tandard time for all purposes, and it is used upon ninety-seven and a
half per cent. of all the miles of railway lines.

Let us now consider whether insuperable practical difficulties owing
to geographical peculiarities will prevent the adoption of this system
throughout the world.

A table has been prepared, and accompanies this paper, upon which are
designated the several governing meridians and names suggested for the
corresponding sectional times. For the use of this table I am
indebted to Mr. E. B. Elliott, of this city.

On the North American continent, in the United States and Canada, the
75th, 90th, 105th, and 120th west Greenwich meridians now govern time.
In Mexico the 105th west meridian is approximately central, except for
Yucatan, which is traversed by the 90th. For Guatemala, Salvador, and
Costa Rica, the 90th west meridian is approximately central. San
Domingo closely approaches and Cuba touches the 75th.

In South America--the United States of Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, the
western portion of Bolivia, and Chili would use the time of the 75th
west meridian, while Venezuela, Guiana, western Brazil, including the
Amazon River region, eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the
Argentine Republic, would be governed by the time of the 60th
meridian. In eastern Brazil the 45th west meridian would govern.

Passing to Europe, we find Great Britain already governed by the zero
meridian time, which can also be used in the Netherlands, Belgium,
France, Spain, and Portugal. The 15th east meridian, which is about as
far east of Berlin as west of Vienna, and no more distant from Rome
than from Stockholm, now governs all time in Sweden. This time could
also be advantageously used in Denmark, Germany, Austria-Hungary,
Switzerland, Italy, and Servia. The time of the 30th east meridian,
which is nearly the mean between Constantinople and St. Petersburg
times, could be used in Western Russia, Turkey, Roumania, Bulgaria,
East Roumelia, and Greece. When the development of Eastern Russia in
Europe shall require it, the division of that great country between
the times of the 30th and 45th east meridians, upon lines of
convenience similar to those employed in the United States, can
doubtless be arranged. The governing meridians for Africa appear to
present some advantages, especially for Egypt, and no insuperable
difficulties; but for continents where the boundaries of countries are
so loosely defined, the limits of time-rec