New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-08

~ ork OF IL constructors yet thee ratios an nomen-
cah, it, disug FISHING characteristic Several
otbe, :. atoms have adopted new saadiri' verified
their old with rreat accuracy. by similar 10
those used the French though on hardy 20 grand
scale And thee Standard. like those used by the
Fencb. lave on, iuany come into ami Effected
beneficial chang. \ their accuracy and certainty
But with very few exceptions no other nation has
sdorted tbe decimal -, los which therefore Do
culinr to The French sy.,.> Of 1913 and 1875; and
these ratios with their nory.ne ture have been almost
totally changed and abaDdoasd 20 that II lis peculiar
features the system may b. justly Pr houneed failure
When the French system wes frSt enacted by de-
cree Of the National Assembly Of Ara uS' !, I'@' Il
was found to very slowly into ms was not
agreeable to the inno7atng fiery spirits who managed
the French Republic, and its use was made o>'Inpul-
SOY by the rigorous and summary penalties - familiar
to that knot Of bloody de-pots called alss, with what
bitter satire . the Committee of Public Salty; who
were followed in their efforts for the establishment of
this system By the more cautious and less sanguinay,
but hardly less iyrannical Directory. One, competent
10 testify Of their actions has said VI them in respect
to his very matter: " Tho weight, and measures were
one Of the principal affair of thr Directory Instead
Of leaving time to work the change, and merely en-
couragDg the system by al the power Of exam
" pie and fashion, they made compulsory laws, aud
" had them vigorously executed. Merchants and citi
zens found themselves harassed about matters which
" were in themselves Indifferent; and this increased
" the unpOpulanty Of Government which placed it.
self above the waits and the reach Of the people IN
fringng THEN usage. habits and customs with all he
violence that might have been expected from a
" Greek or Tartar conqueror, who, with the staff in
lis hand insists upon obedience to all his commands
which are dictated only by his own prcjudces and
interests to the total exclusion Of those OF the van
quisLod." Nalolcou's Memors-Ao utnoOn. On. XXI
sec. f.
This extract taken in connection with other history
shows strongly with what zeal the introduction and use
Ct the decimal system was urged by the successive
rulers Of the Revolutions; by whose almost demo-
riacal energy and marvellous success is without par
alel who, with depleted treasury and without credit
raised and equipped the greatest armies known in
Western Europe; who with hasty recruits and pebeian
generals baled the tactics of distinguished command
and the valor veteran soldiers and at
the time, wthsood the greater danger of an ex
tcIsive and embittered domestic r. belon which they
quelled by force who were dreaded and feared at
home, and who made Europe quake before them; who
hesitGted at nothing whose motto to use the words OF
Dan;on, was L'audace laudace, toujOurs laudace.'
Yet these men unable to compel the bakers and
procers and MERGERS, the tradesmen aud artisans OF
Paris even much les Of the remote departments, to
use the decimal syslem OF weights and measures.
The new standards the metre, the litre, and the
eranne were it is true, gradually brought into use,
but the people would not use tue names AID the
decimal divisions were discarded, and set OF d
visions unknown to the law almost wholly superseded
them. These new voluntarily adopted divisions, while
mostly similar to those Of the old system in use in
France before the Revolution still more conform
abe to the principle of continual division by than
those were. ard the necessities and cOnveuieuces of
the people finally compelled the law to conform to
them.
Some may suppose this TO have been owing 10 preu-
dice, or to dislike for change, but il NUT be remen-
bered that the French people were in the midst of the
greatest changes and had changed many OF their long
est established customs laws aud Institutions Change
and innovation were popular; ard change in weights
and measures had been demanded ei the Statesticn-
era in the very iucpeu Stages of the Revolution the
Old system being in IL confusion aud uncertainty a
source of grievance; aud in fact the people did accept
the real improvements If the systen-the relia
bic end uniform standards bu, they dd not and could
rot be made to ADOPT it, GecL,7i feature nor the
mencature founded on aud forming part Of that f.a
turc. But We have abundant and distinguished tcH-
monv as 10 the failure of the French system, and the
causes If that failure.
SELLING BY WFlGHT.-The following table shows
tLe WEIGHT Of bushel of produce a. establishes b.