The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-02-01

Decimal System Of WeisAts and Measures.
LECTURE OF PROFESSOR FELTON, BxTO1x THE GEO.
GRAPHICAL SOCIETY.
An interesting lecture delivered last night In the
University by Pref Felton,, adopting universal sys-
tenn Of decmas In weights measures Tho audience
very limited Mr.. Henry Grnne introduced TO the
audience Prof FnIoS, who said Mr. President agrees-
BILE to appointment, will mako . fsw remarks upon q
uniform rule of weights and In all countries
Much that submitted win appear at first unmportant,
but aatter myself that viii finally appear otherwise.
Everything advance win involve important princi-
pie. The merchant and tradesman the buyer and seer
viii all experience benefit from carrying out
system propose. prepared to show it will do
away With much Of commercial arithmetic In dsscrib-
ing the decimal system is only ,esslry observe
that it is ordinary computation. 1t will b that di-
vision important in this stem. 1t matter Of
graduation that eecmah sready established In this
country in our currency ne system Of weights
in opens the eoor every system Of fraud and mpo
ston. One Of the many peculiar properties In
this system Is, that you I've only to down the
figures Of any given quantity and the lsrges deromina
vail in weight, IS in fysses, ril put down 1855
ounces at by dividing off b. units, read one
And then again, Il we wanted to ascertain now macy
there were in hundred weight have oaiy
to Add three cyphess and have the result have
The number Of In the dollar BY adding two cyphss
for cents three cyPhers for the number Ut mills In
short have the mills dimes, dollars aud eagles of
weights hsvs * dollars in currency With
this system could also multiply and the result of mut
tpyiDg weight by money or prices would be the right
here said weights and may Also be said of
dry measure. This system appears more particularly
lars gallon would be six dimes pint six oents q
gin and Fix mills dram; AMI on the other side of
gallons, 1T would be six eagles per hundred weight
and sixteen eagles tom and thus that BY essb
fishing regular system Of weights and measures we'll
as currency, should have currency and measures
agreeing with the other OF cloth measure we ave
the result from the application OF this syste This
uniformity Of measuring and reckoning might be
carried out into square measure and cubic measure
although this cannot be called commercial reckoning
10 chain snd 10 chains Ana then
sec that putting down gross amount Of links by
dividing BY deoimas we hsve without further deduction
chains ro0ds perches, slaves and links and null
upyir0 this by dollars and cents we have the result at
once collars and cents As regards the Importance of
tended for this when they demanded and gained from
King John the Magma Charra The decimal system GER
tom than any oSss now eame to show tHst
the decimal system could be adopted In this
country without Ont. any oohio It can only be done
more dry measures must be supplied, q few more mea
in avorcupois weights and certainly all these I'm
proyements can be obtained 81 very small price Multi
ply weight by price, could get the price by multiply
ing ounces or pounes by cen without any tr ueesoms
In ming the advantages OF this system may, in the
first place do away with some of the troublesome and
unnecessary rules Of ar,tnme DC such as compound mu
tpEcation, and mental arithmetic will be greatly ad
vanced In the second place all commercial calculations
now From . calculation 1t has become clear that the
system advocate would clerk in ordinary bu
sness nine years IN devoted to the present
advantageous position to take the first step adopting
this new system. I am veteran IN this field, having
devoted years of my life to it. and safety
say the adoption Of this system would be bsns to the
civil lied world
OF the Society be rendered to Professor FELTON, for his dis
course snd copy of it be requested for publication.
JoHN JAY then MADE motion that q committee be ap-
pointed TO Graw up memorial to be presented to Con-
gress asking for uniform system Of dscnals applied to
weights and measures.
molten to amend this notion by referring the Whole
matter 10 the Council, was carried.
report then made and accepted, stating that
Peter Cooper had promised the society rooms in his now
The thanks the society were returned peter Cooper
for his liberal offer
The society then &C i0urned.
Lecture Shakerism.
F. Evans, q member Of the Shaker fra .ernlty Of
Lebanon delivered lecture last evening" at the Broad
way Tabernacle the doctrines of the peculiar fate
nifty which he belongs The novelty Of the subject
and the eccentcies Of dress and of this socie
ty attracted large audience. Mr. Evans dressed in
long blue coat somewhat after cut known the
Shargbae rather capacious neither garment, Quaker
vest and low crowned, broad brimmed hat. He read
his lecture, in which he assisted BY brother of the
society, who dressed in similar STYLE He began BY
referring to tho general impression which he said pre-
vsied in The community with regard to the industrious
character OF the Shakers In this the public cor
rect bat they wrong in believing that the Shakers
held doctrines that in direct opposition both
and the Scriptures 1t true they did not agree in
the belief Of the Christians as the coming OF the Ss-
they believed that the Christ of the Christians
not Jesus, ard that he yet to In CONTRACT
it might be- By the spirit Of Goo but still Thsre
the lecturer said eighteen different societies Of
Shakers scattered in seven of the States Of the Union
Only in Tree countries that they fourihed and To
this attributable the fac. that they not to be
found in foreign lands The fserniy established in
1872, when the first society was organized. Thir
doctrines were very simple and fee from those
abshuse qse:,iors BY which Christians ar. are per.
Shaker, and be lived said the speaker in accordance
with the manner Of the fraternity at the present cay
1here they believed, four dispansa ons-the first
from Adam TO Abraham the second from Abraham
TO Noses the third to Ann Lee, the fourth from
Lee to the etesnh century Mr. Evans went into
a dissertation various points of the Scriptures and
dwet with particular emphasis that part that speaks
Of Moses talking with God in the burning bush IN the
angel we're introduced and these somewhat
fused they required explanation Now, re- the speaker
and the Supreme Ruler OF the Universe and thst
local deity was the God Of the Israetes. Like them
people. Moses he believed. merely a mediator, and
he forgohs character auch when striking The rock he
ssn shAu bring water cut OF TINS rock Tor ye ye re-
belsS" Like the lsIaeies o. they held property in
ctmntn, for shown il the gathering Of the
In the wilderness OF which all partook ike without
distnchop, tney all lived in state of equality. This
equality, which sbLshed by God proved hat man
had not only right to live but right to tha by which
Gfe Is sustained The Shakers did the SAD
bath Of the ChristiaDst the Sab oath of rael
ties that they respected and kept holy The circumcision
Of the jews vas, he said, Aind of bsp.
that marriage only ordained tor the pur-
poses of procreaon and when ii employed for any
Cth nurp0u hon hpra luat M0saa thok ph
priest Of the order Of procreation He taught the
principle that Jew must lead gin life, but he cid
teach the high prest Of the generave order that the
law Of marriage sexual intercourse for procreaon
only The intercourse of the shonld only take
place for the purpose Of reproduction, and anything
hey that Is lust Of the eeh II II violation the ply
Biological laws Of being Everything that pace
among the Jews between the had to be
made public, and the parties were shut from the