=======================================================

===============
| SHIPS OF ALL KINDS. |   PER CENT. 
INITIAL MERIDIANS.  +---------------------+--------------------
| Number. | Tonnage.  | Ships. | Tonnage.
---------------------------+---------+-----------+--------+-

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Greenwich..................|  37,663 |14,600,972 |  65    |    72
Paris......................|   5,914 | 1,735,083 |  10    |     8
Cadiz......................|   2,468 |   666,602 |   5    |     3
Naples.....................|   2,263 |   715,448 |   4    |     4
Christiana.................|   2,128 |   695,988 |   4    |     3
Ferro......................|   1,497 |   567,682 |   2    |     3
Pulkova....................|     987 |   298,641 |   11/2   |     11/2
Stockholm..................|     717 |   154,180 |   11/2   |     1
Lisbon.....................|     491 |   164,000 |   1    |     1
Copenhagen.................|     435 |    81,888 |   1    |     1/2
Rio de Janeiro.............|     253 |    97,040 |   1/2    |     1/2
Miscellaneous..............|    2,881|   534,569 |   41/2   |     21/2
|---------+-----------+--------+-----------
Total ...............|   57,697|20,312,093 | 100    |   100
---------------------------+---------+-----------+--------+-

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It thus appears that one of these meridians, that of Greenwich, is used by 72 per cent. of the whole floating commerce of the world, while the remaining 28 per cent. is divided among ten different initial meridians.  If, then, the convenience of the greatest number alone should predominate, there can be no difficulty in a choice; but Greenwich is a national meridian, and its use as an international zero awakens national susceptibilities.  It is possible, however, to a great extent, to remove this objection by taking, for a zero of longitude and time, the meridian farthest distant from Greenwich.  This being on the same great circle as Greenwich, it would not require the establishment of a new observatory; its adoption would produce no change in charts or nautical tables, beyond the notation of longitude.  It would possess all the advantage claimed for the Greenwich meridian in connection with navigation, and as a zero for regulating time it would be greatly to be preferred to the Greenwich meridian.  This Pacific meridian being accepted as the common zero, and longitude being reckoned continuously in one direction, there would be an end to the necessity of any nation engraving on its charts the words “longitude east or west of Greenwich.”  The one word “longitude” would suffice.  The zero meridian would be international and in no respect national.  Even on British charts all reference to Greenwich would disappear.

This view of the question is sustained by many distinguished men.  I shall only ask permission to read the opinion of Mr. Otto Struve, Director of the Imperial Observatory at Pulkova, than whom there is no higher authority.