The Sun.
London, England, 1814-09-03 00:00:00

XXXIII.)

T ETTER to Ids Royal 1170iness the PRINCE Of WALES,
,rieAr,:,t of the Udiiretl king-4)4;4' „Great Beitain and I:T-
-it:mt.—IA:n(1cm, printed by RICHARD and Aathua far-

LOT<, Sh,ie-latie-44 not ptil,figed." pp. 26.

STANDARD FOR WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

A must able Report has, been,drawn up by the
Committee appointed by the House of Commons
during-the last Session, to consider the most ef-
fectual means for regulating the Measures and
Weights tbroughont the kingdom by some inva-
riable standard.

T-h s subject is of so much importance in a na-
tional point of view, that we would- say a few.
wry*,on the nature of this Report, noticing at
the same time the ingenious suggestions contain-
ed in a small work which has been put into our
bonds; entitled " A Letter to his Royal High-
nrss the Prince of Wales."—The result of the re-
searches of-the CoMmittee has been so highly sa-
_tistactory, that when we read this perspicuous
Report, we rather wondered that the Legislature
had not sooner applied some remedy to the end-
less inconveniences of the present medley of
W'eiellts and Measures, than that some effectual
one has been—found when men of capacity were
employed to search -for it. 'so monstrous,. in-
deed, are' the evils caused by the want of
a proper system, that it would have been
strange if the Legislature had never turned its
attention to the formation of one till the last
Session.—ln 1752 a Committee was appointed by
the House of Com Mons to examine the subject,
and establish 'a system, but without any-good of-.
feet. They drew up a Report, which was incon-
clusive upon the whole, but which would have.
produced some grand effects if it had been acted
upon. Sonic how or other, those on whom the
labour devolved did not apply to the task with
seirit. Several years elapsed before a Bill was
bronght into the House embodying the resoln=
lions of this Committee ; but afterlanguiShing
through the first stages, it was entirely lost -by
the-dissolution of the Parliament, in which it had
found birth; and was not renewed in, the suc-
ceeding- one. From that time till 1792 and 1795
we do not find any act in the Statute Book on the
subject. In these two years Bills were passed
enacting punishments on those Using false Weights
and Measures, but containing no provision cal-
culated in any- degree to remove the existing de-
fects,'-Irt short, until the last SessiOn nothing
Was done in this matrer—nothing judicious Was
attempted. To appreciate the value 'of what has
been.accomplished by this Committee, and the of-'
ficacy of the system which they propose, let us
first look at the proposals of the Author of the
Letter to the PRINCE REGENT, which we have
mentioned._
After some observations on the evils produced
by the preseni state of 'Weights 'and Measures
throughout the liingdont, and then noticing the
labours of the French Academy of Sciences, in
'establishing the system' now adopted'in'Frithce,
the Author proceeds, on the authority of Sir G.
iJ!:UCKBURGH, and several other men of science,
assume 'the pendulum as the best standard of
measure. It had long- been ascertained, that the
length of a pendulum vibrating seconds is always
the same in the, same latitude. This then un-
questionably gives us the means of establishing
an imperishable standard of measure. The Au-
thor;thoWever, -enumerates several difficulties in
establishing this for a standard. TheSe he calls
the expansion or contraction,Of the
.pendulum,by
change of teinperature,—the resistance Of the
air,—the centre of oscillation and the force of

gravitation.
With due deference to the ingenious Author, we
would observe, that he evinces a want of scientific
acquaintance with the subject, by starting such dif-
ficulties. As to the first, all that is required is to
ascertain the length of the pendulum vibrating se-
conds. in a certain latitude. This once ascer-
tained, it is unalterable, perfectly independent of
the degree of temperature. It'seems to us, that
the' Author's idea_was, that a pendulum of steel
should be made of the exact length vibrating se-
conds, and that this should be kept as a kind of
national standard to which access should be had
for the purpose of reference.—This is a strange
blunder. When the length of the .pendulum vi-
brating seconds in the latitude of-London, for in-
stance, is once, ascertained by a determinate Com-
putation, the standard is unalterable, because it
is only a- pendulum of a certain length, that can
vibrate seconds, no matter what the temperature
is ; the .length of a rod of iron is indeed 'affected
by the change of it, but the Jength of the pen-
dulum vibrating seconds cannot, because so soon
as it is, it ceases to vibrate seconds. 'lt is very
true, that a rod of steel which makes a vibration
in a second at the temperature of 32 degrees, will
not make one • vibration in a second at the tem-
perature of 80 degrees ; but still the length of a
rod of steel which will make a vibration in a se-
-cond, if ascertained -*by a determinate computa-
tion, must be, the same in every temperature,—
Of course, when this is once ascertained, it is
perfectly invariable, being in itself the standard.
To remove this fancied. obstacle, the Author
proposes-, that the pendulum should be immersed
it, distilled water at the boiling temperature. If
such an obstacle as that stated by the Author did..
actually exist, the method by which .he proposes
to overcome it is so eminently awkward, 'that, it
would be enough to render it necessary to seek for
some more convenient standard. .
The other three objections were to be obviated
in. the same waY with the first ; but there is so
little information displayed in the assumption of
• such absurdities as objections, that, we are coo-
yinced the Author does' not understand the me-
chanical principles with which he so strangely
meddles.. What. ate we to think of
,a man who
talks of the centre of oscillation, and the force of
gravitation, as objections to. taking the pendu-
lum for the ground-work of a system to regulate
weights. and measures ? Our Author then pro-
" poses, that the seconds pendulum should be gra-

