Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-05-22
FOR ONE TIME At SEA.
scheme Of UnihcatiOA which II he
Tag Considered by gcfentfatn.

scheme Of UnincattOA which II ne
Tag Considered by Scientists.
A scheme for what is called "the uni
f~ication of time at sea" emanates from
the Royal Society Of Canada, the As
Economical and Physical Society of To
ronto and the Canadian institute which
for the good of navigation and com
merce generally. have invited chamber,
Of commerce and scientific societies il
this country TO cooperate with them II
bringing about n change for which
there is much to be said. The council.
Of the Royal Colonial institute has
taken the matter up and has SEN n Inc.
mortal TO Lord Salisbury, urging the
government to take the necessary meas.
ures, and Mr.. Sanford Fleming. an ex,
president Of the Canadian Royal society.
has written a letter TO the Times, in
which he states the case somewhat as
follows: At present there are, nom.
inally, three different reckonings OF
time at sea. civil, nautical and astronom,
ical. The civil day is measured from
midnight to midnight, the nautical day
and the astronomical day from noon &c
noon, but the latter is "a hours behind
the former. For instance, to-day is Jan,
nary IA by civil reckoning, and noon is
midday, out by nautical reckoning Jan.
uary IA began at noon yesterday and
ends at noon to-day, while by astronom.
ical reckoning January IA does not be.
gin until noon to-day end ends at noon
tomorrow, speaking in terms of civil
time. Practically, however, nautical
time reckoning has fallen into disuse,
and it only remains 10 reconcile civil.
and astronomical time by putting on
the astronomers clock assuming it tol
have a 24-hours' dial) 12 hours. The two
interests chiefly involved are, Of course.
the nautical and astronomical. The
Canadian reformers say that out Of 500
representative masters of British and
foreign steamers and sailing ships can.
vassed 81 per cent. have declared them.
selves In favor Of the change. A large
majority of the astronomers, SO far as
it has been possible TO obtain an ey.
preston of their views, are willing that
the change should be made, provided
it go into force at a time epoch which
would easily fix itself on the memory
Otherwise, they fear errors might arise
IN future astronomical calculations.
Such a time epoch will present itself
at midnight on December 81, 1900, wher
the nineteenth century passes into the
twentieth, and the present urgency oil
the matter lies in the fact that the
Nautical Almanac, which would have to-
be corrected in accordance with the new
reckoning, is usually prepared nearly
our years III advance. The opportuni.
" which now presents itself will, there.
lore, not recur until another c%enturyI
has elapsed.-Manchesier Guardian.
Of the King Of Greece.
Personally the king is a sociable, com.
oanionable man, fond of a joke, partic-
llarly susceptible to the favor of Amer,
can humor, and not at all stringent in
he minutn of official etiquette; he
'ometimes gives n the impression
hat he will be glad when the formal
of the ceremony is over. lie is i
'ften seen walking in the parks or on
sidewalks of his capital, and in the ,
of his garden rejoices in the !
Use of an American bicycle, which no
Interpretation of royal license would ,
ermit him to ride upon the highways.
lie is, however, n rigid disciplinarian, .
nd his children have been brought up !
o feel the full force of the Teutonic
ouse-father. The crown prince, now c
$ years old and father of a family, still :
'oks to him, as do all his other chill.
for permission and advice in re-
ard to all their comings and goings.-
'rof. benjamin Ide Wheeler, in Cen.