The 24-Hour System of Time Reckoning

Abstract

FIFTY years ago, the United States adopted zone time, the time in each zone differing by an integral number of hours from Greenwich time. Zone time has been very generally adopted throughout the world, and has resulted, in the long run, in a great deal of convenience to the world, though the choice of the Greenwich meridian rather than that of Washington may then have seemed unnecessary tosome Americans. Reform in British methods of public time-keeping, namely, the adoption of a 24-hour clock, and the abolition of the distinction between a.m. and p.m. in railway time-tables and in the Post Office, is again under consideration (see NATURE, Dec. 2, p. 835). On December 7 the House of Lords adopted a resolution moved by Lord Newton recommending that the Post Office should adopt the 24-hour day, and that the railways should be invited to use it in their time-tables. The change was recommended so long ago as 1919 by a Home Office Committee. The Government reply was that there is no evidence of a general demand on the part of the public for the 24-hour day. The 24-hour day is, of course, used by astronomers, and also by the Army, Navy, and Air Force. While the present arrangement causes little inconvenience in private life, most people will probably agree with the Astronomer Royal, who is supporting the project, that the adoption of the 24-hour day would be a small but easily made step in the direction of greater ultimate public convenience.