The present temper of the French people is strangely shown
in a little incident. A Congress is sitting in Washington to decide on an International Prime Meridian. England, Germany, and America, having some ninety per cent, of the ocean traffic of the world in their bands, have agreed to accept Greenwich, which has already been adopted by most chart-makers, and the rest of the world would follow suit, but that France refuses. M. Janssen, in her name, declares that the very map-makers of Paris would refuse to publish maps with Greenwich as the datum for the longi- tude. The Congress will, therefore, either disperse having effected nothing, or accept Greenwich as the meridian for all mankind except Frenchmen. In his present mood, convenience and common-sense are nothing when a Frenchman's vanity is concerned. Paris shall be the acknowledged centre of the universe, or the universe shall not be admitted to exist. Could. we not offer "a grand consolation to the just susceptibilities of France," and rechristen Greenwich " Villeverte ?"
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