Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-04-22

various nations. and dates have been al
variance accordingly as the discoveries
came from the east or the west The Por-
tusuese, In discovering the Philippines, sail
eu 10 the eastward. while the Spaniards
coming from the east called them the Isles
deldet Poniente. This curious circumstance
lei To another. The first circumnavigators
didn realize the necessity Of altering their
Gay on passing the meridian Of lSO degrees
ana SO II came about that Hong Kong and
Mahlla called the same day Monday and
sunday. Here on our own continent We
lau the same sort of confusion. In Alaska.
before II became American property the
sunday OF the Americans was the Monday
OF the Russians
The Russians. coming from the west.
Drought western time. while the Americans
coming from the east. brought eastern time.
and each counted from their national dates
among the islands OF the Pacific, especially
'hpSe under native control there are many
dhornaiies OF date within short distances
ana inns Is explained by saying that time
as We Know IT, was carried there by the
iifst colonist and harmonlzed with that Of
Dis nation. Where original discoveries arc
concerned involving international consider
erations this difference OF date is OF seri-
Gus moment in fixing priority OF claim: and
with the growing expansion OF interests in
lhe racine especially. It is wisest for the
sake of concord that a standard be fixed as
soon as possible.
Not Generally Understood.
ing the 1s0th meridian is not commonly un-
derstood even now Going west the dav
changes as soon that meridian Is pass
ed while coming east the old day remains
The earth turns to the eastward ut the ratio
OF thousand miles an hour. we will say.
Now, ship travelling in that direction goes
through space at speed of a thouSan ma
mics plus its own steaming velocity. which
II fifteen knots an hour. would mean a
thousand and fifteen knots Of actual prog
ress toward the rising sun. Now, this dif-
terence or fifteen knots an hour means 3GO
knots day and in something Just short OF
three days she will have overreached the
local time of her position by one full hour
In thirty-three and onc-third days OF con-
tnuouS eaSterly progress she viii have got
ahead of the local time by half a day. Now,
on reaching the 1SOth meridian. no matter
what the time of day by the ships clock
and how much of the date be spent. the
NesSel $ log continues the expired day
twelve hours longer, to give the local time SO
to speak, "A chance to catch up. In this
way two holidays, two Sundays or the like
may be celebrated I'm succession. one Of
them being only as long the ships course
has overrun the local time. Going to the
west, however the ship is constantly speed
ing away from the sun and losing time;
and when on the thirty-four,h day she
reaches the 1S0th meridian she has accu-
INFLATED loss of half a day, and To- catch
up with the local time of the meridian she
must at once jump twelve hours into the
take into consideration: each went along IN
the blessed security of the time recorded by
his clock, which he had set before leaving
the last port of his country, and when We
realize that they Travelled by the uncertain
winds and over many months of weary
wandering, it is easy To see The confusion
that arose.
Hours in the Day.
Incidentally with the unihcation Of time
1t Is proposed to adopt the Neutrality-suspicious.
notation. doing away with the two divisions
of twelve hours and the need OF the qualify
ing am. and pm Already this has been ac-
cepted over wide districts i'm Canada ana
throughout the whole of Italy. and there Is
a growing movement in Europe. in Austria
liza, as well - in this country, especially
among railroad men. 10 bring this mode Of
reckoning the hours into general use
The accomplishment of this simplification
Of the whole question Of universal time
reckoning will be one of the grandest monu-
ments to the finishing work Of the nine
teenth century. and Will bring all countries
into unity Of purpose and meaning when
tomorrow is fixed. out of the uncertain
ty of centuries will come a liked division
line for all men in all ages 10 come. and IL
is safe to say il will require only the'agree-
ment Of this country to bring the TWO other
hesitating nations in harmony with the spir
it of the asserting majority Of those twenty
two others. ROBERT q. SKERRET.