkova, OF other, according
TO nationality. This arrangement at sea is
/ in constant usc by community far from a
/ learned one. according to shore standards.
/ The system ui,lst he plain and practical to
landsmcn, eince it is plain and practiced by
Scameu.
The plan OF time zones seems TO Inc 3
plan for lcgaiizing diversity. IL is against
diversity that the country protests. as ap-
Piled to railroad service. Two neighbors
separated hy Il fence may live in different
zones, or two Villages near one another
may have different zones and different
legal times, in which case business will be
carried on between them with more diff
Guilty than with natural time, by which
people dwelling near one another will
have, substantially, agreement in their
watches. Two railroads on different sides
Of river may have different zones, and
trains collide Tor want OF agreement. Tx
cept in towns OF some size no one would
know his zone, for the zones cannot be
marked. The State lines are too irregular
insshape TO serve for guide, nor have we
custom-housos on the borders TO inform
travellers OF the name Of the State into
which they enter.
Learned societies may recommend arti-
fetal time for the use Of man, but Il Is TO
be apprcteuded that the community may
refuse to acceptit. When the laborer, who
has worked from sunrise until noon, is
gravely told TINT noon comes ut O'clock,
win he not 0bioctP In short, men will
continue 10 keep natural time for their
daily uses. whatever different practice con-
yentions may rocomond.
In conclusion, beg leave 10 recommend
that in the railroad guides the time OF