Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-20
CITY AND DISTRICT.
a COMMON MERIDIAN.
The approaching Meeting Of The Inter-
national Meridian Conference i'm This
City.

DISTINGUISHED GATHERING OF SCIENTISTS REP
sENFING NEARLY ALL THE GOVERNMENTS OF
THE woELD-wHAT Is EXPECTED To BE ACCOM-
PLISHEp-THE ADVANTAGES OF THE ADOPTION
OF A COMMON ZERO OF LONGITUDE.
On the 1st of October representatives of the
various nations of the world will assemble at
the State department for the purpose of fixing
upon meridian proper to be employed as a
common zero OF longitude and standard of time
reckoning throughout the globe. BY an act of
Congress. passed August 81. 1882. the President
was authorized 10 extend invitations TO the gov
eTnments of all nations in diplomatic relations
with the United States to send delegates to
such n congress. A circular to this effect was
Sent to all the governments through the repre-
sentatives OF the United States abroad, and the
Responses received were favorable to the hold
Ing of a conference. The President thereupon
extended an invitation for the delegates to meet
in this city October lst, TO meet delegates of
TINS government The proposition to hold such
conference everywhere received with ap-
proyai. and it is believed that the results grow
Ing out of such meeting Will be OF the highest
IMPORTANCE.
The object of the meeting and the only one
stated III the call is to fix upon some meridian
which viii be used by all nations as a zero of
Longitude. At present as is well known, there
j. no uniformity In this country tor instance
the United States naval observatory uses the
meridian of Greenwich in all its astronomical
calculations. although there are tables by which
the calculations may be reduced to the basis of
the meridian OF Washington At the same time
the Interior department in its maps makes use
of the meridian of ashington. Nearly all ma
tons in their sea observations calculate time
from the meridian of Greenwich, but in their
scientific researches some local meridian is en-
piOyed- calculations OF astronomers and other
scientists have To be reduced to the meridian in
Use III the particular country and in other ways:
This lack OF uniformity is Il serious hindrance
Ire English. OF course. uniformly employ the
meridian of Greenwich. and other nations have
accepted this standard as a matter of conve-
Mence. The uniformity. however in this re-
spect is not sufficiently general TO avoid a great
Zeal OF embarrassment.
SOME OF THE ENRAERAssMENTs
In the circular issued by the State depart
ment calling attention to the act of Congress.
some Ofthe Inconvenience are thus referred to:
1T may be vel! 10 state that in the absence of
common and accepted standard for the compu-
tatiOn Of time for other than astronomical pur-
poses eIEhaTassmcntS are experienced in the or
GILaTI affairs OF modern COmmercr.-that this
embarrassment is especially felt since the extern
sion Ot trlcgTaphic and railway communications
has Joined states and continents possessing indie
pendent and widely separated meridIanaI stand
ards Of time.-that the subject of a common
meridian has been. for several years past dis
CuSset in this country and in Europe by com
neIc.ai and scientific bodies and the need of O
general agreement upon q single standard rec
C1sHiZcd-and that i'm recent FurOpcan confer
enceS especially. tavOTHas shown to the suggps-
tIon that. as the United States possesses the
greatest longitudinal extension of anv country
fraycrScG 10y railway end telegraph lines the
1ntiatcTy measures for holding an international
convention to consider so important subject
Should be- taken by this government"
Inc delegates 10 this conference will meet in
tie diplomatic room in the State department
and II Is thought that they will continue in scs-
sion t"i two days The chairman of the United
States representatives.. President Barnard OF
Columbia College. New York. will probably pre-
side until permanent organization is ELECTED
PROBABLE SCOPE or THE DELIBERATIONS
member OF the conference representing
this country III conversation with a STAR re-
porter expressed the opinion that the meridian
OF Greenwich would probably be fixed upon by
the conference as the common standard. In
connection with this subject he thought that the
question of uniform time throughout the world
wouit re considered and report upon the
success az TIE meridian system recently intro
Gucetj IN this country 10y the railroads would
lrOtduit be made. II il is found that this sys-
TEN has been successful and has generally been
adopted !v tne peCp.t the conference NAV re-
port III favor OF the extension of the time
llrri!.aa system throughout the world
i-lie the law VIII ch authorized the calling of
the conference specifies no other subject for
Their GTtiHera.ion than that of q common meri-
dian Ger" OF longitude. still it is quite likely that
other matt rs OF Il kindred nature will be
Brought 10 their attention. The question of q
uniform system of weights and measures has
frequently been discussed i'll scieatiiic circles
ami 1t i believed that such system is not only
practicable but OF great value. Probably one of
The first things to De decided upon by the con-
Terence i the scope OF their inquiry. Ii is
Thought that they can 20 beyond tie considera-
ton OF the subject for which they were called
together. and eInbptly whatever conclusions
they may reach on other matters along with the
report which they will make to their govern
MentS upon the common meridian of longitude
A NOTABLE GATHERING
The conference will be one of the most notable
bodies that ever met in this country The as
senDiaEe Of international conferences here has
been rare occurrence Two wears aro a SAM
tary congress met at the State department but
win Ills exception. such bodies have usually
met III Europe. Tie names Of the Delegates
We're printed IN Yesterdays STAR. and they will
give sor-r idea Of tie high character Of the com
iig Conference.