on the meridian of 180 degrees from Greenwich. Then the
reckoning of local time all around the world, going from west to east
in the direction of the earth's rotation, will be continuous.

In any other way, as far as I can see, there will be a discontinuity
at some point on the inhabited part of the earth. If the
discontinuity were to take place on the meridian of Greenwich, as has
been proposed by the Conference at Rome, the dates will change there
during the daytime. That, as it appears to me, will be extremely
inconvenient.

In order to harmonize what I have called the discontinuity of date
with the discontinuity in the reckoning of longitude, it appears to me
that it will be best to reckon the longitude in both directions. There
will be no discontinuity then except on the 180th meridian. It would
be very inconvenient for a great part of the civilized world if the
resolution which has been offered should be adopted, if, as I presume
it would do, it caused discontinuity both in longitude and local time
in Europe.

After all, what are we here to endeavor to do? Notwithstanding what
has been said in the other direction, for my part I must say that the
great object before us is to secure the greatest convenience of the
whole civilized world, and it seems to me that we should try to obtain
it.

If there is no very strong reason for altering the existing system of
counting longitudes, it appears to me that this is a very excellent
reason in favor of maintaining it. I do not see myself that, for any
practical purpose, anything would be gained by reckoning longitude
from zero to 360 degrees. There may be some special scientific
purposes for which it may be convenient, but the object which this
resolution is intended to meet is of another character.

What we want is longitude for ordinary purposes, and on that hangs the
reckoning of universal time, which, of course, should be for the
general use of the whole world.

Professor ADAMS, Delegate of Great Britain. Mr. President, I doubt
whether I should trouble the Conference in reference to this point. I
think, however, that it is a matter of little importance whether we
consider longitude as positive, when reckoned toward the east, and
negative, when reckoned to the west, or go on in one direction from
zero to 360 degrees; it amounts, mathematically speaking, to the same
thing. We never can consider mathematical lines or angles as positive
in one direction, without impl