The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-02-04

y
because it necessarily varies from day
TO day But reasons of a national
and religious character prevent them
from abandoning this mode of count
ing time; and reckoning "a Ia
Franque." The agricultural popula-
ton prefer TO count to sunset, besides
the hours for the Moslem prayers are
counted from shutdown TO shutdown. |
Hence he voted for the resolution /
with a reservation, and afterwards |
had his vote changed to a negative.
Mr.. Arbol, of Spain, wasted con-
siderable time over a proposition, in
defence of which he made speeches, |
and showed some feeling. His idea |
seemed to be that our present chron-
olOgY is really based on the meridian
of Rome, because it is there that the
Julian Calendar was formed, and the
GregOrian correction to it decTeed.
AS that prime meridian, as he ina
gines, is " tacitly accepted by all
nations as the origin of dates,' he
thought we ought not to change it.
But he found that he stood entirely
alone in the Conference in this view
The resolution introduced by Mr.
Rutherford was passed by Is ayes
against noes, abstaining from vot-
ing. The Conference appeared to be
unanimous in favor of counting the
hours of the universal day from zero
up to "a hours; and also considered
it very desirable that the same system
should be introduced for counting the
hours of the civil day in ordinary life.
This would contribute to the disap-
pearance of the arbitrary division of
the day into two parts-A.M. and PM.
and to an easier transition from
local to universal time.
The next resolution, that "The Con-
ference EXPIRE sses the hope that as
soon as may be practicable, the as
Economical and nautical days will be
arranged everywhere to begin at mid,
night" was passed unanimously.
Although the French delegation
had failed to procure from this Con-
ference any declaration in favor of
the metrical system, they brought in
very adroitly-worded resolution at
the close of the Conference in favor of
| the decimal division of the circle
of time. The French regard the
applica ton of the decimal system
to all measurable quantities as a
matter of national pride, and almost
as a kind of religion.
At the time of the French Revolu-
ton, decades of ten days were substi-
tuted for the week of seven days, and
the day was divided into ten hours,
the quarter of circle or right angle
into 100 grades, or degrees, the degree
into 100 minutes, and the minutes
into 100 seconds and even the D1drj9t-
er's compass was divided into ten
"points," and the log-line into metres.
[ have seen logarithmic tables which
| were calculated for this division of
the circle. NJ. Chancourtois, whose
views are supported by Jansen, adj
vocates the above division of the
circle into 400 parts, or grades and of
the Sidereal day into four parts, each
of which might be called "Siderie,"
and each of these into ten parts called
50 CHrOnes," each containing thirty
SIX sidereal minutes, and these again
into d" cent5cbTones,' n1iLLichrones,"
&c. Applying this system to our
globe, he would divide the Equator
into 400 "grades of longitude,
counting from the Prime Meridian,
from east to west around the Earth
and he would divide the meridian in
like manner into "grades " of longi-
tude, making the North Pole 09, the
Equator 1000, and South Pole 2009, sc
as to do away with the distinction
between North and South Latitudes
The French Delegates, after having
previously sounded each of the mem.
bers of the Conference, brought 10 g
resolution so guarded and qualified a:
to be quite harmless, as follows
"That this Conference expresses the
hope that the technical studies tC
regulate and extend the application
of the decimal system to the division:
of the circle and of time shall be re-
sumed, so as to permit the extension
of this application to all cases a0hert
it presents real ADVANTAGES"
Admiral Rodgers properly ruled
this resolution out of order, as being
foreign to the purpose for which the
Conference was convened, and beyond
its scope.
Professor Adams said that for GER
tain astronomical calculations the de
cimal division of the circle is very
valuable, but that he should abstain
from voting on the resolution.
+ The Delegates from France appealed
from the decision of the Chair, and
on the roll being called, the appea
was sustained. There was desire
among many of the delegates to con
{ cilIate and mollify the representative
of the "Grande Nation" and on the
f resolution itself being put, it was car
ried almost unanimously.
1t was hoped by the United States
Government that this Conference