Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-10-24


and confusion of the day, the scientists are
going ON with grave and lofty dclibcra-
tions of matter space and time, as little
moved apparently, 10y the pcrturhatiuns
of the atmosphere of common life rs the
stars are disturbed in their courses by the
winds and clouds that sweep between us
and their calm, unChanging faces. 1t
is Il relief to turn from the ever
restless and shifting current Of pub
lie opinion to the fixed depths
of the verties in which these men deal.
1t was IA good thing for the American
reading public that the British Assoca-
ton for the Advancement of Science met
on this continent, this year. 1t started
current of public interest in scientific top
les. and developed healthy habit of read
ing upon these themes which is, undOubt-
edly, doing much to cOunteract the low
order of campaign literature which has
been sown broadcast throughout the land
by the necessities of the present political
campaign.
The deliberations of the recent confer
encc of scientists from all civilized coun-
tries called to settle upona prime meridian
for universal use, cannot fail to interest,
/ both practically and scientifically, the
intelligent reading public. The selection
Of universal meridian is il matter of 50
much importance to ali civilized nations.
in the present state OF International com
muuiCatiOn. that the wonder is il has not
been definitely determined before this
time. some of the advantages of Il com
mon meridian are too important to he
overlooked. Among them are. the CON
VruicuCc to ships at SEA of taking each
others reckoning without having To make
the elaborate calculation now rendered
necessary 10y the use of different stand
ard mcridians the agreement of all
maps and charts in longitude. 50 that
maps made in one country will he availa-
bic for use in all. etc.
The conference, with the exception of
the delegates from FranCe-WhO display
ed Il most contemplate national jealousy
agreed to fix upon the meridian of Green
witch a- the one best adapted to universal
use. The Greenwich meridian is the one
which would naturally be selected, for
the reason that it is already more general
ly used than any other, the great majority
of the maps and charts which have been
made in recent times agreeing in the use
rescntativcs of all other civilized nations
except France were universally favorable
to its adoption. proves that il is the proper
universal meridian. The French dele
gates displayed the littleness of their
scientific spirit by first objecting to the
Greenwich meridian as such, and
then consenting to it provided ii should be
called 10y the name of some French town
through which it passes They did not
care 50 much about the convenience of the
nations as about the paltry distinction of
giving French name to the worlds mer-
idan. The French delegates claimed that
no place of any Importance in France is
exactly ON the Greenwich meridian.
IlaVre and AlcncOn are Il few minutes to
the east: Saunur is tritle to the west.
But it j. not at all necessary. 50 far
as we can see, that the place of
designation, in the use of the Green
witch meridian in France should he ut
any commercial importance. All it needs
is Il geographical Distinction and
this will be conferred by the fact
that il gives its name to the meridian. An
exchange suggests that good designation
would he the meridian of the mouth of tn,
o. '0tllc' ANY vi lllc SllliIl villages through
which the meridian passes would he
equally available, and would soon acquire
geographical distinction which would he
distinction enough.
The maps and charts in use by our navi
gators and geographcrs are all based upon
the longitude of Greenwich, and it vii
be of the greatest commercial convenience,
to us to have all modern reckonings deter
mined upon the same basis.