Installment twenty-one

When our last installment ended, Captain Mann was being summoned to
intervene in the discussion about the date line.
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Installment twenty-one:

"This is Dr. Spaulding's hour," the captain began, "and with his permission,
I will consent to make a few observations regarding the date line."
Dr. Spaulding smiled faintly, and in a somewhat hesitating manner he
seemed to give consent. The entire situation had proved a great disapoint-
ment to him. Now he was really obliged to give place without having made
any substantial gain.
As Captain Mann arose, a happy thought seemed to strike him, and he
smilingly suggested a round table, or question box, so everyone might
have opportunity to bring out any phase of the question not clear to them.
The question box idea prevailed.
"Before the questions are proposed," said the captain, "allow me this brief
word: The date line is one of the simple problems in life, so simple in fact,
that I have often explained it without difficulty to children. Instead of its
being a matter for confusing minds and causing a loss in the count of days
of the week, it is the one thing that prevents any and all disturbances in
our reckoning. It is a great, wonderful world regulator, preserving to all
nations of the earth the identity of our days."
"Do you mean to say, captain, that the fact that the world is a globe makes
no difference?" asked a woman missionary from Ohio.
"That is the thought, madam. It matters not whether one is at the poles
or at the equator, whether traveling by sea or by land, whether going
east or west, the day is an absolutely fixed quantity of time, and may be
scientifically and accurately known at any place on the earth's surface."
"Well, I have heard it say over and over," stated a simple but well-
meaning man seated near the captain, "that time is really lost or gained
- that going in one direction you lose; while in the other you gain. How
could preachers say that if it isn't so?"
"I cannot answer your question as to why preachers have taught you
what you say, but let me say to you and to all, that there is no such
thing as gaining or losing time. The expression is unscientific and it
indicates something that is only apparent, not real.'
"Let me illustrate: a set of twins start the journey from New York to
go around the world. One goes eastward, the other westward. They
finally come together again in New York, after a lapse of several
months; but he who went eastward finds himself exactly the same age
as his brother who traveled in the opposite direction. They compare
figures, and find that it took each of them the same number of days,
hours and minutes to make the trip, though one added a day and the
other dropped a day."
"Now, if it is actually true that one gained and the other lost a day,
there must have been two day's difference in their ages at the end."
A ripple of laughter went through the audience. "And if they had
repeated the process a sufficient number of times, eventually one
would be old enough to be the other's father." At this the listeners
laughed even louder.
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To be continued....