Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-13
VOLUME XXXIII.
rHE pEcrMAL sYsTEM.

measures.D The first Congress under the
Constitution executed this trust, so far as to
adopt the decimal system Of money, but
Congress has never undertaken 10 prescribe
a new arrangement Of weights and measures.
The Government Of France, in the early
periods Of the revolution, adopted the deci-
NAL arrangement for all, and reduced all
coins, weights and measures to one Standard
drawn from the measurement Of an arc Ofthe
earth's meridian. Great efforts are now put
forth to induce all nations to adopt the same
system.
The convenience of our own decimal
monetary system is felt to such degree by
Americans, that the application of the same
system to weights and measures might
probably be introduced here with less diff
Guilty and opposition than in any other civil
lied country. Nevertheless there is even
among Us a strong element Of opposition 10
such a change and as some OF our readers
may like to know oH~Ehat grounds this OPP
position is based, we have summarized below
some Of the reasons which are urged against
the more general use Of the decimal system
by its opponents.
/. The alleged advantages Of the decimal
system are limited TO the two simplest pro-
cesses Of calculation, addition and multiple
cation. In these it is IA helpto the mere tyro
in figures, but is of no consequence 10 the
least accomplished accountant. The old
systems present difficulties hardly apprecia-
bic in practice, and afford many advantages
in common use.
2. The French standard furnishes only
units that are so inconvenient as to be almost
universally rejected in common usage.
Nine-tenths Of the transactions that take
place in society, in coins, weights and meas
ures, are in quantities for which the decimal
unit is not convenient. In measurement for
instance, the metre, which is an aggravated
yard, Of about three feet and third, IS quite
unsuited to be the unit. So for the use of
the carpenter, the mason, the glazier, the tin
man, the shoemaker, the machinist, etc, the
decimetre, which is the next lower denomi-
nation, is one-tenth Of the metre, a little
short Of four inches, and IS asmuch too short
as the other is too long for common use:
So in weights The gramme, which is
the French unit, is nearly fifteen grains and
a half-too small for common use The de-
cagramme, the next higher, is upwards Of
two pounds avordupois, which is too large.
In money the franc is not a very convenient
unit for common purposes, and in large cal
culations il runs into such large figures that
false impressions are almost unavoidable.
II is believed that throughout France, TO
this day, the old names and divisions in
money, in measures and in weights, are far
more commonly used in small transactions,
and that the body Of the common people
habitually reduce small measures and small
prices 10 the old standard BY a rapid mental
process, before they feel quite sure that they
have got an exact comprehension ofthe case.
3. The decimal system is practically OBJ
jectionable, still further, by the failure to
furnish convenient aliquot divisions The
only divisions which decimal measure adj
mits is into halves and tenths In the prac-
teal uses most required by the mass of the
people, it is necessary to use thirds and
fourths and often sixths and eighths which
can not be exactly reckoned by decimals.
One-third Of a dollar is thirty-three cents
and third Of a cent. One-sixth is seven
teen cents and two thirds of cent. Half a
dollar is five dimes, but a quarter dollar is
two dimes and half; and neither of these |
coins have ever obtained a popular name.
All over the country, to this day, the greater
part Of transactions in sums above dime |
and below a dollar, are still reckoned in |
shillings, although there is no shilling of |
account which can be accurately rendered |
into Federal coin. The reasons why the |
shilling holds its grounds so tenaciously are,
that it has a name, that it is a convenient |
unit to use, and that it is divisible into |
halves, thirds, fourths and sixths. The foot |
measure, the gallon and quart, and the
pound weight have many of the same adj |
vantages, and would remain in common use
a hundred years after the adoption Of the |
decimal system by law.
NJ. H.. n, r IL.
mer, the geOgrapher, and the sailor, been
better satisfied with the decimal system of |
measures. The old method Of dividing the /
quadrant into ninety degrees, and the circle
into three hundred and sixty degrees, has
proved far more convenient for use than the
new division, which makes the quadrant
consist of one hundred degrees. The sixth
part of Il circle is one of the most essential
and this is impossible on the de-
cimal system. For most purposes, the d.
vision Of the quadrant into decimal degrees
is found impracticable, and the system is
here practically abandoned. But this is a
virtual abandonment Of the fundamental
idea of the system. The standard metre was
made to represent the ten-milIionth part Of
the quadrant Of the earth's meridian, so that
ten metres might represent second on the
quadrant, thousand metres a minute and
one hundred thousand metres a degree Of
latitude. The sailor lost his sextant, and
the attempt to reduce the processes Of mathe-
mates and astronomy 10 this standard broke
down and was abandoned.
If a system Of coins and measures is TO be
devised as scientific in its adaptation to the
uses Of man as in conformity to the princi-
pies Of mathematics, it must adapt its units
to the epmmonest purposes oflife, and capa-
bic of Bearing specific names Ca number is
not a name), and make its divisions and
practicable and convenient A
division by twelves, by sixteens or by fours
meets these conditions. Thefoot, the bushel,
the gallon and the shilling are convenient
names and proper dimensions for common
use. II nations would agree to adopt a COM
mon standard, il might be applied to all
these obiects-the names being applied by
each nation in its own language II is Of
little consequence TO have all divisions on a
uniform scale. IL that is desired the duo
decimal scale meets the greatest number Of
conditions, and is capable Of the greatest
number Of applications, aud with a little
study, IS hardly less suitable for ready reck-'
0ning than the decimal plan.