duale'd into decimal parts; dud that z fundamental
weight (as he plirasys it); should be obtained by
ascertaining the nilinber Of cubical inches in a
vessel, containing as much water " in a boiling
state" as will correspond with the English pound
weight of sixteen Ounces: However inaccurately
this thought may be 'expressed by the Author,
the value of the principle which dictates it is seen
at once. On these foundations, he rests the sys-,
tem which he would ,recommend. The rest of
the letter is occupied in suggesting, that standards
shoUld be deposited with the Postmaster-General
—that they shotild be made .of glass—that the
regulation and eXaMination of weights and mea-
sures should be made a branch of the Post-Office
business—and that the postage of letters should
be charged according to Weight. Of these sugges-
tions we shall Cake little notice, because we do not
think they at present deserve much. We pass with
pleasure to the. Report of the Committee of the
House of Commons. After a detail of what had
been done by Parliament in the subject on former
occasions, the Report notices, that what was
wanted was some standard from which weights
and measures might be reduced, and ,that-this
standard should be of such a kind as to be in-
variable in its nature, and easily referred to. It
then assumes the pendulum vibrating seconds, as
ti standard for this purpose, preferable to that
of graduating an arc of the meridian, _as hail.-been -
.done by the French Academy. fcrorn.the experi-
ments of those two acute Philosophei.s, Professor
PLAYFAIR of Edinburgh, and Dr. WOOLASTON, the
length of the pendt,hn vibrating seconds in this
latitude, is found to be 39.13047 inches, of Which
56 make the yard now in use. It was tlegirable
in.dedu'eting from this foundation measures t;t:
capacity and weight, to vary as little as possible
from those now in general use, an ;, above all, to
avoid minute fractions in the proportions which
the new weights and measures might bear to
those recognized by usage. It therefore was a
most remarkable coincidence, that it was ascer-
tained thata cubic foot of distilled -water, at the
temperature of 561 degrees of Farenheit, weighs
exactly 1000 ounces avoirdupois. On this happy
coincidence- are founded-all the admirable deduc-
tions of the Conimittee. Though, in theory,
'weight is taken from the measure of capacity,
yet, in practice, it is more convenient to ascer-
tain the measure of capacity frion. weight. The
capacity of a vessel can be much more easily as-
certained by-the weight of pure water, at a fixed
temperature, witch it contains, than by the com-
plicated operation of gauging. This, then, is the
ground-work of the improvement proposed by the
Committee. A cubic toot of distilled water (or
1.728 cubical inches), at the temperature of 5&
degrees, weighs 1000 ounces avoirdupois-27.6,18
cubical inches of the same water, at the same
temperature, will weigh exactly a pound avoir-
dupois.
The Committee recommend- that the standard
gallon should be niade such as to contain a given
number of pounds avoirdupois of distilled water,
at the temperature of 562 degrees of Farenheit,
that 'May be expressed, by, an integral number.- •
Thus, if the gallon be made to contain- 10
pounds of water, the quart will.contain 40 ounces,
and the pint 20.--This gallon the Committee re-
commend. It. would contain 276.48 cubical
inches, which is only about 3 per cent. lal-ger
than the present standard gallon, by 13 and 14
Of William and Mary.
_ _ . .

What is called the Winchester Bushel contains
8 gallons, each of which contains 268.803 cubical
inches.

By the adoption of the gallon" recommended by
the Committee, the standard bushel would con-
'win 80 pounds avoirdupOis of pure water, at 561
degrees of Farenheit, or 2211.84 cubical inches
—the quart, G 9.12 cubical inches,. or 40 ounces
of water—the pint, 34.56, or 20 ounces of water,
and so on.

