Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1896-02-05
sTAUNToN SPECTATOR AND GENERAL ADvERTIsER.
For THE SPECTATOR.
Some Leap-Yeaf Points.

/ FOR THE SPECTATOR.
Some LeapYeaf points.
| We are just entering the 474th leap-year
saying that the 4th year A. D. was leap-year
Ladies, you will have a showing again thi
year, but it is to be hoped that you will b
less ''boysterous." Yet this seasonable advie
will hardly be needed, since it is the las
chance between now and 1901 But Poll,
| Ann asks why shall l have to wait eigh
years for the cherished privilege Becaus
1900 will not be a leap-year. A caild born on
Feb 23th, 1896, will have 10 birthday TO
eight years. What!
But come let us reason why Why is every
4th year leap-year, anyway? Becaus,
julius Cesar observed that the revision o.
time was necessary. He ordered that every
fourth year should contain 1856 days, 365;
days being the year. thus four-fourths make
the extra day the ladies are quarrelng abou
but they take the whole year, don't they
No number ending in two ciphers represents
!eap-year, unless it is divisiDle by 400
Thus We have but one centennial leap year il
four centuries. Our arithmetcs simply state
this astronomical fact Where pupils are
sufficiently advanced, we would do we'll tG
take the matter further and explain
~hy. The method of reckoning time USED
by the civilized world up to 1852 was intro
duced into the Roman Empire by the afore'
OF 56o4 days, whereas the true length of the
year is 36j days, hours, As minutes, aud 4s
seconds. The Julian calendar made the year
IL minutes and II seconds too long.
Pope Gregory XIII decided to reform
the ancient Julian) calendar, and
make it conform more exactly to trne Of
astronomical time. He, therefore, ordered
Oct. 9Th, 1882, to be called the 18th. and all
centennial years, which are not multiples of
400 should not be made leap-yeafs, or rather
should not contain this extra day. If, by the
Julian calendar, there is an excess of IL
minutes and IL seconds difference between
3654 days and 365 days. 5 hours, 48 minutes,
and 40 seconds} in one year, there will be ali
excess of Is hours, SO minutes, and 20 seconds
in a century. By leaving off the leap-year !.
the close of a century, time is thrown back
one day, or "a hours. A balance of time
ahead Ii hours, etc., ETC., AMI time behind
(eaving off leap-year) equals time behind 5
hours, 81 minutes and 40 seconds at the close
Of each century. We may make time ahead
plus quantity and time behind minus
quantity. So, at the close of the fourth CEN
fury, astronomical time will be minus 81
hours, 26 minutes, and 40 seconds, i. e. 81
hours, etc etc. behind Gregorian time. We
are entitled to a leap-year at the close of each
fourth century, which swings time forward
(plus) "a hours. The sum of plus "a and
minus 81 hours, 26 minutes, 40 seconds equals
plus hours, 80 minutes, and 20 seconds,
amounting to the difference of day in about
1851 years. The fourth century from the
last revision will close Oct. Is, 1882 at which
astronomical time withstand hours, 80 min
utes, and 20 seconds ahead of Gregorian time.
The difference between Gregorian and as
Economical time amounts to about % seconds
in year, while the difference between a
Julian year and an astronomical year is IL
minutes, IL seconds or GIL seconds. So much
for the Gregorian revision. but Russia does
not say so. The CIR eek Catholic Church be-
ing the State church of Russia and in un-
friendly rivalry with the Roman Catholic
Church, Russia refused to adopt calendar
introduced by Roman Pope AID persists IN
the refusal TO this day. The difference in
time between the Julian and the Gregorian
systems now amounts to about II days Thus
Russia's dates are II days behind all other
Christian nations. In 1852 England added IL
days and thus corrected her calendar. The
American colonies, being under her dominion,
naturally adopted the correction, which,
taking place in February, cheated Washington
of one birthday.
WALTER l.. KERR
Nash vile, Tenn.