The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-28 00:00:00

NEW CHANGES IN THE STAND:
ARD WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
This Commission, consisting of the following nine scie
ntec!
gentlemen,Baay ;.
E. p
viz.,
nGk.
vy.
a ft
el.r
Bethune;Aie y , A stpr oanv
Davies
Astronomer
Herschel ; J. G. S. Lefevre ; J. W. Lubbock ; Rev. Georg
Peacock ; Rev. R. Sheepshanks; appointed by letter of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer of the 11th May, 1838. UP"' tb
it,
destruction of the Standard Weight and Measure in the bur
„
ing of the Houses of Parliament, to take into comideration
best steps towards restoration of the same, having broligir
Gilbert,oyal ;SF; illob
their investigations and opinions forward in the above Bepo!
we proceed to condense its substance, as regards the alterati?o'
proposed, and the measures advised for adoption.
STANDARDS OF LENGTH AND WEIGHT. a_
The Commissioners in their Report express theniselvea 07:
satisfied with the provisions for restoration of the standard:
case of loss, laid down in sects. 3 and 5 of Act 5, Geo. I
cap. 74, showing from scientific observations and experiniep;
adduced, that the method by which the length of the yard
proposed to be taken, and the pound weight restored, are 0.4
and all singularly defective. Several measures of length
weight, however, exist; viz., the Royal Astronomical Society
e
scale ; and the iron bars belonging to the Board of Ordna
&c., by which the original standards can always be precise')
restored. The following are the more important clauses :--,
Advises that four sets of copies of the standards of lard
and weight, to be denominated the Parliamentary COpies, one
in all respects to the legal standards be to din.
set of which is to be herruetical'y sealed up in a case, an be
closed within the masonry of a public building, and not to b
disturbed unless by sanction of Act of Parliament: that vt,
Parliamentary standard be compared with the other .tin
Parliamentary copies of that standard once in ten years 'Ed la
that the Parliamentary standards themselves be preset.,
different municipal offices, with proper keepers, and precaup""
for
States that from satisfactory and conclusive evidence it
the
pears that the present troy pound is almost useless, even:...ohly
few trades or professions in which troy weight is aunlijaa
used, and even to the great mass of the British PoPw-tiad
wholly unknown, and recommends that the avoirclupoii P°
be adopted in its stead.
os fer
Proposes that the Government take immediate r-e* hati
securing and preserving in some public depository, the /aro
weights and measures which have been used in extensive feud
operations, requiring great delicacy, as well as many u la
former times for special uses. Several of these are 0°
.ht
possession of parties stated, from whom the Government 0110.-.
obtain them by cati:•tesy or purchase.
of 1111
Urges that the superintendence of the construction
new Parliamentary standards be intrusted to a Commit
scientific scientific men, to be named by her Majesty, subject to rer
general instructions, among which it is specified— Ad b
21. That the length of the new Parliamentary Stand reja
one yard, the length hitherto adopted ; there appearing nu-
son for departing from it.
25. That a platinum weight of 7,000 grains be constre,o
and that this be declared the Parliamentary standard of 'l'4l'oo
by the name of the Pound Weight ; the distinctive
"avoirdupois" being hereafter omitted. nerd'
30. That the old standard of capacity be retained
CHANGES IN SECONDARY STANDARD' 01
Invites the attention of Government to the advantage
facility of establishing in this country a decimal system 0' cecsa
age, being of opinion that no change which can be effeetuol
our monetary system, would be felt by all classes so 4, et*
beneficial with this, when the temporary inconveniences' to
tending such change shall have passed away. This chat:trod
consist in interposing between the sovereign (or pounded
the shilling, a new coin equivalent to two shillings (to be,hiago
by a distinctive name); as also of considering the fat' ty
which now passes as the 1-9tioth part of the pound, a! al
1-I,oooth part of that unit; and of establishing a tte.
value equal to the 1-100th part of the pound, and of circo'col
besides these decimal members of a decimal coinage, other col
of values bearing a simple relation to them, including nil
of the same value as the present shilling and sixpeneet• tor
considered by this measure that no circumstance vieanhoi
would contribute so much to the introduction of the aeinci/
scale in weights and measures, in those respects in whic"lbr
really useful, as the establishment of a decimal coinage. he
scale, however, of binary subdivision thought better to
adapted to small retail transactions.

