The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-04
RUSSIA WILL DROP TWELVE DAYs.
At Last She, Too, Decides to Adept the
GregoriRn Calendar.

GreEorian Calendar.
WASHINGTON. July 3.-Consul- General Hollo-
way reports from st. Petersburg to the State
Department that the Russian Government has.
| after many years discussion. decided to aban-
don the Julian calendar and adopt the Gre
Rorian. now in use the world over except in
Russia and Greece A commission Of sixteen
| members including nine astronomers will
arrange the details OF the change. and II Ia
| hoped that the new calendar will go into
| operation In 1901
The adoption by Russia OF new calendar. +"
said one OF the State Department officials.
| Will be an event OF the first i'm portance to
commercial interests. both in Russia and else
| where, as tho old-style calendar. which is now
twelve days behind that in universal use. has
| proved serious annoyance to Russians doing
| business with foreign countries and to out
siders doing business with Russians. as cor
respondence has to be double-dated an there
| Is great deal OF confusion as to dates.
1t is not an easy matter to put into operation
new caldAdar especially when the old one 10
nearly two weeks behind. Endless comrlca-
| tons arise in commercial 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 sur
| mount these difficulties with as much ease as
did Pope Gregory Kill. who established/the
| Gregorian or new-style calendar in 1882 by
ordaining that the 9th Of October OF that year
should be called the 18th. thus incontin ntly
dropping ten days from the month. so that the
| days from the 9th to the 14th inclusive never
saw the light. This arrangement was imme-
diately adopted by tho Catholic countries Of
| Europe. but the Protestant nations held out
| against 1t until 100. and England until 1851.
The first attempt to introduce. the new CAL
endar into the latter country was resisted by
the Bishops. who were opposed to the slightest
! semblance of submission to what they con-
sidered the arrogance OF the Pope in presum-
ing to set the calendar Alright. England was. in
TACT. the last civilized country outside OF Rus
predominant to adopt the improved calendar.
Some indication of what the Russian Ministry
nay 81 enf2 P in the popular opp9si
| by England's experience in the eighteenth
century. Singuarly enough, it was not an
afoot the reform in England. but the elegant
Lord Chesterfield, author Of the famous let
ters. who introduced and promoted the leeis-
iation required to, put the new calendar In
force. In one Of his letters to his son he HUI
standing his Ignorance of astronomy, to CON
vince his Parliamentary colleagues Of the de-
e eiTaSiiity OF pdoptng the new calendar: His
men Of science and eventually proved success
iui. the necessary LEGISLATION receiving the
Amsndment act and LORD .chesterasld.s act.
TEMPER, 1872. by calling the day after the ID
the l4th The intervening days thus suffered
night Of the ID and got up on the morning Of
the 4th. some of them therefore imagined
that they. had been, cheated, out Of so much
actually annihilated. The alleged loss of time
6eeqme So, political lea issue Az AZ at sttempt was
Parliament. BY raising the election cry.
M R2yo o G G1bGd of n1 The e. INCIDENT
tursts of the day. Hogarth. in one of his pic
lures representing an election feast introduces
ed BY q th CROWD nr bearing
DAYS When the astronomer Bradley. who
lent his, assistance to the preparation OF the
people ascribed his sufferings to judgment
from heaven for having had a share in that i'm
nious undertaking. In marked contrast with
these proceedings was the action Of the
Quakcrs IN this country, who met in Philadol-
Iha in 175l and formally adopted the new
calendar By resolution without any sort of
ITh" Russian. Government may put new
calendar into effect in several ways. 1t may
of some particuar month tbe ith or tmG a
the British Parliament and decree that the I'd
Of some one month shall be followed by the
18th. in either case dropping twelve days at
once or it may drop one day out OF each year.
as was done by the Netherlands until the re-
nuired number is dropped. or 1t NAV drop two
method would present fewer objections and
cause less confusion In any case the busi-
ness world would have to make the necessary
adjustments OF rents. commercial paper. and
indeed Of all CONNIE rcial transactions recorded
on dated documents. The month out Of which
twelve days are dropped will present the ap-
pearance to future historians Of containing
period in which every activity was com pletely
suspended. 1t will he, period without mar,
gain twelve ,days on his mex; birthday without
having lived an hour longer"