Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-28

| TOMMY, THE
year is at fault by a fraction of about one
quarter of day measured by the time occu'
pied by the earth in its revolution around
the sun. Ii this fraction was exactly 6
quarter of day it would be proper to ado
day to the year upon every fourth year,
But the year is not accomplished in exactly
365 days and hours. 1t is in reality 36t
days, hours, 4S minutes and AN seconds.
| These II minutes 121z seconds of difference
are exceedingly embarrassing and difficult
to overcome.
This was done by the calendar of Julius
Caesar, which interpolates leap year once
| in every four years, thus making gift to
us,of three days too many in every 400
years. In the sixth century the difference
was already ten days. Continuing the
process thus the spring equinox instead OF
coming upon March 81 would gradually re-
vert to March /, from March to February
20, and so on, retrograding through the
months.
Corrected to Near Accuracy.
The astronomers in the time of Pope
Gregory Kill corrected their predecessors
to the time Of the Caesar, and suggested the
suppression or determination of the ten
days in error, and then to arrange it that in
the future there should be no leap years ex-
cepting one in four. There is a very simple
rule for finding whether a centennial year
Is leap year or not, i. e., erase two figures
at the right; if the remaining figures are
divisib]e by four, the year is leap year; if
not, it is not. Thus the years 100, 1900
and 1900 are leap years in the Julian calen-
dar, and not in the Gregorian. The leap
year 1000 will be leap year according to
both reckoninps
This, then, is the whole difference be-
tween the ancient and modern calendar.
There remains yet tiny correction to make
of two days and ten hours in 10 900 years;
our great-great nephews will make it, doubt
less
The Pope declared, then, that the NOR
row of October 4, 1882, should be
called the 18th. But beyond those
countries that admitted the spiritual juris-
diction of the Roman Pontiff nobody cared
to change his habit. People preferred to
remain in discord with nature than to be in
harmony with papal decision.
How England Lost Three Months.
Tergiversation may go on indefinitely.
Half of Europe has accepted a reform while
the other half still acts according to the
ancient custom, which cannot but be cause
of embarrassment. England did not accede
that For in England the year began then
on March %, and the question was of chang
ing this formality to January l, and of sup
pressing not only ten days. but three
months! Goodness gracious! loss of three
months all at once! Terriblei The good
Londoners at first made subdued war
against such a proposition, letting it be
understood that they saw that there was no
reason why such a change should not be in
augurated again and again; the workman on
their part, losing apparently three months
in their year, revolted together; and on the
day when the bill was proclaimed, the peo-
pie pursued Lord Chesterfield through the |
streets of the city crying: "Give us back |
our three months!'' But there was no blood
shed, and the world continued to reyolve
But even to-day Russia dares not touch |
the Julian calendar, made sacred by the au-
thorized religion. She is behind the sun by |
L. days, and after nine years she will be at |
east 13 days behind unless the Gar Alex.
ander II. ends his reign by scientific re-
form which even now weighs upon his peo-
ole. But who knows if by this he might
,ot wager his crown!
Varying Length of the Year.
One point more. The length of the year
s by no means absolutely fxed it varies
~ 3S seconds above and 38 seconds below
he average. It has slowly shortened since
he beginning of our era. A centenarian /
# our time has in reality lived 20 minutes
ess than centenarian of the time of Au-
.ustus, and an hour less than centenarian
# the time of the Chinese Emperor Hang
ii. The year of shortest length will be
900 A. D., and 1t will be 76 seconds shorter
han the year 3040 before the Christian era
A certain ancient philosophy taught that
IL faI 10 ;ca l
the same cycle at the end of
Q, 900 years, the stars, stewards of our des-
inies, being regarded as bound to return to
he same points in the heavens. Perhaps
his anecdote may not be familiar although
is a fin de steele story of 100 years ago
Some 20 students were at the table cele-
rating the end of year of study by a fare
Eell dinner. They spoke of the long cycle,
nd the pleasure given by the hope that at
be end of 10000 years they would ali find
themselves in the same place The hotel
eeper who presided over the banquet and
uperintended the service, deemed himself
bit of a philosopher and took part in the
Philosophy and Prosiac Bills.
he expressed his profound conviction of
he truth of what had been said, and even
the moment when all arose from the |
1UlS VIC edidricu Hosb Coufcycu 70 us IellOW
iners the happiness that it would give him
, find them there at the end of the next
reat cycle.
'sTill we meet again, then. gentlemen"
e said.
The student who had been deputed to pay
ne bill then addressed the Landlord, and |
sked him to give credit until the next re-
nion. The landlord, true to his convic-
ons, consented, but not without certain
iscontent The cashier of the party had
READY put his purse back in his pocket,
hen the landlord bethought himself and |
lid to his guests:
"sinee we shall bs = to-day in $1,000