egrees. You
do not count on after you have completed one revolution, but have to
drop the 360 degrees and start again at zero. But this is attended
with great inconvenience, because this break in counting occurs in
countries which are thickly inhabited. The longitude would be a little
less than 360 degrees on one side of the prime meridian, and on the
other side the longitude would be a small angle. This seems to me very
inconvenient.

On the other hand, if you count longitudes in one direction from zero
to 180 degrees as positive, and in the opposite direction from zero to
180 degrees as negative, you are, no doubt, obliged to make a break in
passing abruptly from plus 180 degrees to minus 180 degrees. But the
break would then occur where it would cause the least inconvenience,
viz., in mid-ocean, where there is very little land and very few
inhabitants, and where we are accustomed to make the break now. This
will require no change in the habits and customs of the people, and no
inconvenience whatever would be caused by the action of the Conference
if it decides on this method, which also has the minor advantage of
not requiring the use of such large numbers as the other. But to adopt
the reckoning of longitude from zero to 360 degrees would involve a
very considerable change, and I think it may be doubted whether it
would be generally accepted. Under the circumstances, I think the
resolution contains the most expedient course for us to adopt. I do
not object to anybody who chooses to do so reckoning on, for certain
purposes, from zero to 360 degrees, but I do not think it would be
well to make it compulsory.

With regard to the proposal of the Delegate of Great Britain, Mr.
FLEMING, I would say that it would be attended with great
inconvenience, because it departs from the usages and habits now
existing. That, to my mind, is a very great and insuperable objection,
and I do not see any countervailing advantage.

With regard to the subject of time that Mr. Fleming is anxious to take
into consideration, I think that nothing can be simpler, if I may be
allowed to deal with the question of time, than the relation between
time and longitude which is proposed to be created by the resolution
of Mr. RUTHERFURD.

By that resolution the longitude indicates the relation between the
local time and the universal time in the simplest possible way. What
can be easier than the method involved in the resolution of Mr.
Rutherfurd?