An Interesting Point,

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 8, 30 April 1898, Page 3

An Interesting Point,

Thebb has been much discussion as to the difference of time existing between New Zealand, and the seat of the approaching war between, Spain and America. The news that in (he event of Spain not having evacuated Cuba, hostilities wiil be commenced by America at 6 o’clock, on Saturday morning- have aroused some interest in the question, as to what is the earliest hour we can obtain news. The calcur. lation, although apparently intricate, is a very simple one. This colony is 178 degrees east of Greenwich. As there are four minutes to each degree New Zealand time is therefore ll hours 32 fninutas ahead of English time. Cuba is 83 degrees west of Greenwich, and the time is therefore 5 hours 32 minutes behind Greenwioh time. Adding the difference .between New Zealand and Eugland, and that between Eugland.and Cuba, we thus get the total of 17 hours and 4 minutes between this colony and the seat of war. This being the case 6 o’clock thi* (Saturday) morning at Cuba will be more than 17 hours later with us, that is, roughly speaking, mid-night to night. The fact is well-known that in travelling round the world a day is lost or gained, accordingly as the voyage is made with the sun or the contrary, that is east or west. Practically the dav starts almost at our doors at the 180 parallel. This parallel passes through the Chatham Islands. To the eastward of this meridian it is therefore, say, midnight on Saturday when Monday morning is dawning in New Zealand. Vessels voyaging round the world change their reckoning somewhere about this point, either dropping a day from the almanac or adding one —H.B. Herald.