The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-13
THE GREGORIAN CALENDAR.
Russia VIII Use 1t, Leaving Greece
Alone I'm World with Julian Plan.


After next year the Gregorian calendar
will be officially in force in every country
in the world except Greece. In Russia
1t VIII be substituted for the Julian calen-
dar on Jan. /, 1901, and committee of six
teen, nine of whom are astronomers. is now
engaged in arranging the details necessi-
tated by the change.
This information has been sent to the
State Department from st. Petersburg by
Consul General Holloway. The news has
been received with great satisfaction by
men of science, and II is also of the highest
Importance to the commercial world. The
Julian calendar is twelve days behind the
Gregorian, and this has been a source OF
annoyance both to Russian business men
and those having dealings with them. All
foreign correspondence. notes and business
documents have had to be double dated,
perfectly plain. After next year this
stumbling block will be removed, and hope
is expressed that Greece will not be long
In following Russia's example.
1t Is not an easy matter TO put into opera
ton a new calendar. especially when the
old one is nearly two weeks behind End
transactions, such as payment of rents,
notes and bills, to say nothing of historical
dates. But the autocratic government of
Russia may be able to surmount these diff
culties with as much ease as did Pope
Gregory XIII, who established the Gregor-
ian or new style calendar in 1852 by ordain-
ing that the 5th of October Of that year
should be called the 18th, thus incontinently
dropping ten days from the month, so that
the days from the 5th to the l4th, inclusive.
This arrangement was Immediately
adopted by the Roman Catholic countries
Of Europe but the Protestant nations heid
1751. The first attempt to introduce the
new calendar into the latter country was
to the slightest sembiance of submission to
what they considered arrogance Of the Pope
in presuming to set the calendar Alright;
England was, in fact, the last civilized
country outside of Russia and Greece.
where the Greek church is predominant, to
adopt the improved calendar.
Some indication of what the Russian Min
istry may encounter in the way of popular
opposition to the reform of the calendar
Is afforded by Great Britains experience in
the eighteenth century. S!ngularly enough,
ii was not an astronomer or man of science
who set afoot the reform in England. but
the elegant Lord Chesterfield, author of the
NOTED the legislation required to put the
new calendar in force. In one of his letters
to his son he humorously describes his at
tempts. notwithstanding his ignorance OF
astronomy, TO convince his parliamentary
colleagues of the desirability of adopting
seconded by astronomers and men OF
science and eventually proved successful.
the necessary legislation receiving the sane
ton of Parliament in 1l51
The bill, variously known as the calendar
amendment act and Lord Chesterfeld's act,
dropped eleven days out of the month OF
September. 1852. by calling the day after the
I'd the l4th. The intervening days thus suf-
fered a total eclipse. Residents of Great
Britain and subjects in her colonies went TO
bed on the night of the I'd and got up on
the morning of the 14th. Some of them
therefore imagined that they. had been
cheated out of so much time, that the days
lost on the calendar were actually annihil-
ated.
The alleged loss of time became a political
issue. An attempt was made TO defeat the
son of one of the promoters of the Chester
field act, who was standing for Parliament.
by raising the election cry. Give US back
the eleven days we have been robbed of. %
The incident was quickly seized upon by
the caricaturists of the day. Hogarth, in
one of his pictures representing an election
feast. introduces a banner carried by one OF
the crowd bearing the inscription. Give Us
Back Our Eleven Days.
his assistance TO the preparation OF the act.
died of lingering illness, the common peo-
pie ascribed his sufferings 10 judgment
from heaven for having had a share In that
impious undertaking. In marked contrast
with these proceedings was the action of the
Quakers in the United States. who met in
Philadelphia In 1751 and formally adopted
the new calendar by resolution without any
sort Of objection
The Russian government may put new
calendar into erect in several ways. IL
may follow the method OF Gregory and call
the 4th OF some particular month the 18th,
or initiate the British Parliament and decree
that the Sd OF some one month shall be fol-
lowed by the 18th, In either case dropping
day out of each year. as was done by the
Netherlands. until the required number u
dropped. or Ii may drop two or three days
each year. Probably the first method
would present fewer objections and cause
less confusion. In any case the business