The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-10

We have to thank The Norfolk Land
mark, n of IL most thoughtful con-
tempOraries, for the following from its
Sunday issue:
One result of all the discussion over
a probable battle between the Ameri-
can and Spanish fleets at or near Ma
Mia, the capital Of the Philippine is
lands, is TO bring the reading public
face to face with the puZzZling pecul-
liarities of time. The Philippine is
lands are almost directly opposite the
eastern portion of the United States
on the other side OF the earth. OF
course, a "choolboy knows that this
means that night in the neighborhood
Of Manila is day here, and vice versa;
but the mere knowledge of that fact
seems only to add TO the confusion of
many ~befuddled brains.
Let US delve into the subject for a
moment. Since he sur rises in the
east n sets in the west, and since
the sun is stationary with regard TO
the earth, it will be seen without diff
Guilty that the earth revolves from west
to east. Thence it is easy to deduce
the fact that the sun shines upon cas-
tern lands and cities sooner than upon
the west. The Philippine islands, then,
since they are on the western side of a
line drawn through Norfolk and the
poles, and it requires half a revolution
of the earth for daylight to travel upon
us to them, are ahead of US nearly
twelve hours i'm time, as we reckon
time by our clocks n Watches"
What the Landmark has considered
in anticipation has worried The Obser-
yer no little in the retrospect, namely:
the time of the battle off Manila. The
staff of the observer is shy on mathe-
maticians, a~strologers and time keep
ers. In he first place, we have had
great difficulty in figuring out whether
Manila is east or west. During our
mental labo one thought would fly
east; another would fly west and then
the whole tribe of thoughts would
stampede and all fly in confusion over
the cuckOO'S nest. But the Landmark
says Manila is west and we stick a
pin there and go on to further ~calcula-
tions.
The Philippines, being ahead Of us
nearly twelve hours the battle which
took place eff Manila at ~daybreak Sun
day morning was fought along about
the time Charlotte people were at sup
per Saturday night. Or, again, pre-
Stunning hat the thoughtful Landmark
editor wrote the copy of the above ed
itorial Saturday afternoon, he left il
on his book for the linotype operator
to put in type about 6 or Z O'Clock p.
m. While the linotype artist, then,
W a. SCIliliS up IHt tdlIOI q % AZ what
time O'day it would he both here and
there when the fight took place, the
fight vas taking place. Q. z. d.
The following from the Landmark,
however, throws additional light upon
the situation;
Right here, however, comes another
fruitful cause of misrepresentation. The
difference in solar time between other
points on the earth and Norfolk and
New York represents the difference in
daylight and darkness only. There is,
of course, no variation in absolute
time. Nobody should imagine that an
event which occurs at Manila or at
| Hong Kong occurs really twelve hours
ahead of us. That would be a paradox.
This may be illustrated by the trans
| mission Of news by cable from New
York to London in a few seconds,
| though the difference in solar time be
| tween the two cities is nearly five
| hours. The chief thing TO bear In mind
| is that a battle would no. he likely 10
| take place between Admiral Dewey's
| squadron and the Spaniards during
| our daytime, because our day time is
| the Philippine island night.-Char-
| lOtte Observer.