LAND MEASURES, &c. bject'
Acknowledges difficulties of interfering with this 9a
AO
but proposes that the present land-chain, 80 of which 07-00
mile, be superseded by the introduction of a measure of lets
yards ; that the present inconvenient subdivision of lllecipol
into roods and poles be superseded by the use of the &lie 1#
divisions of the acre ; and that the use of the decimal
encouraged, more particularly the decimal subdivision ° 0111
foot as now used extensively in the practice of engineers ;cod
that provision be made for the erection of marks at,ol,
1,000 yards distance on all principal public roads, 03'
and canals.

AVOIRDUPOIS AND TROY WEIGHT.
Page 12, clause 8 of the Report, for the purpose of rela4ial
the confusion which at present exists between the two 1.!:tl
in use, oft, oy and avoirdupois, whereby two modes of esti!'"
weights co-exist, proposes the entire abolition of the troy P°eor.
and var ous changes in these corresponding tables, and illeor
sideration of the interests concerned in these changes, rhes°
mends that Government should compute and print for to*
of bullion merchants and assa3ers, a new edition of these t
clel"
with the decimal changes, proposed to be introduced,calculated.
561*1
Further, that the present weights of 14 lhs., 28 lbs., ,„ Rao.'
f
and 112 lbs., now in use be withdrawn, and weights 0704
20 lbs., 30 lbs., 40 lbs., 50 lbs. and 100 lbs., be sobs Ito 00,
instead; these measures being believed on many accountsqed.
more convenient. This change of weights, it is acknori;;oo,
would cost from 100,0001. to 200,0001., but would be 3
cheaply purchased even at such a price. clgiserk
Among other minor propositions, which appear as dog
are-1. A periodic comparison of the Exchequer st"%ttirS,
with the Parliamentary standards, as is done every toll Ye-00
in Prussia, the former of which being suspected at tbeitit tba:,
minute not very accurate, owing to this neglect. brig*.
material of the present Exchequer standards, soft ye_l 11,
be changed for gun. metal, and that the stamping ban n''
chequer mark, instead of being detrimentally fixed "J
suer, be executed by a process of engraving instead. 3,
LOCAL STANDAtDS.
Poiut. out a cerious orniasitna ;in the 'cit.+, of the Qre
regarding local standards ; viz.—no direction for the rrr-tar•
verification of them, by comparison with the Exchequer soco!
dards of certain times, by which many of the former are
cole
erroneous to a large amount ; advises provisions for tbe_A
nies in this respect, and that mural standards be fix)
the various towns of the home kingdom, to be named by
of Parliament, wherever assizes are held, or the
ceeds 10,000 persons.
INSPECTION OF WEIGHTS AND MEASV tol;
Complains of the `defectiveness of the present laws little,
respect, when by the office of Inspector is shown to be'utiati:
other than a nullity; and that great irregularity in the egeeof iir
of the laws is caused by the reservation of the privileg,,,At;
speet ing arid stamping to certain corporate bodies, leet juries9jA
Proposes, therefore, (78) that the powers of InsaPejecired,
of Weights 'and Measures be extended and exPlai befaril
as to enable them to examine and seize for trial oairi
a Magistrate, weights, measures, and weighing-110°1LO,
which they have good reason for supposing to be
and
population
without warrant, wherever they are found; 30" ani;
to enter, for the purpose of such examination, lob:
place where goods are exposed, kept, measured, or weig AA.
and, with special warrant of a Magistrate, to enter for
of itY
examination into any place whatever. hat this systeca, oat:
spection and registration be organized on a complete an,u,ersr
form plan throughout the kingdom, with gradations of otncner
suggesting, however, that these duties might be efficiently reor;
formed by the officers of Excise ; and that the powers') boll/
porate bodies, leet juries, &c., above complained of, be ''
abolished ; this last recommendation urged as of high
1,
portance.
Other clauses relate to a more sufficient assurance sew
given by the stamp upon tradesmen's weights belly,. refrn:onot,
The Report closes with recommendations for the pAlicat.iiiro'l
an authorised table of denominations, for facilitating the id fICt
duction of a uniform system of weights and measures,
reconciling the habits of the people to so considerable a Chal3r ;'
11

