The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-06-01
A Uniform System Of Weights and
Measures.

The report recently presented TO the na-
iiolEll House of representatives by Mr.
kasson Of Iowa. upon the advantages of
the meirical system of coins, weights and
measures, :ls :. substitute for the imperfect
system now IN Use, Is attracting fresh at
tcntion 10 this important subject. The
House on Thursday passed a ''permissipe"
bill. authorizing and legalizins the use OF
the metric system IN this country and di-
reciel the secretary of the treasury; ito
furnish 10 each stale one SET OF the stand
arr wei.iltS and measures of the metric
system FOR the Use of the states" This
Inv l. ,le>iinee, TO be followed by one max
img the metric system supersede all Others
The constitution gives Congress full power
in The premises and il Is a wonder that ii
has heretofore exercised il so sparingly.
We have proved the advantages OF the
nleirical system 10y decimalizins our coins,
bui the VARYING and incongruous measures
of' weighi. capacity and surface, imported
lH III, early coloni>is from Enaland, have
virtually remained untouched. John
Quincy Adams, by direction OF the Senate.
made an exhaustive report upon this sub
lect in 1921. after three wears laboriou-
research. and warmly advocated the adop-
iion oi the metric system, which had been
adopted 10y France in 1872 Congress
dii nothing Then. however, and We have
ma le little progress in the matter since;
while the Importance oi a system, TO be
not oniy uniform IN this country, but in
all commercial countries.
Mr. kas>on has been assisted in the
,-.>,-..-.,..-.. >,-,-- a, 80
of Yale Colle.e, who WAS CHARGED with
investigating the subject by the American
ACADEMY OF sciences. The New York
chamber oi commerce heartily approves
of the recommendations and thanks Nh
ka>~pn for making them. The report IA
vor> the plan that a congress of nationsbe
held IL iix = uniformity in COINS, as well
rs weights and measures, but expects the
same results ultimately. if the United
States. England and France. agree upon
system. Ii Is we'll said that if our system
oi' coins IS 10 UNDERGO change, We can best
make il now. a. cur com is withdrawn
from circulation For the present c'm-
plex system Of weights and measures it is
proposed io institute one orderly, siml,l !,
and perfectly harmonious. having useful
relation, between all lis paris. 1t is thus
composed -
Tie metre i the principal and only
unit Ii i 4 measure of length, and was
INTENDED 10 l,c one ten-millioneth of the
distance oi the earIh's surface from the
equator 10 the pole. Ii Is 39.551 inches
very nearly
The are Is a surface equal TO square
whose side is ten metres. Ii is nearly four
square rois-
The litre l. the unit for measuring
capacity. and i equal 10 the contents of
a cube whose el &c i a tenth part OF 4
metre Ii l. Il little more than a wine
quart
Tie grain Is the unit oi weight of
cube oi wafer each edge of the cube be-
ing one hundredih part OF the meier 1t
Is e,I,nl to 10 grains and 43e one-thou-
-;l,fisii-.
The -teere i a cubic meier.
Each oi' these units are formed by mul-
iiplirS Of ten, one hundred, DC. The sue
ce,>ive multiplies are designated 10y the
pre!ixe> decker, necto, kilo, and myria
tn parts iv deci. cent? and mill.
7, The non.c'ciliure, simple as it is III
theory. and designed from lis origin TO be
universal. can only become familiar 10y
u.s. The metric system Is already used
I'm some aris ;liri trades IN this country,
AM Is especially adapted 70 the wants of
lolherS. lis minute and exact divisions
specially adapt il TO the Use of chemists,
;apoihecaric>. the finer specimens of the
ar;i-;,I, and 10 all scientific objects. Yet
lii some oi The states, owing to the phrase
ology of their laws, it would be direct
violation Of them to use ii in the business
transactions OF the community. 1t l.,
therefore, very important TO legalize lis
u>e, and give TO the people, or that por-
iiom OF them desiring ii, the opportunlt.
OF its LEGAL employment, while the knowl-
ed-e Of lis characteristics will be thus dii-
fused among men, When its convenience
Is manifest, :. further act of congress can
fix the date for lis exclusive adoption As
LEGAL system. At an earlier period
may introduce it into all public offices and
/, for government service.