the same effect as a perfectly neutral meridian in allaying national
susceptibilities.

The selection of an initial meridian related to meridians now in use
gives us a sufficiently wide choice. Allow me to read the following
list, showing the number and the total tonnage of vessels using the
several meridians named, in ascertaining their longitude.

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

It thus appears that one of these meridians, that of Greenwich, is