| 1,497 | 567,682 | 2 | 3
Pulkova....................| 987 | 298,641 | 11/2 | 11/2
Stockholm..................| 717 | 154,180 | 11/2 | 1
Lisbon.....................| 491 | 164,000 | 1 | 1
Copenhagen.................| 435 | 81,888 | 1 | 1/2
Rio de Janeiro.............| 253 | 97,040 | 1/2 | 1/2
Miscellaneous..............| 2,881| 534,569 | 41/2 | 21/2
|---------+-----------+--------+-----------
Total ...............| 57,697|20,312,093 | 100 | 100
---------------------------+---------+-----------+--------+-----------

It thus appears that one of these meridians, that of Greenwich, is
used by 72 per cent. of the whole floating commerce of the world,
while the remaining 28 per cent. is divided among ten different
initial meridians. If, then, the convenience of the greatest number
alone should predominate, there can be no difficulty in a choice; but
Greenwich is a national meridian, and its use as an international zero
awakens national susceptibilities. It is possible, however, to a great
extent, to remove this objection by taking, for a zero of longitude
and time, the meridian farthest distant from Greenwich. This being on
the same great circle as Greenwich, it would not require the
establishment of a new observatory; its adoption would produce no
change in charts or nautical tables, beyond the notation of longitude.
It would possess all the advantage claimed for the Greenwich meridian
in connection with navigation, and as a zero for regulating time it
would be greatly to be preferred to the Greenwich meridian. This
Pacific meridian being accepted as the common zero, and longitude
being reckoned continuously in one direction, there would be an end to
the necessity of any nation engraving on its charts the words
"longitude east or west of Greenwich." The one word "longitude" would
suffice. The zero meridian would be international and in no respect
national. Even on British charts all reference to Greenwich would
disappear.

This view of the question is sustained by many distinguished men. I
shall only ask permission to read the opinion of Mr. Otto Struve,
Director of the Imperial Observatory at Pulkova, than whom there is no
higher authority.

"The preference given to the Greenwich meridian was based, on one
side, on the historical right of the Royal Observatory of England,
acquired