en, if the date for the universal time began at noon, and not at
midnight.

The Conference at Rome proposes to count the longitudes from O deg. to
360 deg. in the direction from west to east. It seems to us that this
system can lead to misunderstanding in the local and universal
chronology for the countries beyond the 180 deg. east of Greenwich.

We believe that a more practical result of the reform could be easily
obtained by modifying the clause IV of the resolutions of the Roman
Conference, and by maintaining the system already in use for a long
time, which is to count the longitudes from 0 deg. to 180 deg. to east and
west, adopting the sign + for eastern longitudes, and the sign - for
western longitudes Thus the transition from universal to local time
could be exactly expressed by the formula:

Universal time = Local time - Longitude.

The adoption of this modification would necessitate that the change of
the day of the week, historically established on or about the
anti-meridian of Greenwich, should henceforth take place exactly on
that meridian.

We are in favor of the adoption of the universal time (clause V of the
resolutions of the Roman Conference) side by side with the local time,
for international telegraphic correspondence, and for through
international lines by railroads and steamers.

We fully accept the resolution of the Roman Conference concerning the
introduction of the system of counting the hours of the universal day
from 0 to 24; and we think it desirable that the same system should be
introduced for counting the hours in ordinary life. This would greatly
contribute to the disappearance of the arbitrary division of the day
into two parts, a. m. and p. m., and to an easier transition from
local to universal time.

We think it advisable to mark on all general maps the meridians in
time as well as in degrees of longitude, which would render the reform
familiar to the public, and facilitate its introduction in the
education of the young.

On maritime charts the longitudes ought to be given in degrees, as
these are necessary for the determination of distances in maritime
miles.

The topographical maps may maintain temporarily their national
meridian, in consequence of the difficulties of the modification of
the co-ordinates for plates already engraved; but it would be
necessary to mark on every sheet the difference between the national
and the initial universal meridian in degrees of longitu