The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-10-05
The Zero OF Longitude.

The Prime Meridian Conference has found
an obstacle In its path at very early stage
OF Its sessions To tho resolution that COM
mon primo WINS desirable there was no op-
position but when resolution was offered
proposing Greenwich as the zorro for all ma
tions the French representatives dissentod.
As tho question involved In tho matter Is
the safety and convenience OF commerce and
navigation, 1t Is to DO hoped that there will
be All ultimate agroement upon the Green
witch meridian. Tho Conference having al
ready declared that there should DO
universal primo, 1t Is plain that the stop rc-
manning for 1t to take is to select such
prime. II tho Conference should fail TO take
this step. 1t would subject itself to merlted
rldicule. To assemble delegates at Washing
ton from all parts Of the world from coun-
tries as far distant from each other ns
Hawaii. Norway, Guatemala, Japan
merely In order to formally affirm
a self-evdent general proposition. would be
farce. Aletter, telegram. or ordinary mes
senger could convey sufficient adhesion to
the statement that all nations ought to en-
ploy common standard OF time reckoning.
The. reason why men OF scientific attain
ments were sent to this Conference Is obvi-
ously because they were specially fitted to
participate in SOLICITING and recommending
such standard. Whether their respective
Governments will accept the recommended
ton Is different matter; but to argue, as
some OF the delegates appear to have done,
that no particular primo need be urged upon
all Governments. is absurd.
The reason why Greenwich has greater
claims than any other meridian now in use,
for universal adoption, ia becauseit Is already
employed by q large majority Of the mari
ners OF the world. 1t Is beyond dispute al
ready the accepted meridian of tho greater
part Of the earth's commerce. The delegates
OF the United States have formally re-
nounced all claims to the selection OF zero
within the boundaries OF their country, al
though the Washington meridian is in actual
use on certain national and other maps.
What meridian. then. should he chosen in
preference to Greenwich Should Berlin,
st. Petersburg, or Amsterdam? All these
are made secondary. oven in their own re-
spective countries for nautical use, to Green
witch. Denmark could hardly insist On the
superior claims OF Copenhagen, which she
uses, nor Spain on San Fernando. The only
meridian which could be considered as at all
u
Of Paris. When, however, the combined
mercantile marine OF Great Britain and the
United States-not to speak Of that Of Rus
sia, Germany, the Netherlands, and other
countries using Greenwich to a greater or
less extent-is compared with the marine Of
France, the contrast Is so enormous that it
would seem little short of an absurdity for
the greater to give way to the less
Taking tho single consideration of the
making OF new charts and the alteration OF
existing ones, the expense thereby occasioned
would be vastly greater II Paris were chosen
In place OF Greenwich: and II n wholly new
zero were fixed upon, needless loss of
millions of dollars would be inflicted.
The Conference adjourned on Thursday,
when the opposition to agreement had be-
come obvious, to meet Oh Monday It is to
be hoped that in the interim all the delegates
will see the wisdom OF recommending some
common primo to all nations. II they can
| arrive at no better arrangement, they might
at least fix on majority and minority
solution. leaving conformity to either to the
| good sense Of the various Governments.