I refer to
all those interests, so deeply concerned in securing accurate time on
land, and in having easy means provided for translating any one local
reckoning into any other local reckoning, or into the standard
universal time. In this view I trust the Conference will give some
expression of opinion in favor of extending around the globe the
system of hour meridians which has proved so advantageous in North
America. In an educational aspect alone it seems to me important that
the hour meridians, one to twenty-four, numbered from the anti-prime
meridian continuously toward the west, should be conspicuously marked
on our maps and charts.

Prof. ADAMS, Delegate of Great Britain. I wish, Mr. President, to
express my entire adhesion to the proposition which has been made by
the Delegate of the United States, Mr. RUTHERFURD. It seems to me to
satisfy one of the principal conditions that we have had before us to
guide our decision; that is, that we should pursue a course which will
produce the least possible inconvenience.

Now, I think if we keep that in mind, we shall have very little
difficulty in coming to the conclusion that we should reckon longitude
eastward, as positive or plus, and westward as negative or minus. This
mode of reckoning would be attended with the least inconvenience; in
fact, it will not be attended with any inconvenience at all, because
it will keep to the present mode of reckoning. For my part, I see no
adequate reason for changing that. There is no scientific reason, and
certainly there is no practical reason. There is no scientific reason,
because, as I stated yesterday, if in mathematics you measure from the
zero a distance in one direction and consider that positive, you must,
by the very nature of the case, consider the distance measured in the
opposite direction from the same zero as negative. One follows
mathematically and necessarily from the other, and by adopting this
resolution you thus include both in one general formula.

It seems to me quite as scientific, to say the least, to start from
zero and go in both directions, distinguishing the longitudes by the
signs plus and minus, according as the directions are taken east or
west, as to reckon longitudes in one direction only from zero to 360
degrees. It is, I say, just as scientific to do this, and practically
it is more convenient. Because if you go on reckoning from zero to
360 degrees continuously, you have to make a break at 360 d