Cime. All the calculations in the American Almanac are based upon mean or clock time unless otherwise stated. The sun's rising and setting are for the upper limb, corrected for parallax and refraction. In the case of the moon no correction is needed, as in the sun, for "parallax and refraction;" with her, they are of an opposite nature and just balance each other. The figures given, therefore, are for the moon's centre on a true horizon, such as the ocean or a large plain affords. The calculation in each of the geographical divisions of each calendar page will apply with sufficient accuracy to all places in the contiguous North American zones indicated by the headings of the divisions. This statement is based on the fact that in the same latitude, or in the same line running due east and west, the sun and moon rise and set at almost the same moment of local or mean time, the difference in extremes being so slight as to be of no importance for ordinary purposes, except in the case of the moon's rising, southing and setting, when 6 m. for Pacific Coast points and 3 m. for Mississippi River Valley region, including Chicago, etc., must be added, or 2m. for each hour of longitude. The column, "Shadow at Noon Mark." is given to aid those who have "noon marks" or meridian lines to ascertain the correct time. It will not do to suppose that the sun arrives at the noon mark at 12 o'clock. Such is really the case only four times in a year-April 15, June 15, September 1 and December 24-and the error may amount to as much as 16 minutes. The heavy dotted line shows the arbitrary divisions of time in the United States. The plus and minus marks on either side of the meridian lines show whether it is necessary to add to or substract from the standard time of points east or west of these lines, to arrive at actual, or Greenwich time. See table on Page 3. STANDARD TIME. For the convenience of the railroads and business in general, a standard of time was established by mutual agreement in 1883, and it is by this method of calculation that trains are now run and local time is regulated. In accordance with this system the United States, extending from 65° to 125° west longitude. is divided into four time sections, each of 15° of longitude, exactly equivalent to one hour (7 1-2° or 30 m. on each side of a meridian), commencing with the 75th meridian. The first or eastern section includes all territory between the Atlatic Coast and an irregular line drawn from Buffalo to Charleston, S. C.. the latter city being its southernmost point. The second or central section includes all the territory between this eastern line and another irregular line extending from Bismarck, N. D., to the mouth of the Rio Grande. The third or mountain section includes all the territory between the last-named line and nearly the western borders of Idaho, Utah and Arizona. The fourth or Pacific section includes all the territory of the United States between the boundary of the mountain section and the Pacific Coast. Inside of each of these sections Standard time is uniform, and the time of each section differs from that next to it by exactly one hour. The following is the table of times based upon the meridian used by the United States and Canada: It is obvious that to express the time of rising and setting of the sun and moon in Standard time would limit the usefulness of such data to the single point, or place, for which it was computed, while in mean time it is practically correct for places as widely separated as the width of the continent, as already explained, and persons having the mean time may easily ascertain the correct Standard time of any event by making use of the following table: PR To obtain standard time add or subtract the figures given to local time. Eclipses of 1903 and Cheir History. There will be four eclipses this year, two each of the sun and moon, as follows: II. A Partial Eclipse of the Moon, April 11. The beginning of this eclipse will be visible in Europe, Africa, Western Asia and Eastern South America, and the end in Eastern United States, where the Moon will rise with the eclipse upon it, and in Africa and Europe. The size of the eclipse will be 11.68 digits, the apparent diameter of the Moon being taken as 12 digits. Hence, when greatest, it will be nearly total, as will be seen by the figure below: During the 1h. and 8m. while the Moon remains in the penumbra after last contact, she will appear nearly as bright as usual. The last preceding return was on March 30, 1885, when it was partial also, but smaller than at this time. The next recurrence will be on April 21, 1921, when it will be larger and total and visible in North and South America. III. A Total Eclipse of the Sun, September 21, visible in South Africa, Indian Ocean and