The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-03-11

years the good augury for that one
year was secured at the loss Of far
more important consideration for all
future time. so our New Year u
close to the shortest day, but not on
It, and derives It's present arbitrary
position, according TO this story, from
the new moon happening to fall on
that dny In the year B. g. 45.
out, apart from this, the straighten-
ng out Of the calendar was admirably
managed. The undoing OF the tangle
was d serious matter and made the
year Il. G. 46 forever memorable. The
LIST OF January fell, as we have seen,
about three months too soon-that is,
In the pleasant autumnal weather
shortly after the vintage days, that
were properly in the early part OF Oc-
tober. The year was allowed to run
On until toward the close OF February,
when the ntercalary month was in.
serted at the usual place This added
twenty-three days to the year, but did
not suffice. The calendar was still two
months out, and the 1st Of March was
giving Rome the weather Of Christ
mas. So at the end Of November
(Which came at what Is now the end
Of September) two more months were
inserted, containing between them six
ty-seven days. BY the insertion Of
these special months, which have new
er since appeared in the calendar, the
month Of December was brought to
the season In which 1t now falls, the
two intercalary months covering our
October and November. These two
months were in a sense duplicated.
Thus in this year there had been added
to the regular 355 days ninety more.
This made the unprecedented total of
AS days, or fifteen months The year
extended, according to our present reck-
onIng, from the beginning Of October
to twelve months following the next
Dec 81. This started the year Of
Rome 100 (B. c. 45) at the time at
which our years now commence.
This remarkable year was scoffingly
called "the year Of confusion" but Ma
crobius correctly says that II should
rather be called the last year Of con-
fusion" The strong measures that had
TO be taken were necessary II order was
TO be restored and the months once
again placed in their old time honored
seasons.
But all Caesars changes were not
yet carried out. The year had still 355
days, and this was ten and quarter
days too short. II was determined to
avoid In future the insertion Of an In
tercalary month The old experience
with this arrangement had been suti-
cienuy unfortunate. So the year was
raised to its present length Of 3G5 days
and thus made solar year by adding
two days each to January, Sextilis and
December and one day each to April,
June, September and November, the
quarter day over being adjusted by the
insertion Of an extra day every four
years at the end Of February. Our in
sertion Of this day at the ancient termi-
nation Of the year Is now our only re-
minder Of the one time insertion there
Of whole month.
In this way was the great soldiers
work carried out and the system of
chronology established that we practi-
cally use today. II was an appropriate
tribute when Augustus changed the
name Of the month when Caesar was
born so that we have a reminder Of this
in the name Of I"liu' July in place Of
its ancient designation Quintilis.
But, after all, tie year Of julius Cae-
sar was not correct enough, for the real
year is eleven minutes twelve seconds
short Of tie 81 days and hours of his
arrangement. Tlia Is very slight, max
ing only about three-quarterS Of day
In century. ECt Ia lie siIteenth cen.
tury the year was ten days behind true
time, and corrections were again made
in the calendar. II was still Pontifex
Maximus who did this. for the bishops
Of Rome assumed that title after the
fall Of the eE.r..c In l5S2 Pope Greg
ory Mi. mace tic necessary correc-
tions by ordering taat TIE Gay after the
4th of October should be called the
18th, and to guard AGAINST the error in
the future ii was ordered that the year
completing each century should not be
a leap year except ut every fourth Gen.
tury Walter J. Kidd in New York
Post.