Bacon's New Chart of the World circa 1910

George Washington Bacon (1830 - 1922) was a cartographer and seller during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Born in New York, USA, Bacon was based in London for the duration of his map making career. Bacon's various business ventures were not always successful and he became bankrupt in 1867. Following this, in 1870, Bacon purchased the plates used by Edward Weller. Bacon expanded the plates, making them easier to read and improved them with a quality range of colour washes and began producing Atlases. In 1893, he bought the map business of James Wyld, which included detailed plans of the Capital. In 1900 G.W.Bacon & Co was purchased by the Scottish firm W.A.&K.Johnston and maps bearing the Bacon brand continued to be produced until as late as 1956.

This map contains a wealth of information . Inset maps: North & South Polar Regions, The World Elliptical Projection, San Francisco, Auckland, Adelaide, Hamburg, Hong Kong, Wellington, Bombay, Tokyo, Calcutta, and Panama. Timelines & Indexes - Chief Geographic Events, Countries of the World, Population, Index to the Principal Towns, British Steamship Routes, World Time Zones.

When this map was published:

Prime Meridian/Greenwich Meridian

Cartographers have always based maps on their perspective, world view, and intended audience. Prior to 1884 different countries published maps and charts with longitude based on the meridian passing through their capital city. In London, it was Astronomer George Airy who designed the Airy Transit Circle telescope which defined the Prime Meridian for England at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich in 1851.

In the late 19th century, 72 % of the world’s commerce depended on sea- charts which used Greenwich as the Prime Meridian. US President Chester Arthur called a conference in 1884 where 25 nations agreed that Greenwich, England would be the world’s Prime Meridian of world time and time zones.

As originally published on the map - The Earth.
The Earth is a globe or sphere, it’s mean diameter is 7,916 miles, and it’s circumference 24,870 miles. It turns or rotates upon its axis from West to East once in 24 hours, causing day and night. Time is measured by the rotation of the Earth, which causes the Sun to pass all the Meridians in succession in 24 hours. When the sun comes to the Meridian of any place it is noon or mid-day at that place, and also at every other place situated on the same Meridian, and it is midnight at all places on the opposite Meridian (180 degrees distant from it). Time thus varies only East and West, places East of the Greenwich Meridian having faster time, and places West having slower time.