The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-01-09 00:00:00

wErcnrs AND .VEASLINES.

SECOND REPORT of the COMMISSIONERS oppoiotra
by hie Majesty to roisaider t►e aubjert of WEIGHTS and
MEASURES.--PrOmed by Order of the Howie of Cow-
-111111111.

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR MASESTY,
We, the Commissioners appointed by your Ma-
jesty, for the purpose of considering how far it may
be practicable and advisable to establish, within
your Majesty's dominions, a more unifurin system
of Weights and Measures, have examined, since oar
last Report, the relation of the best authenticated
standards of length at present in existence, to the
iii-trumeats employed fur measuring the base oil
I 1 utilirluw Ilealh, and in the late trigouninetrical
operations. Bit' we have very unexpectedly dis-
covered that an error his been committed in the
construction of scene of those instruments: we are
therefore obliged in recur to the originals which
they were intended to represent, and we hive found
reason to prefer the Parliamentary Standard rice.
cured by Bird in 1760, which we had not before
rereiverl, both as being laid down in the most accu-
rate manner, nod as the best agreeing with the most
extensive comparisons which have been hitherto
executed by various observers, and circulated
throughout urope ; and iii particular with the
scale employed by the late Sir George Shuck-
bis re h.

IVe have therefore now to propose, that this
Standard be considered as the foundstion of all [e-
vil Weights and Measures, and that it be declared
that the length of the pendulum vibrating seconds
in a vacuoin, on the level of the sea, in London, is
39.13919 inches, and that of the French metre,
39.37079 inches, the English standards bring em-
ployed at 6i• of Fahrenheit.
Y. We have_ annexed to this Report an Appen-
dix, containing • comparison of different customary
Weights and Measures, and an expiation of pro-
vincial mud other tertns relating to them ; and we
propose at a future tune to make • farther Report
respecting the existiog Standards of Weight.
(Sgoed) GEOAGF. CLERK. TIRMIAS YOUNG.
DAYIEN GILBERT. HENRY KATER.
W. H. WOLLASTON.
London, MA July,

Sr. BREA SCHOOL COAL—One hundred and
twenty-live acres of titss coal land has produced an
imostl income of 11,0001. during a period of 26
years—being smith about 2or 3,000/. per arse. It
is not very long snore the coal steward of the Earl
of Lull/DALE, who rents these coal lands at the
rate of 31. Io+. had the modesty to value this coal.
although it Is sold t r 16s. per waggon, of two ion.,
at THREE PENCE per ton. betweeii 601. or 701. per
acre, what is well worth 2,000/. to that Noble-ma..
On Wednesday, about an hour after midnight,
the cotton-spinning and ware-twill of Mr. DAVID
HOWARD, aitu.sted sear the foot of the bridge, in
Leeds, suddenly burst into flames, and though in
alarm was instantly given, sod evety possible cart-
lien Made Ip bring this engines to the spot, the lire
spread with slosh extraordinary rapidity, that the
roof fell is before therreached the 'itemises. On
the arrival of t.se fire-esigioes a copious supply of
water was sossanaly obtained, and the engines were
played with great vigour, but it was found ittwovssible
to aural she progress of the flames before all the
combustible part of the premises was destroyed, and
the whole reduced to a state of ruin. These exertions
were, however,of the most essential service in prevent-
ing she c osidagratiois from extruding to the valuable
adjoining pftillisro, which were exposed to so much
dittitevs that the window-fratnes of the extensive
coin warshouse of Mr. Nitta were at Ohl time ac-
tually iu framer. The lire is supposed to have
originated in sonic cotton-wool falling upon our of
she lights. IVe understood that both the buildings,
&Inch is sint property of the Leeds %Voter-works
Company, and the stock and machinery, are
iu-
.ured lit ate Soo Fire-office.

A very melancholy accident occurred at Hoveton,
Norfolk, oil Wednesday last.—Master EIOFELD,
son of the Rev. T. C. Morita,. accompaidad by
a trusty domestic, was iudisced in pursuit of wild
ducks, to venture on the ice in a frozen pulk.
The ace gave way, and the consequence proved
fatal to Ike servant.—The young gentleman fortu-
nately was possessed, at this trying moment, of
great fortitude and presence of mind ; utter etrug-
ling through the broken ice he effected a foot-
ing, and called to his comps/duo to tell him he was
sate-. Se was diem on his knees, but he woe deceiv-
ed, for the toe again broke under him, and lie gave
himself up for beet ; after another court, however,
and having worked his way more than twenty yards
through the ice. and at the last extretistsy. with
his hoods and feet quite benumbed, and his clothes
actually doff with frost, he scrambled ashore, sod
almost exhausted, proceeded to the nearest bunt-
house, where he desired immediately to be put
auto a warm bed ; and the nest mor ll ill g mire per-
fectly well, truly thaukful for his providential
escape, lint with spints greatly depressed for the
loss of Isis stteitifitit, who was a must rideable
servant, and highly respected by Ins master and
the whole family. The unfottunute MHO. wittier
name to Moves, has left a wife and one child.
EMPLOYMENT FOR Pat/PERS.—For solar time
past the applications of troupers for relief to the
parish of St. Giles's having become very numerous,
and a great many of the lipplicauta being able-
bodied healthy young men, the overseers hit upon •
anode of either getting rid of them, or making them
earn money to supply their immediate *amts.
Accordingly, when the applicatimis were made
for relief by this class of persons, the overseer.,
who had a great quantity el ground oyster shells
in the parish. determined on the following method
of proving who were the most industrious prreona.
and finding out the most indolent. Every matt
who had a desire of vain t% a shilling or eighteen-
pence, a pair of shots, or other article or clot
was to scree to the proposal of carrying a bushel
basket full of the grouud oyeter-shells f.um the
workhouse or Finchley soil hawk again. the
completion of which would entitle hint to le eupply
of his immediate tvants. Several who undertook
this perfuittird the task, rod were cotocrioriely
considered the industiions, and paid ; but other',
'‘ the itidoleni," took off the baskets, but sower
returned to the work-house. By these means the
overseers have Added thetuteltirs a number of
idle intruders.