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 Atlantic 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: Eclipses of 1903 and Cheir History. There will be four eclipses this year, two each of the sun and moon, as follows: I. An Annular Eclipse of the Sun, March 29. The annular phase will only be visible through Central and Northern Asia and the Arctic regions. The partial phase will be visible in the Philippine Islands and Alaska and partially visible on the Pacific Coast of North America, between the 43d and 61st parallels of latitude. Near Cape Blanco, Oregon, the eclipse will begin at sunset, and from that point to Vancouver Island a very small part of the eclipse will be visible on the sun's northern limb just before sunset. The last preceding return of this eclipse was on March 16, 1885, when the path of the annual phase extended across North America, and a fine partial eclipse was visible throughout the United States, and its next recurrence will be on April 17, 1921, when it will be visible in the Arctic Ocean and Northern Europe. 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: The greatest eclipse will occur when the Moon in its passage through the earth's shadow from west to east reaches the point b, and her last contact with the shadow, will take place at c. This eclipse will be visible as follows: Inter Col. Cent. East. ... 7:52 8:52 9:52 9:00 10:00 11:00 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., Hawailan 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. Feb. 12.-Lincoln's Birthday. In Conn., Del., Ill., March 2.-Anniversary Texan Independence. In Texas. April 1.-State Election Day. In Rhode Island. April 19.-Patriots' Day. In Massachusetts. April 26.-Memorial Day. In Ala., Fla., Ga. June 3.-Jefferson Davis's Birthday. In Ala., Fla., June 17.-Bunker Hill Day. Boston. In all States except July 24.-Pioneers' Day. In Utah. 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, Good Friday is a holiday in Alabama, Louisiana, In some States, like Colorado, there are no statutes Anniversaries Sometimes Celebrated. 5. Twelfth Night. The following day is called May 1. Dewey Day. In honor of the victory of AdTwelfth Day (Epiphany). Feb. 14. St. Valentine's Day. 14. Flag Day. 4. Independence Day. 12. Orangemen's Day. July 14. Destruction of the Bastille. Sept. 29. Michaelmas, Feast of St. Michael, the Arch Jan. miral Dewey at Manila. June July 1. Dominion Day. In Canada. July July Feb. 22. Birthday of George Washington. March 15. Birthday of Andrew Jackson. March 17. St. Patrick's Day. April 19. Paul Revere Day. Oct. April 19. Primrose Day. In England, in honor of Ben- Nov. jamin Disraeli (Earl of Beaconsfield). Nov. April 19. Patriots' Day. April 23. St. George's Day. Nov. angel. 31. Hallowe'en. 1. All Saints' Day. 2. All Souls' Day. 5. Guy Fawkes Day in England. 25. Evacuation Day. Evacuation of the British, 1783. April 27. Birthday of General U. S. Grant. 1314. Union of France and Navarre. 1004. First Temple at Jerusalem dedi-1415. France invaded and the battle cated by Solomon, of Agincourt. $78. Carthage founded by Dido. 1431. Joan of Arc burnt (May 30). 776. Beginning of the Olympic era. 1453. Constantinople captured by the 1804. Bonaparte became Emperor of 753. Rome founded by Romulus. 588. -Jerusalem captured by Nebu-1455. Beginning of the War of the 1805. chadnezzar. 29. Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 1603. Union formed between England 1864. The Geneva Convention held, 1871. Re-establishment of the German Empire. Assassination of Czar Alexander II. by a bomb (March 13). 1882. British occupation of Egypt. given by Baron 1887. $10,000,000 Hirsch for the establishment 698. Carthage captured and destroyed of Jewish schools in Russia. by Hassan the Saracen chief. 1704. Gibraltar captured by the English. 800. Charlemagne crowned Emperor 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. Black Hole suffocation in Cal-1899. Peace conference between all 827. Egbert proclaimed first King of 1756. England. 896. The Germans under Arnold cap- 1759. ture Rome. cutta. Canada taken from the French 1899. 996. Paris made capital of France. 1773. Steam engine perfected by 1066. Norman conquest of England. James Watt. 1096. Crusades began to the Holy 1788. Australia first settled (Jan. 26). 1900. The riots in 1099, Jerusalem captured by the Crusaders. 1900. 1172. Conquest of Ireland by Eng land. 1793. The Cotton Gin invented by Assassination of King Humbert of Italy. 1272. Wales subdued and united to England. 1215, Magna Charta granted by King 1796, Torture of criminals abolished John, June 15. 1285, First regular Parliament met 1793. Execution of Louis XVI, of in England. 1902. Death of Queen Victoria and the accession of King Edward VII. of England. Peace established in South Africa by Great Britain. Tomas Estrada Palma inaugurated as first President of the Cuban Republic. 1901. by Catherine in Russia. Memorable Events in the History of the United States. April 12, Bombardment of Fort Sumter began, 1861. Sept. April 14. Assassination of President Lincoln by John Sept. April 15. President Lincoln issued first call for volunteers, 1861. April 18. Paul Revere's ride, 1775, April 23. Mexicans crossed the Rio Grande, beginning April 27. Matanzas, Cuba, shelled by U. S. warships, May 4. Haymarket riots in Chicago, 1886. 6. Bombardment of Santiago, Cuba, by United May 8. Post Office Department established by Con May May gress, 1794, 10. Pacific Railroad completed, 1869. 11. Ensign Worth Bagley killed in battle at Cardenas, 1898. First officer killed in Spanish-American War. Old World and America. 3. Columbus sails from Palos, 1492, 13. Surrender of Manila to the United States 16. Battle of Bennington, Vt., 1777. 22. Yacht America won the international yacht race at Cowes, Eng., 1851. 26. First patents issued by the United States Government, 1791, 27. Battle of Long Island, 1776. 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. 17. Battle of Antietam, 1862. Sept. 26. Philadelphia occupied by Gen. Howe, 1777. 12. Columbus discovered America, 1492. Oct. 18. John Brown captured at Harper's Ferry, 1859. Oct. 19. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, 1781. 24. William Penn landed at Newcastle, 1682. 11. Landing of the Pilgrim Fathers from the Mayflower at Provincetown, 1620. Nov. May 20. First Declaration of Independence signed at 17. First Presidential election in which all States voted the same day 1848. 3. Hobson sunk the Merrimac in the harbor of Dec. 16. Boston "Tea Party," 1773. 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: |