Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-08-30
The Mctrical System and its HntrOduc-


During the last session of Congress a reso-
luton was passed. on the motion of Mr.. Clark
of Missouri, inquiring of the various Govern
ment departments concerning the introduc-
ton of the metrical system in the United
States. As is well known. this system has al
ready been legalized by act of Congress. The
object of the resolution was to find from each
of the heads of departments what objections
existed to the introduction Of the system as
obligatory, first in Governmental transactions
and second in transactions between individu-
ais Replies were duly sent in, of which
those from the War Department. the Navy
Department, the Department Of State, and
the Postmaster General were the most inter-
esting. On the whole, the opinions express
ed were rather against than for the change.
The Navy Department, for instance, point
ed out that if the system were made obliga-
tory in the affairs Of the Navy, it would in
volye a total loss Of all charts and chart
plates now in use" as on these the soundings
were given i'll fathoms and feet. And the
Secretary added, that as long as England
continued the use of the present standard,
change would be prejudical and prevent the
free use and interchange of charts which
seems essential to navigators.' When it is
remembered that the photographic depart
meut of the English Government is the most
important and extensive of its kind in the
Nblltl' llAll lto survey are lut lLOhl careful
and the most widely used, and that they are
authoritative even with nations which have
adopted the metrical system, this objection
has much weight.
The Postmaster-General cited two objec-
tioDs One. was the expense which would be
involved in furnishing new scales, an objec-
ton not very important but which might
readily seem so to an officer who is compelled
each year to fight for an appropriation to COW
! i l.
was more serious. and was based on the diff
Guilty of instructing postmasters at the small
er stations, and on the difficulty of getting
the public to adopt the new mode of compu-
tation. We do not think that in the post Of
| fee this would be very serious matter. The
packages usually offered there are very near
| ly uniform in weight, letters and papers con-
stituting the great bulk of mail matter, and it
would be comparatively easy to accustom the
| public to calculating in grams instead of
| ounces. Indeed. it may safely be said that
no better field for Introducing the metrical
system gradually can be found than the Post
! Office
The State Department contented itself with
reiEGrking that the disadvantages of the sys-
| TEN in dealing with countries which have not
adopted it would be greater than the advan-
tages in dealing with those who have adopted
| it.
In tn, War Department the matter was
! very car fully considered, and opinions were
reported from various chiefs of bureaus. Of
these that of the Quartermaster-G General
| Gen. MeiGs, was very strongly opposed to the
| change. 1t would vastly increase the labor
| of computation; il would increase the chances
of error: it would involve expense in the
| change OF scales, measures, &c, and unless
| the new system were made obligatory in trans
actions between individuals, it would involve
! continual confusion and misunderstanding. "
| As TO imposing the system on individuals gen.
! orally, the General is of the
! opinion that Congress has not the power to
! do so, and that the people would not submit
| to il. To these objections. which are worthy
of consideration, he added another which
! does not seem to be as much so, viz, that
| the basis Of the system, the metre, is not, as
was originally supposed an exact ten -miilionth
| part of the quadrant of the meridian of Paris.
| and that it is therefore, quite arbitrary
and unscentific standard as the foot or
yard" But, in reality, it is of no great con-
sequence whether the metre is the even deci-
nal fraction of a known measurement of the
earth's circumference The essential feature
of the metrical system is that the unit, once
adopted, is multiplied or divided decimally,
and that this fact makes all calculations more
| simple, easy, and free from chances of error.
| Once given a measure of length, surface,
weight. and cubic contents, which can be sub
divided or increased decimally, aud its rela-
ton to any longitudinal quadrant may be dis
regarded. Our own yard or foot might just
as well serve as any other, if it were not that
the metre has already been adopted by France,
Germany, Russia Italy, Belgium, Holland
in short, by all the important commercial ma
! tions except Great Britain.
This brings us to the most serious element
in the discussion, which is the cooperation
of great Britain 1t is perfectly plain that
what might be very profitable in the long run,
and comparatively easy with the aid of that
| country, would be much more difficult with
out such aid. Even if we could adopt the
system at home we should still be at great
disadvantage in our extensive dealings with
English-speaking people. In any case, the
process would be tedious one, and one
which would demand great caution and pa
tience in its introduction. Many measure
ments, especially of surface, as those defining
the boundaries of land would have to beac-
cepted on the old terms for long time, and
the utmost care would be required not to de
range the records of such measurements. But
in spite of such inconvenience, which are in.
separable from any change, we have no doubt
that England and the United States could ul
timately introduce the metrical system tC
great advantage. Both Governments will
move slowly in regard to the matter. 1t il
their habit to do so. But it is hardly reason
able to ask them not to move at all until &
strong popular demand requires them to dc
So There are many things which even the
most limited Government must regulate, with
out a specific impulse from the people. The
details Of coinage, for instance, and of mai
transportation, would be forever neglected il
they were left to popular vote, and the regu
laton of weights and measures is of like ma
ture. The Government cannot afford TO fal
outstrip popular opinion or go too strongly
against popular prejudice, but it may fairl!
try, in judicious manner, to lead the for
mer and overcome the latter.
| N y Times