Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-11-06
RUSSIA ADOPTS THE METER.

Russia having adopted the metric sys-
tenn OF weights and measures, the Unit
ed states and Great Britain are the on
Is two countries left where the people
stlll adhere TO the older systems. France
and Germany have long used the meter.
Belgium has fallen into line after forty
years Of hesitation. Austria and Hun
gary have adopted It. Bulgaria, italy
the scandinavian countries. and even
Spain. have introduced the modern
mode Of measuring. and Il ls the sys-
TEN In general use IN Latin America
In this country too. It is used much
more extensively than many people i'm.
agne. II Is used exclusively by the
Coast and Geodetlc Survey in compu-
tations, although their charts still show
soundings In feet accompanied by
metric scale 70 which the measurements
may readily be transferred. In the
scientific bureaus Of the Agricultural
Department, as elsewhere. the metric
system Is employed. The Post Office
Department uses II in connection with
foreign countries, but not in any work
applying to our own country exclusive
~. In the surgeon generals office all
contracts for medical supplies are ex-
pressed In metric terms; the supplies
are packed in metric packages and the
army-post physicians and apothecarles
are required TO use this system in or
dering and filling prescriptions. In the
same way the surgeon generals office
Of the navy uses the new system. even
manufacturing its own bottles and
packages IN accordance with IT, In
Cuba and Porto Rico It is exclusively
used In all official and domestic work.
In all probability It win become popu-
lar In the United States at no distant
date. Bills have often been introduced
IN Congress FOR making It compulsory
after certain time Of probation, but
so far they have reached no farther
than the committee. There are many
private persons who favor 1t, though.
and we believe the circle Of its friends
is ever widening.
II should be said. however. that the
chief point In favor Of the metric-not
speaking Of the decimal system. which
has everything in it's fayor-ls its all
but universal adoption by the civilized
world From a strictly scientific
point Of view the meter is by no means
a more correct unit than the yard.
It is a French invention dating from
the time Of the first revolution. when
the nation was seized with a mania for
making 'all things new" They took
OF measurement. Besides, It is believed
at the meridian OF Paris. divided It into
ten million parts and said the result
was S9.37l inches. and this they called
a meter The objection Is that no part
OF curved line on the earth's surface
can furnish a truly scientific standard
OF measurement Besides. It is believed
that the calculations made were not
hllNLlg NollNNtt anu u mas bttu pro- /
nounced the newest and worst measure
In the world" II has been suggested
that the earth's axis would form a bet
ter basis OF calculation. as that Is a
straight line and the only straight line
afforded by terrestrial nature. being
the base line round which the earth Is
constructed Whether Il will be posi-
bic to measure this line with unerring
exactitude Is another question. At
present II is supposed to be in round
numbers 5O05OO,OOO OF our inches. A
meter OF 25O25 inches has therefore
been suggested as the correct one. and
this would come wonderfully close 10
the sacred cublt OF the Mosaic law.
The polls win close at o'clock this |