In Oriental countries, it has been the custom from the earliest ages to
reckon distances by _time_, rather than by any direct reference to a
standard of measure, as is commonly reckoned in the present day. In the
Scriptures we find distances described by “a day’s journey,” “three
days’ journey,” and other similar expressions. A day’s journey is
supposed to have been equal to about thirty-three British statute miles,
and denoted the distance that could be performed without any
extraordinary fatigue by a foot-passenger; “a Sabbath day’s journey” was
peculiar to the Jews, being equal to rather less than one statute mile.
It may not be in exact accordance with our habits of thought, and usual
forms of expression, thus to describe distances by time; yet it seems to
possess some advantages. A man knowing nothing of the linear standards
of measure employed in foreign countries, would receive no satisfactory
information on being told that a particular city, or town, was distant
from another a certain number of miles[6] or leagues,[7] as the case
might happen to be. But if he were told that such city or town was
distant from another a certain number of _hours_ or _days_, there would
be something in the account that would commend itself to his
understanding. A sea-voyage is oftener described by reference to time
than to _distance_. We frequently hear persons inquire how many _weeks_
or _months_ it will occupy to proceed to distant parts of the world, but
they rarely manifest any great anxiety about the number of _miles_. This
mode of computation seems especially applicable to steam navigation: a
voyage by a steam-packet, under ordinary circumstances, being performed
with such surprising regularity, that it might, with greater propriety,
be described by minutes, or hours, or days, than by miles.
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Footnote 6:
In Holland a _mile_ is nearly equal to three and three-quarters; in
Germany it is rather more than four and a half; and in Switzerland it
is about equal to five and three-quarters British miles.
Footnote 7:
A _league_ in France is equal to two and three-quarters; in Spain to
four; in Denmark to four and three-quarters; in Switzerland to five
and a half; and in Sweden to six and three-quarters British miles.
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