Australia. The last preceding recurrence of this eclipse was on September 8, 1885, when it was total also, and seen in the Southern Pacific, but further east than now. In 1921, September 30, it will recur and be visible in South America. IV. A Partial Eclipse of the Moon, October 5-6. The beginning will be visible in Africa and the Pacific Ocean, and the ending in Africa, Eastern Europe and the Pacific Ocean. The eclipse begins with the setting of the Moon on the Pacific coast, and will be visible, therefore, only in our Pacific possessions. The size will be 10.4 digits, the Moon's apparent diameter being taken as 12 digits, or 0.868, the Moon's diameter being taken as unity (1.00). The eclipse will be upon the Moon's northern limb as it passes through ↑ the southern portion of the earth's shadow, as shown in the cut annexed. e-Phase when largest. b-Phase at 3:57 a. m., Hawaiian standard time. The figure shows the eclipse at b, as it will appear at 3:57 a. m., Hawaiian standard time; greatest eclipse at c. first contact at a, and last at d. At Manila, P. I., the first contact occurs at 9:44 p. m.. the middle at 11:21 p. m., and the last contact with the dark shadow or umbra at 0:58 a. m. of the 6th. The last preceding recurrence of this eclipse was September 23, 1885, when it was smaller and visible throughout the United States. The next recurrence will be on October 16, 1921, when it will be nearly total and visible in North and South America, the moon rising eclipsed. Venus will be occulted by the moon, December 14, visible in Southern States. Legal Holidays in the United States. Jan. 1.-New Year's Day. In all States except Colo., Sept. 3.-Labor Day. In North Carolina. Jan. 8.-Anniversary Battle New Orleans. In Lou- Jan. 19. Gen. Robert E. Lee's Birthday. In Ala., Feb. 2.*-Arbor Day. In Arizona. In Conn., Del., Ill., April 1.-State Election Day. In Rhode Island. April 19.-Patriots' Day. In Massachusetts. May 10.-Memorial Day. In N. C., S. C. June 3.-Jefferson Davis's Birthday. In Ala., Fla., June 17.-Bunker Hill Day. Boston. July 4-Independence Day. In all States except July 24. Pioneers' Day. In Utah. Aug.. 6. -Election Day. In Tenn. Aug. 16.-Bennington Battle Day. In Vermont. These dates are for 1903. Sept. 7.-Labor Day. In Ala., Calif., Colo., Conn., Nov. 3.*-Election Day. In Ariz.. Calif., Fla., Idaho, Nov. 23.-Repudiation Day. In Frederick Co.. Md. Good Friday is a holiday in Alabama. Louisiana, In some States, like Colorado, there are no statutes Anniversaries Sometimes Lelebrated. 5. Twelfth Night. The following day is called May 19. Birthday of General Robert E. Lee. Jan. Jan. Feb. 12. Birthday of Abraham Lincoln, 22. Birthday of George Washington. Feb. 14. St. Valentine's Day. Feb. March 15. Birthday of Andrew Jackson. April 19. Paul Revere Day. April 19. Primrose Day. In England, in honor of Ben- Nov. jamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield). Nov. April 19. Patriots' Day. Nov. Nov. 25. Evacuation Day. Evacuation of the British, 1783. April 23 St. George's Day. April 27. Birthday of General U. S. Grant. B. C. 1183. Fall of Troy. Great Events in the World's History. JA. D. 1314. Union of France and Navarre. 1004. First Temple at Jerusalem dedi-1415. France invaded and the battle cated by Solomon. JA. D. 1796. Vaccination discovered by Jen ner. 1801. Union formed of Great Britain and Ireland. 776 Beginning of the Olympic era. 1453, Constantinople captured by the 1804. Bonaparte became Emperor of 753. Rome founded by Romulus. Turks. France. 388. Jerusalem captured by Nebu-1455. Beginning of the War of the 1805. Battle of Trafalgar. 1462. The Bible first printed at 1807. The first steamboat voyage by Mentz. 1471. First printing press set up by 1809. 1485. End of the War of the Roses. 1812. Robert Fulton. Finland ceded to Russia by War declared between Great Britain and the United States. Invasion of Russia by Napoleon and the burning of Moscow. 1815. Battle of Waterloo (June 18). First passenger railroad estab Dise very of America by Christo- 1828. Beginning of the Reformation 1835. Cortez began his conquest of 1837. 1521. Sweden delivered from Den- 1846. 1846. 1534. Henry VIII abolished the 1846. 183. Hannibal exiled and took poison 1539. 55. Conquest of Britain by Caesar. A. D. lished in the United States. Invention of the telegraph by Prof. F. B. Morse, Accession of Queen Victoria to the throne of England. The sewing machine perfected by Elias Howe. Repeal of the British laws. Corn Beginning of the war between the United States and Mexico. 1851. Gold discovered in Australia. 1852. Louis Napoleon became Em peror of France. 1853. Beginning of the Crimean War. 1572. The St. Bartholomew massacre 1857. The great mutiny in India. (Aug. 24) in France, in which; 1861. The Russian Serfs emancipated. 