The Sun.
London, England, 1826-08-23 00:00:00

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No. 10,592.

NEW WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

In the Philosophical Transactions for the present
year, is inserted an elaborate memoir, by Captain
Dater, F.R.S., one of the Commissioners, detailing
the whole operations for constructing and determining
the standards. The following extracts may be interest-
ing, as pointing out the principle of the determinations,
and their utility.

" The weights and measures of the United Kingdom of, Great
Britian and Ireland are founded upon a standard, the length of
which is determined by the proportion it. bears to that of the
pendulum vibrating seconds of mean time in London. The length
of this pendulum 1 have stated to be 39-18,929 inches of Sir G.
Shuckburgh Evelyn's standard scale : and the experiments, from
which this conclusion is deduced, aredetailed M the Philosophical
Transactions for 1818,.

" The Philosophical Transactions for 1819 contain an ac-
count of experiments for determining the variation in length of
the second► pendulous at the principal stations of the Trigonome-
trical survey of Great Britain. For this purpose I constructed
an invariable pendulum, the number of vibrations made by which
being observed in London, and also at the principal stations of the
Trigonometrical Survey, the length of the seconds pendulum at
such stations could readily be deduced from the previously known
length of the pendulum vibrating seconds in London.
"The flecueil &Observations Geodesiques,' &c. affords one
an opportunity of comparing these last results With those of M.
Hiot, whose very valuable labours for determining the length of
the pendulum vibrating seconds at various stations from Unit to
Formentara, are there detailed.

" From the near agreement of the French and English experi-
ments on the length of the pendulum, it may be inferred, that the
length of the French metre, expressed in parts of Sir George
Shucklmrgli Evelyn's Scale, is probably not erroneous one ten
thousandth of an inch.

" In the Philosophical Transactions for 1821, will be found
An account of the comparison of various British standards of
'linear measure;' and it will there be seen that the difference be-
tween Sir George Shuckburgh'a standard scale, and a standard
yard of 1760 made by Bird, and in the custody of the clerk of
the House of Commons, is so very small that they may be con-
sidered as ' perfectly identical.' This yard, under the deno-
mination of ' the Imperial Standard Yard,' has been declared by
Parliament, on the recommendation of the Commissioner, of.
Weights and Measures, to he the unit or only standard measure
of extension' of the United Kingdom ; consequently the length
of the pendulum before given is
_expressed in parts of the Impe-
rial Standard Yard.
" The measures of capacity being dependent upon the weight
of a cubic inch of distilled water, it became necessary to consider
the degree of reliance which might be placed upon the accuracy
of the experiments made by Sir George Shuckburgh on this
subject.

" A cube, a cylinder, and sphere of brass were used in these
experiments; and in consequence of some difficulties which, oc-
curred, the weight of these, both in air and in distilled water, was
so repeatedly ascertained by Sir George Shuckburgh as to leave no
reasonable doubt of the accuracy of his conclusions. But as the
linear dimensions of "-the cube, sphere, and cylinder, might not
have been determined with equal precision, it was thought ad-
visable to repeat these measurements. This Was accordingly
done ; and though in detail they differed somewhat from Sir George
Shutlchurgh's determinations, yet fortunately, the variations were
'such as nearly to counterbalance each other, and to occasion little
difference in the ultimate result, as may be seen in an account of
these last mentioned measurements given in the Philosophical
Transactions for 1821.
" Sir George Shuckburgh's results having been expressed in
she wean Of several ahuulardfityZrA4llLiiii
one and of two pounds, kept at the • . • •
tglioutratne that
Commissioners of Weights and Aleantsanughli•l
•t Cd in t mean, should
t,hettregra re 'unit of • weight; and therefore recommended that
the Parliamentary Standard Troy Pound of 1758 should renfain
unaltered; and this his been accordingly declared by the Legisla-
ture to he the original unit or only standard measure of weight,
from which all other weights shall be derived ;' and that it is to
be denominated the Imperial Standard Troy Pound.' "

After giving an elaborate detail of the operations,
occupying nearly forty pages 4t0., Captain Kater thus
concludes :

" I cannot conclude without bearing testimony to the unwearied
perseverance, ability, and accuracy, which Mr. Bate has shown
in the course of a work attended with no common difficulties, and
to the perfect execution of which he has devoted for a long period,
the whole of his time and attention.

" From what has been said, it will be seen, that the length of
the pendulum vibrating seconds, in London, has been found in
parts of the imperial standard yard ; consequently the value of the
yard may at any time be known, having been relined to a natural
standard presumed to be unalterable. The length of the French
metre, a standard' expressing a certain portion of a terrestrial itie
ridian, has also been given in parts of the English scale. The
weight of a Cubic inch of distilled water has been determined in
parts of the imperial troy pound, and thus the pound, if lost, may
at any future age be recovered. The avoirdupois pound is now
for the first time defined, and the measures of capacity ars made
to depend upon the weight of water they contain ; the imperial
gallon, containing ten pounds avoirdupois of water having been
deklared to,be the unit or only standard measure of capacity, from
whiCh all others are to be derived. This it is to be presumed,
cannot but powerfully tend to produce uniformity throughout the
United Kingdom, by putting it in the power of every individual
possessed of standard weights, to verify his measures of capacity
with the utmost facility."

FA !in toN.—The number of distinguished and fa-
shionable personages who have this year visited the
Highlands of Scotland has been beyond .all precedent..
Among those who arc at present residing at their
respective castles and shooting quarters are, the. Most.!
Noble the Marquis of Stafford, and Lords Belgrave
and Surrey, in Sutherlandshire, who have been visited
by his Grace the Duke of Norfolk, Lord William
Bentinck, and Lord Alfred Howard. Lord Gower I
was also for a short time at Dunrobin Castle. Lord
Hopctoun and his Lady are now with Mr. Davidson
at Tulloch Castle. The descendant of Lord Lovat
has Lord Stafford and his Suite, at his seat of Beau-
fort Castle ; and the Castle of the Chisholm is Oeeti..
pied by Sir Joseph Radcliffe and a large party. Lord 1
Macdonald and family are among their own isles in
the west ; and at Castle Leod, in Strathpeffer, one of
the .
ands,
seats of the ancient family of Cromarty, there is a
large assemblage. Every shooting-box in the Hi h-
From far and near, is now filled with sportsmen of all I
and conditions, from the highest sounding aris-
tocratic 11
this influx of company,
titles, down to the pleasure-hutning cockney.
it is expected that the
approaching Northern Meeting will be a brilliant
one._.lnverness Courier
Lieutenant arid Adjutant Kenny, of the 89th re-
giment, who him b
in consequence of
an alleged in Newgate for some week' past,
pany's4hipg„.soZalleged duel, on board the honourable Com-
accoMpanied h her istesage from India to this country,
oeierstahnd, was one
of the Court of King,. ,2_,a*, waited on the Lord Chief Justice
) Several ''—
custody of Mr. haeri„, Bench on Saturday last, at Hampstead, in
1 riously granted. (a Writ of habeas hayingheen pre-
amongst othera, w. unrlavni were submitted to his Lord-
ship,the deceased, stating that
cumstances which led to this unfortunate minutely examined till eir-
from the family of
aidered the strict intimacy which.
existed
affair, and that they con-
the latest moment, ' justified
tni owed between the partici to
perfectly unpremeditated. Lieut. ;ny,"nsidering the quarrel was
was much distinguished in his profess Ctlfly, who, we understand,
treme ill-health. The Lord Chief Ja !la India, appeared in am-
dim*, on producing four sureties • SOOT, each. . '