Sword and shield. (Clinton, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1885-08-01

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remark like this. For nothing is
better known to mathematicians
than that the division of the circle
decimahy is both practicable and ad-
vantageous, and is to certain ex-
tent even now actually practised.
The geodesists who conducted the
great trigonometric survey Of the
French meridian made use of decl-
NAL tables in their calculations dur
ing the later years Of their work.
and the reporter Of the commission,
the illustrlous Delambre, pronounces
such tables to be vastly more easy Of
use and more economical of labor
than those founded the sexagesi-
NAL divisions of a quadrant, That
these tables are not in general use is
only a consequence of the fact that
the sexagesimal system was unlyer-
sal at the time when the Metric Sys-
TEN was established, so that subdi-
vision of the circle decimally was
not necessary to secure uniformity.
Mr.. Upton proceeds further to
state that 'Erecent experiments have
demonstrated that the length OF the
quadrar of the meridian was not
accurately ascertained at the time of
the adoption of the Metric System,
and consequently that the actual
metre established is not the aliquot
part Of the meridian as supposed.
The simple truth, however, is that
no such demonstration has been
made 1T all. What has been demon.
strated as the result of the comparl-
son of different meridian measure
ments is that the earth is not of an
entirely regular figure; and, there
tore, that when it is attempted to
compute the length of the Paris me-
ridian from the measurement OF the
length of meridian in Russia, or a
meridian in India, it is not probable
that the result will correspond
strictly with that which is obtained
by direct measurement of the Paris
meridian itself. It follows that the
differences of Bessel, de Schubert,
and Airey on this subject are not
worthy to be compared at all with
the actual measurement made by
Delambre, Mechain, Borda, and
other great geOdesists of France, who
actually executed the French survey;
and that it is vastly more likely that
their actual measurement should be
correct than that calculation based
on the measurement Of somebody
else in India, or of somebody else in
Russia, as to what it ought to be,
should be so. 1t is time that the
talk of demonstration in this matter
should cease. Everything that has
been said by everybody from Her
schel downward on the subject of
the error OF the Paris meridian is
utterly misleading, and wholly unde
serving Of serious consideration.
Mr.. Upton concludes, nevertheless,
that the Metric System, regardless
of the presumed error of its base, is
vastly superior to any other now ex-
isting, but he is yet Of the opinion
that to make its use obligatory by
law for public purposes and in tran
sactions between individuals, would
be a harsh exercise of legislative
authority 1t might be inferred
from this remark that Mr.. Upton saw
no essential difference between en-
forcing the use of the system for
public purposes, and in transactions
between individuals yet the great
body Of the friends of metric reform
are in no hurry to insist on the use
of the system in transactions be-
tween individuals; while they be-
lieYe on the other hand that it would
be, not only by no means harsh ex-
ercise Of authority, but even Salu-
tary and benefcent one, to enforce
it for public purposes.
Mr.. Upton also gave synopsis Of
legislation on this subject in other
countries; showing the extent to
which the system to which the sys-
TEN had already been adopted and
made compulsory, the extent to
which it had been legalized and
made permissible, and finally also
the extent to which it had not been
legalized in either form, or intro
duced into use. In view of these
facts he concluded that the 4Metric
System was no experiment." and
that It's obligatory use in this coun-
try seems feasible" and in his opin-
ion was desirable.
As to the time which ought to be
allowed to elapse in order to prepare
the government and the people for
the exclusive use of the system, he
expressed the belief that for govern
mental transactions a notice of two
years would be sufficient; and for its
general obligatory use in transac-
tions between individuals, a notice
of ten or fifteen years would be re-
quired. This reply, coming from
the principal Bureau of the depart
ment Of the government which is
most largely concerned in transac-
tions necessitating computations
founded on units of weight and
measure, was as favorable as at that
time could have been expected or
desired.
As said above, the facts are given
on the authority of DR.. F. A. P.
Barnard, President of Columbia Col
lege; and very largely they are
given in the Doctors own words,
simply condensed at times for the
purposes of this article.
1t is the intention OF this writer to