Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-05
Thu, DECIMAL SYSTEM.

Mr.. Herbert Spencer discusses In the
June No. OF the Popular Science Monthly
the metric or decimal system. lie reaches
the conclusion. which. coming from such
a man. must have great influence, that IL
is not for practical purposes the best sys-
TEN. II does not follow because the deci-
NAL system In the best for couro Ing money
that It Is best for all purposes. 1t does
not follow that because France likes the
metric system II IS best for the whole
world. 1t does not follow because num-
Der OF nations prefer to count money by
tenths that all persons will choose thus
to count their money. The division OF
cloth into yards. half-yards, quarter
yards, &c. &C.. seems 20 almost all Eng
disappearing persons a more naturdl
method than the French method. Indeed
we may say with Mr.. Spencer that scien-
tihc men, government officials. and whole
sale dealers may prefer the local system
for reasons OF their own. Retail dealers
and the masses OF the people find the
division into halves, quarters, eighths,
&C.. &C., vastly more convenient than the
method Of division into tenths. Ten is
dlvisible only into halves and ffths.
whereas twelve is divlsibe into halves.
thirds. quarters. and sixths. Try 1t, and
you will soon learn that the natural way
OF handling cloth is TO divide it as It
folds.
Mr.. Spencer argues the questions IN
volved in an interesting manner. lie says
II the existing system Of weights and
measures Is TO be reformed, let it not be
replaced by the decimal system, but by
the duodecimal. While improving our sys-
tenn Of notation let us not be content with
the French system. which is full Of in
conyeniences, but at once attain theoreti-
cal and practical perfection by making
y the basic number instead Of TO-
The following is interesting:
1T is only necessary" says Mr.. Spencer.
ITO introduce two additional digits for
10 and II TO unite the advantages Of both
systems The methods of calculation
which now go along with the decimal sys-
tenn Of Enumeration would be equally avail
able were II made the basic number in
stead Of 10" Ten Is a very ancient basic
number, adopted by primitive man be-
cause Of the number of fingers on the
two hands. But practical needs have
developed another system I'm retail trans
actions-namely. a system Of fractions or
twelve. because y is more divisible into
aliquot parts than any ether number
halves. quarters, thirds. sixths." Real re-
form will lead US, therefore. not TO the
metric system, with its concomitant Of
L. 20 I'm
which will better harmonic with the
usages Of trade.
In the United States we have the deci-
nal system in our money, but DO not find
IL wholly in use We do not quote prices
in dollars. tenths, and cents. but in dol
lars. halves, quarters. &c. The stock eN-
changes 20 to eighths and sixteenths for
fractions of a point" not using decimal
divisions. They sock economy OF time
and mental effort. and this practical ad-
vantage in all lines of business is OF
greater Importance than theoretical COM
pleteness.
Mr.. Spencer quotes Professor Hazen, OF
our Weather Bureau, to show that the
centierade scale on the thermometer-
which must be accepted with the metric
system-is practically the worst that could
be used in meteorology, the Fahrenheit
being much more convenient. The cent?
grade degrees are too large. and below
freezing the minus signs make world OF
trouble.
Mr.. Spencer quotes a distinguished
mathematician and astronomer, who sums
the matter up thus: 1T has always been
an astonishing thing TO me that the ad-
vocates Of decentralization do not perceive
that its only advantage IS in computa-
ton: I'm every other process IT is detrl-
ment. think that all that can be done
Is TO make our coinage and measures as
little decimal rs possible and our compu-
tation as decimal as may be-