70.000 persons were slain. 1588. Defeat of the Spanish Armada 1861-1865. Civil war in the United by the English fleet. revolt. States. 1603. Union formed between England 1864. The Geneva Convention held, 1616. Death of Shakespeare (April 1618, Beginning of the Thirty Years 79. Pompeii destroyed. sembled. 325. Constantine convoked the Coun- 1649. Charles I. of England be- tector of England, 593 Printing invented by the Chi-1666. The great fire in London. nese. given by Baron 698 Carthage captured and destroyed Hirsch for the establishment by Hassan the Saracen chief 1704. Gibraltar captured by the Engof Jewish schools in Russia. 800. Charlemagne crowned Emperor lish. 1889. Brazil became a republic. of the West by the Pope 1756, Beginning of the Seven Years 1894. Chinese Japanese war began. (Dec. 25). War in France. 1897. The Turkish-Greek war. Peace conference between civilized nations. 996. Paris made capital of France. 1773. Steam engine perfected by 1066. Norman conquest of England. James Watt. 1900. 1099. Jerusalem captured by the Crusaders 1096. Crusades began to the Holy 1788. Australia first settled (Jan. 26). 1900. 1901. 1172. Conquest of Ireland by England. 1215, Magna Charta granted by King 1796, John, June 15. 1902. 1795. Dismemberment of Poland. 1265. First regular Parliament met 1793. in England. 1272. Wales subdued and united to England. United and Great Britain, 1783. Memorable Events in the History of the United States. 1. Proclamation of Emancipation issued by Pres- June 6. Memphis, Tenn., captured, 1862. Jan. Jan. 8. Battle of New Orleans, 1815. Jan. 19. Gen. Robert E. Lee born, 1807. June 14. Venezuela boundary treaty between Great American forces, 1776 20. Cessation of hostilities agreed upon between June 17. Washington appointed Commander-in-Chief of Jan. 19. Confederate warship Alabama sunk by the Kearsarge, 1864. 22. First United States troops landed in Cuba, 1898. 28. Congress selected Washington, D. C., as capital, 1790. July 1-3. Battle of Gettysburg, 1863. 2. President Garfield shot by Guiteau, 1881. 3. Spanish fleet destroyed at Santiago, 1898. June June June July Feb. 25. National Bank Act passed, 1863. July July 4. Declaration of Independence signed, 1776. 11. Hamilton-Burr duel, 1804. March 5. Boston massacre, 1770. July 16. Surrender of Santiago, 1898. March 9. Monitor and Merrimac fight March6-8. Battle of the Wilderness, 1864. Roads, 1862. July 21. Battle of Bull Run, 1861. March 15. Andrew Jackson born, 1767. March 17. Boston evacuated by British, 1776, Aug. March 22. Stamp Act passed, 1765, 3. Columbus sails from Palos, 1492, forces, 1898. 16. Battle of Bennington, Vt., 1777. 26. First patents issued by the United States Gov- 2. Atlanta, Ga., captured by General Sherman, 1864. 6. President McKinley shot by Leon Czolgosz at Sept. 11. Battle of Brandywine, 1777. Sept. 15. Capture of Harper's Ferry, Va., by Stonewall Sept. 26. Philadelphia occupied by Gen. Howe, 1777. May May May Oct. Nov. May 13. First permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Va., 1607. Nov. May 20. First Declaration of Independence signed at 17. First Presidential election in which all States voted the same day 1848. Nov. 25, British evacuated New York, 1783. May 22. The Savannah, the first steam vessel to cross 13. First savings bank in United States at Bos- 14. Death of George Washington, 1799. 5. Surrender of Fort Cornwallis, 1781. Around the World in Sixty Days. Many years have passed since Jules Verne carried Mr. Phineas Fogg around the world in eighty days. and since that time so many improvements have been made in methods of transportation that the once-wonderful feat of the imaginary Mr. Fogg now seems like an extremely commonplace achievement. To-day the man who could not circumnavigate the globe in less than eighty days would be regarded as a very poor traveller. George Francis Train, in 1890, established a record of 67 days, 13 hours, 3 minutes and 3 seconds, not counting one day which he spent in New York; but, in 1901. Charles C. Fitzmorris, who represented Hearst's Chicago American, set a record for globe-girdlers by winning the "Round the World Race" in 60 days, 13 hours. 29 minutes and 42 4-5 seconds. There were three contestants in this "Round the World Race," which was conducted by the three Hearst newspapers. The winner. Fitzmorris, represented the Chicago American and the schoolboys of Chicago; Louis St. Clair Eunson, the New York Journal, and the schoolboys of New York. and William C. Crittenden, the Examiner and the schoolboys of San Francisco, and while each lad spared no effort to be first to return to the United States. Fitzmorris completed his mission far ahead of his closest competitor. The itinerary of this world-record feat was as follows: Fitzmorris left Chicago New York. |