National Republican., 1878-12-07
The Metric system.

Editor EHucdfOHdi department:
have had the pleasure Of perusing .
pamphlet entitled Reports In Reference TO
tho Adoption Of the Metric System" being
those Of the Chief Clerk of the Treasury De-
partment, the Superintendent Of the Coast
Survey, and the Chief Clerk Of the Bureau Of
Statistics, compiled In response to the request
of tho Secretary of the Treasury. 1t Is doc
ument which should have unlimited circula-
tion, as it gives In 4 condensed form, not
otherwise obtained most valuable information
upon this subject. The report Of Mr.. Upton,
which classiies the countries that have
adopted the metric system, also gives Informs
tion which parents should receive, that they
may the more readily understand this system,
as IL Is taught in our schools. To the majority
Of people the introduction OF this system
seems arbitrary aud undesirable, aud II must
of necessity bo many years before its general
adoption.
Mr. Patterson, In his report well says:
That very few adults now living would ever
become familiar with units of the metric sys-
TEN, but would retain the habit OF reverting
TO the foot. the pound and other units,
mentally. ut least, even after the law had dts
franchsed the old units
Also, that no law should be passed upon this
subject without the most mature dcliberation,
and that when passed, II should not have CON-
pulsory effect until at least thirty'hve years
after the date of its passage
Professor II lgard says: "lf LETT to itself IT'S
growth would be very slow, and the period
necessary might be reasonably estimated al not
less than fifty years. Mr.. Elliot does not
deem il advisable TO make the metric system
Immediately obligatory IN certain business
transactions, which he names, and that ior
local aud domestic purposes the ACTON oi Htato
LEGISLATURE should he accepted
As whole these reports are very satislac.
tory, and | hope will reach every family ana
individual in our country. u ii"EN'
MADAM: Permit me to correct mistake IN
figures made by sink" in the problem regard
ing the inscription Of inch circles IN twenty
inch suuare. lie has inadvertently taken the
number of spaces between lines oi centres for
tho number of rows quincunN order which
should be one more With this change in cal
cuation Sinks" solution shows that twenty
two uuincunx rows could he inserted, giving
IN circles But by The mixed arrangement
found by sink" to give the maximum num-
her there would be sixteen quincunN aud SIX
rectangular rows Or III circles IN ALL the cor
rect answer. Yours truly, NlA.
DECEMBER ., lo1S.
Answers to Questions by Seneca"
No. |. The weight would continue to HS"enl
for some length Of time thar II would when
thrown upward with same velocity from the
surface of the earth. No.. At u height OF
forty eight feet. No. ,. W,5!7. No. 4. lho
number of circles would he 100. L.
As "Snix." "Nix," aud "B'' differ in tho
number of circles to be Inscribed in twenty
inch square, which is the correct answerTD
Mathematical Question.
A flagstaff standing upright casts shadow
of hfty feet when Inclined at an angle OF
thirty degrees, aud directly in the line of
shadow, it casts shadow Of fifty five feet.
Required, the length OF the flagstaff.
To CORRESPONDENTS AND READERS; We
have received several interesting aud intsttuc-
tive communications upon various topics bus
limited space prevents their insertion IN resu-
lar order.
1t is imperative that correspondents accom-
pany their name with pOstOtl address.