The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-03-22
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

PROPOSED CHANGE IN THE SYSTEM NOW PRE-
vAILING IN THIS coUNTRY-THE GENITAL OR
NEW HUNDEEDwEIGHr ADOPTED IN ENG
LAND-oBJEcTIoN FROM CHICAGO.
1t is not, perhaps very generally known outside of
certain business circles that movement has for
time been foot having for its object the in
PRODUCTION of certain radical changes in our general
system of weights and measures Both in Great
Britain and in the United States. the Inconvenience
of the old fashioned standard has been felt and adj
mitted for long time. and desire expressed for
new, simpler and more convenient system. 1t has
not been found easy however. to bring about the
change. The old denominations, with the
"coombs." the "windles," the "bolls." the "hob-
bets" and other names equally incomprehensiblc,
are still in use in England; and here not
outstanding the fact that have long since aban
doned the old arrangement of pounds. shllings and
pence. still adhere substantially to the old
Ango-Saxon standards of weights and measures.
For many years past, it appears, there has been
growing disposition the part of those engaged in
the -four and grain trade to have simpler system
established for the transaction of business in articles
of produce There has been desire to substitute
weight for in the sale of such articles, and
to get rid of the inequalities, which are marked
feature of the present standards of weight. This
desire intensified by the fact that in Liverpool
ON the hand and at San Francisco, on the other.
such system that which was aimed at
already in use. The propriety Of taking the neces-
sary steps for introducing desired change formed
frequent subject of discussion at the different
boards of produce and exchange and was the occa-
sion of not u little correspondence.
PASSED By PARLIAMENT.
The movement has been greatly encouraged by
During the course of last year there passed by
the British Parliament what was called the
'Weights and Measures Act'-an act which largely
dispenses with the use of measures in the sale of
articles of produce. and which substitutes weights
for the same. 1t provided by this that all
grain and dry product should be sold by weight only.
and that the imperial pound. or pound avoirdupos.
should be the unit Of all transactions by weight in
Great Britain. Among other things it also provd-
ed that it should be left to the Board Of Trade to de-
termine what multiples of the pound should be
adopted and made use Of IN the case of large
upon them the Board OF Trade acted i'll the matter,
and the result was that Her Majesty was requested
to give her sanction to the establishment of new
standard called the GENITAL or new hundredweight."
In compliance with this request and in accordance
referred to. an order in Council was issued approx
ing of the "cental or new hundredweight" as a
denomination of standard, and directing that the
shall be Board of Trade standard in like man.
il had been contained in the second statute
of the "weights and Measures Act, 1875" The act
came into operation at the commencement of the
present year, and the order in Council bears date
FEBRUARY L. 1879.
According to the new system all transactions in
grain and dry products shall be by weight only the
unit of weight shall be the imperial pound or pound
avoirdupois the hundredweight will be the GENITAL
ton, If it continues to be used will consist of 1000,
not 2340 pounds, before Henceforward, there-
tore, according to the arrangement, the hun
dredweght will mean 100 pounds. and the old divis
ions of the hundredweight, Sc, 20 IL, T. will give
place to So 20. 10 and 5. 1t is to be borne in mind
that while certain portions of the act have absolutely
become law and enforced under penalty the
old hundredweight of 112 pounds has not been
formally abolished. The order in Council has SIM
ply legalized the GENITAL hundredweight,"
but there be no doubt that, weight has so
largely taken the place Of measure in general trans
actions the new system Of counting by hundreds
will ultimately prevail. and the old irregular de-
nominations OF standards will fall into disuse
APPROVED BY MERCHANTS
It is the opinion of number Of merchants whom
HERALD reporter consulted that the system is
grand advance upon the old and that its adoption In
England must be followed by its adoption here All
agree in saying that the new GENITAL system.
it is generally called will tend greatly TO the smp
fcation of business transactions, and that its intro
duction here would especially be great and imme-
date gain to the grain and Hour merchants. New
York is taking active and leading part In the move
ment. Circulars recommending the change and
showing the desire which exists the part of the
Liverpool merchants that we should conform our
usage to theirs have been sent to all the diff
erent commercial organizations throughout the
country. In. almost all directions the change
commends itself, and from all the boards
but favorable answers have been received in
reply. Chicago alone hestates. The Chicago Board
however, is not opposed to the system because
of any objectionable features which 1t presents but
because it deems 1t unwise to take precipiate action
But now that the system In fairly in operation
in the British Isles and that its merits being
prominently advocated. it is confidently expected
that Chicago will give way, and that without the
necessity OF any special legislation the desired
change will be effected. 1t is the opinion Of Mr..
Grant superintendent of the Corn Exchange Ill this
city that the new system will be in general use
far, at least, large transactions concerned,
before the summer Is far advanced.