The excellence of this system consists in its
simplicity, and is seen at once.
If the Author of the Letter to the Prince Re-
gent wrote it without knowing any thing of the
proceedings of the Cominittke, he deserves much
credit—not so much for originality,' as for the
correctness -of the principles on which his deduc-
tions are founded, although he does -not -seem to
have been aware of their full value, because he
evidently did not see the whole length to which
they 'Went.
From, the danger to be apprehended, owing to
the probability of accidents, the Report wisely
recommends that no change should be made in
the Apothecaries' weight.
On the whole system thus proposed, we would
observe, that it has exceedingly great advantages.
It is intelligible to every capacity—the standard
from which all the arrangeMents originate is un-
alterable as the laws of Nature,the difference
between the new measures. and those now in ge-
neral use is trifling—but most especially there is
this grand recommendation, that the value of the.
old weights and measures can at once be com-
pared With the new, as there is no fractional part
to impede the. calculation. This latter, we con-
ceive, is by far the greatest advantage Of th 6 sys-
tem proposed, because it takes away every Objec--
tion to the general adoption of it.
The superiority of this system over-that adopt--
ed in France is very great. The French system
introduced denominations entirely new, and mea-
sures which could not, without the utmost diffi-
culty, be compared with those which they were
made to supersede, because they were totally dif-
ferent. But, in the system proposed by the Com-
mittee, nb change is made in the denominations
DOW in use, and a very trifling difference in the
quantities as compared with each other. The
French system carries through the whole of it the
'pedantry of the stystem-mongers of that Nation,
without, any of that plainness and intelligibility
which Ought to the essential part of such a regu-
lation. The system of the Cdminittee is founded
on a principle equally.scientific with the French ;
in its detail it possesses that plainness which (nakes
it conic home at once to the straight forward un-
derstanding
.which characterises our Nation 'j it,
conciliates every prejudice, by changing nothing
in the names, while it changes little in the quan-
tities. We have no doubt that the Reso4utions
will he embodied'in a:Bill early in the next Session
of Parliament, in which case it is impossible to an
ticipate any opposition to so salutary,sonecessary
an enactment.

LAW INTELLIGENCE

COURT--C4' INSOLVENT DEBTOI,

CHATI.C;E OF'• FRAUD AND SWINDLEIC-

An interesting case, already before the public,
came On this morning before the Court—that of
Mr. O'Hanlan, charged with having obtained,
under false pretences, Miss. Hawk ins, tiic (laugh-
ter'of a banker, at El73oni, in the county of.Sar,
rey„ for his wife, having represented himself as an
agent or contractor forGovernment,a,feW months
ago. This was his second examination, when he
was opposed by
.two Counsel, principally on the
ground of a marriage settlement, or bond, passed
by him to the father of the lady condiiioned for
the payment, by instalments, of a sum of 20,0001,
out of funds by him expected, to the father of
the lady, in consideration of the marriage, the
daughter being entitled to a fortune in her own
right. •
The prisoner was charged with having omitted
to specify the person with whom he had pawned
a certain ring, for a Sum of 201. since his confine-
ment, and two or three fresh creditors now ap-
peared to oppose his liberation, under. the Act of
Cessio Bonorum, that most salutary statute, but be
now named the pawnbroker..
Various charges of fraud were preferred against
him, but the above were the principal.
!Jr. SMITH and Mr. POLLOCK, as Counsel; op-
posed the liberation, on the gromind.of the settle-
ment or bond, and took- a great variety of objec-
tions to the fonfommity of time prisoner with -the"
reouisirions of the statute ; but
Mr. Serjeant•PALmr.a, the Commissioner, over-
ruled the objections,, and patiently heard the pri-
soner, who pleaded hiS own cause. He contend-
ed, that time ohtaining a wife under false 'pretences,
even it true, hut which he denied, in his case,
would not come within the terms of time Act of
Nrliament, which co-nstitutell :he act of obtain-
ing goods, money, or merekandise, minder false
pretences, to be a fraud or-swindling, on which
point also the Learned Serjeant was of opinion,
that by the marriage contract, &c. the prisoner
had obtained as good a marital title as any com-
mission or contract could give to him.
To the charge of havillg been instrumental in
the contract of intended marriage between' his
sister-in-law, another Miss Hawk.ns, to a Mr.
Walters, he replied, by offering in evidence a let-
ter of her own brother to that gentleman on that
subject ; but which letter was not allowed to be
read, as not relevant to the qu-eStion of "detainer
or fraud,. which alone constitutes the exception
in the Act "of Parliament.

The proofs and qualifications of the prisoner
were ordered to be regularly entered on the Jour,
nal,- and ruled to be valid in all respects by the,
Commissioner ; Who added, that if no further ob-
jections than those already made could be offered,
he was clearly of 'opinion that the prisoner was
fully entitled on the facts and merits of the case.
It being, howeYer, strongly presSed by the Learn-
ed Counsel against the, prisoner, that.by legal in-
terpretatio,n of the settlement he should be de-
tained till February next, When the .first instal-
ment, being a sum of 80001. would become due
and payable, and; which, if not then paid, would
fully establish the act of svvindlin'g.
The Learned Commissioner observed, that
merely in respect for, and in deference to-the opi-
nion of Counsel, added to sonic Slight doubt which
he had himself entertained on the law of the case
as to the: marriage settlement only, and which
doubt he wished to be removed, he would remand
the prisoner for one.fortnight only ; and regret-
ted, that at first he did not see the merits of the
case, as he should not, inAhis instance, have al-
lowed so much opposition or argument on the
subject.
The prisoner,. a Gentleman of no common ta,-
lents, was ordered to be remanded for a iortnight.
Judgment postponed.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.