'ATAL ACCIDENT.—Last evening, between fiVe:'ol
6 o'clock, as a man, named James Sandycork, 33 years of age, *otie
work at the bottom of the " coffer darn" which has been constroget'
near the centre arch of the western side of Westminster'l3 illSi
for the purpope of repairing the foundation of that Part:(
opt
e°
,'
bridge, a piece of wood, of about 15 inches square, fell ll
height of upwards of 30 feet upon the nape of his neck, and "'
Ri
him on the spot. .0
The new building, now in the course of ereeti°ll,oolt i
the northern side of Threadneedle-street, is rapidly progressit tb,s.
it is expected that it will be, for the most part, completed l'clotSo
ensuing month of May. The purposes to which it is to be de
are still kept a close secret by the proprietor, o
ho
The Moniteur Parisien states that accounts
-f 5,,f A
been received of the death, in Africa, by his own hand,er
?`":61,::
Duhesme, Chef d'Escadron, and formerly orderly
King. He was suffering from dysentery, the pain of which jctei
posed to have induced him to commit this act, which he off
by discharging a pistol at his heart. 1
A few days ago there died, at Lon-le-Saultue
rno
man, who had been one of the most celebrated butchers in Ol '
in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. He went under the °400(
Chariot, and was said to be the man who had carried the "
the Princess de Lamballe im a pike. PI
A letter from Berlin, of the 13th inst., in theh diP
Asnpt Gazette of Frankfort, says: " Our c?ergy are very mu c.",,e 0,
pleased at the circular of the Archbishop of Canterbury, telee.,' tie°
the new Bishop of Jerusalem, in which it is said that the cf,i: 0
of this bishopric is only a means of uniting the German w" 01
o
Anglican church, and leading to a fusion of the two. Our c"
will not listen to anything like a conversion from their own
to tlie
to those of the Anglican church. and they propose to send ork
King a protest against the circular of the Archbishop of C 111,11,004
A correspondent of the Semaphore writes 1010,11
Algiers :—. While General Bugead is hunting the Arab' ..-vi Wit'
province of Oran, General de Rumigny is hunting wild 10" pi,
that of Algiers. A few days ago, he went out with two orb
neral officers, several staff officers, and sonic colonists, escorts' ist
300 native tirailleurs, and three boars, when an immense iloaet• ' (4°
'?
game, was brought in."
Vith '
A narrow board, nearly three feet in lengths ,
the letters " ERNST" cut deep, and gilded, has been Pict 00' '
near the Osmington station, and forwarded by the Inspecting , jit ,
mander of the Coast Guard to George Arden, Esq., Lloyd's go,
Weymouth.—Dorset Coun y Chronicle.
NO°.
Oil Sunday, the 13th inst , a troop of masker3,,t, ot,
had bound themselves together with ropes, promenaded the co“ill .
Lyons, bearing a large flag, on which was inscribed Ame .11.0;. ,
malheureux! This being considered by the police as so e 0
merit to disturbance, they were all arrested. the
According to a statement made recently by 011
Marquis d'Audiffret, the fete of the notaries, avoues,huissier;oS of
registrars in France, amount annually to a hundred milli.0
eiesh
francs. There are 15,850 notaries, 8,931 avoues. 12,290 bul'fsife '
835 registrars of tribunals, and 3,896 registrars of Justice de
iv. 140
tii
The hospitals of Paris are so crowded that, ' re. .
the last few days, between forty and fifty patients have been pet
fused at the Central Bureau of Admissions. The Prefect h3hol
appointed a Commission of Physicians to visit the hosPirel;Pure,''
order the discharge of all incurable patients. " This Inea:vote4
says the Temps, " although rendered necessary by the "°,,eat
state of the hospitals, will, nevertheless create some astonish"' .
considering the wealth of these establishments." re'
The Archbishop of Lyons has determined °n. ce
storing, as far as possible, all the stained glass windows of te str
thedral, and has forwarded plans to that effect to Paris to': re '
proved of by the Minister of Justice. A newArchiepiscopa!oini.
lace be is to formed in that city out of some building alreadyesi ter
of
An afflicting event occurred the day before yes • ,
day at the Courtilie. As a lad, eleven years of age, the seiniowed
wine dealer, was running home from an errand, he was °began
by an enormous mastiff, whose barking alarmed him, and he
he st•
to scream violently. The screams having irritated the deg, ~, pe
tacked the boy, threw him down, and, before assistance COw." it
rendered, had bitten him dreadfully in the face and throat
00,
was with great difficolty that the enraged animal could be suds
pelted to let go his hold upon the throat, and two hours after"
the poor boy was dead
A day or two ago, two persons genteelly dress ecla its
black, and describing themselves as members of the committee
rUB de
"Societe be Bienfaisance," called on a retired
general in the r". 00
Grenelle St. Germain, and solicited his subscription, at the
'"-sot,..
time showing two long lists of persons who had, they said,
thel
scribed. The General gave his subscription ; but, soon after 04
had left, began to suspect that he had been imposed uP°ll!, had
having made inquiry, found that no subscription of the kind
been opened, and that the pretended committee-men were svauw

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