No matter how longitude is calculated, you must necessarily arrive at discontinuity at some point in passing around the great circle of the earth.  It seems to me that the most convenient way of counting both longitude and time is that the discontinuity in both shall take place on the same point on the earth.  Now, certainly, as was observed at Rome, it will be far less inconvenient if the discontinuity of date takes place 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 implying that in the opposite direction they are negative.  One of these is merely the complement of the other.