The times., 1900-12-26
IN THE HOTEL CORRIDORS.

last night. after touching lightly on maay
themes, settled into a discussion OF the
bill recently introduced by Representa-
tive Shafroth providing that on and after
January 1, 1903. the metric system of
weights and measures shall be the leFal
standard In the United States The opin-
ion expressed was that though the pres
ent system is heavy and awkward, and
the decimal system light and simple, and
that though the bill has been favorably
reported by the House Committee on
weights and Measures 1t has a hard fight
before 1t. 1t was said that the prospect
OF Its adoption is not bright. One member
remarked that the United States may be
SAID TO have been even before France in
the adoption OF at least portion of the
metric system. In 1875 Congress adopted
the decimal system of money, with the
dollar as the unit, whereas the metric
system proper was not adopted by France
until 1895. The basis of the metric sys-
TEN. the metre, was determined by two
eminent French astronomers and mathe-
maticians and Is exactly one-forty mil
lionth part of the circumference of the
earth on the meridian of Paris. The me-
tire is 3.37 inches longer than the AmerI-
can yard. 1t is the standard of the meas
ures of length and all other measures are
based upon 1t. The unit of capacity is
one litre, which is Tie cube of one-tenth
OF metre. The unit of weight is the
gramme. which is the weight of cubic
centimetre OF water.
A standard metre was constructed In
1899 by an international commission rep
resonting France. Holland. Sweden, Switz-
erland. Denmark. Spain, Savoy. and the
Roman. Cisalpine and Ligurian Republics.
1t was made of platinum and was depcs-
tied in the Palace of Archives in Paris to
be the definite basis of the metric system
forever.
The use of the metric system was de-
clared obligatory in France on Noyem-
ber 2, 1901. but the French people were
not prepared for so sudden a change and
in 1872 a compromise was adopted which
lasted until 1887. In that year law was
passed making the use of the metric sys-
TEN obligatory and ordering its enforce
ment after January, 1s40. AT present it
Is universally used by France, as well as
by all European nations. except Great
Britain. where IL Is allowed, but not COM
pulsory. Russia was the last of the great
Powers to make the change, having put
the metric system into force only few
weeks ago. On this continent the metric
system has been adopted by Mexico. Bra
zil. Chilli Peru and other of the South and
Central American Republics. At the pres
ent time England and the United States
are left practically alone as the only two
civilized nations which have not adopted
the decimal system OF weights and meas
ures.
Representative Gaines. of the Hermitage
district of Tennessee. said at the Riggs
House last night that he receives many
letters daily from Washingtonians, con-
graduating him unon his efforts In behalf
Of the preservation OF the Mall from rail-
road occupation, and pointing out the fact
that as the Senate bill for the abolition of
grade crossings on the Baltimore and Ohio
within the city was passed by the House
1t gives no right CT action against the
Government by property holders for dam
age to abutting property caused by change
OF grade Mr.. Gaines calls attention to the
fact that While the Constitution prohibits
the taking of private property without
just and reasonable compensation, the
damage to property by change Of grade of
streets has been construed not to be
taking" a decision OF this character is
found in the case of Smith against the
city Of Washington. reported in goth How
ard. Mr. Gaines said that during the dis
cussion of the bill Mr.. Pearre, in charge
Of the measure. informed him that there
is no statute providing a remedy fer real
estate holders whose property is damaged
by a change of grade made under authority
of the United States.
Glendon S. MacWatts, an English tour
list, said at the Arlington last night that
there is strong reason why the alarm
caused by poisonous beer at Manchester
should have made so deep an impression
on the public mind throughout the United
Kingdom. He said that Englishmen are
the greatest beer drinkers in the world.
1t is common error. he said, to award
this distinction to the German race Not
only does the Englishman drink more beer
than the German, but he makes more, and
every year his export of beer to Germany
increases, while the imports of German
beer into England decrease. Some sta
tistics published yesterday show that for
31.9 gallons OF beer consumed by an Eng
lishman. a German only drinks 2I.1 gal
Ions, an American 13 gallons. and
Frenchman 5.5 gallons. Because of the
number of brewers in the peerage cynics
have suggested that the peerage be called
the "beerage." In the House of Commons,
too. beer is a potent element. The Chan
cellor of the Exchequer, said Mr. Mac
Watts, though he takes what he caa from
him. is obliged to treat the brewer with
infinite respect. Rob the poor man OF
his beer has more than once been a
powerful election cry. and the publican
interest is one that must always be
counted with the greatest assiduity at
general elections. Mr. MacWatts says
that the present agitators for pure beer
have much to contend with. To them pure
beer means beer brewed only from harley
malt and hops. When Mr. Gladstone re-
pealed the malt tax in 1880 brewers at
once availed themselves SO largely of this
freedom in the choice of ingredients that
a pure beer party soon sprang up Year
after year they introduced a bill into the
House of Commons, but il was always
thrown out The brewers were too strong.
Today the scores of deaths and the thou
sands of cases OF sickness give the re-
forming party hope that they may at last
succeed but so strong is the influence
of the beer makers that this Is more than
doubtful.
p. H. Smithson, OF Alaska, was speaking
at the Raleigh last night of sled dogs and
railroads in Alaska. He said that from
Unalaska northward to Point Barrow and
the mouth OF the Mackenzie River the
Malamute dog takes the place of railroads
and stages and all the more advanced
means of locomotion. Ever since the days
of the Russian pioneers the dog has been
almost the sole dependence of travellers in
Alaska in winter, and he has been the
friend of the white man and the native
alike. Dogs will be used more than ever
before in this region during the present
winter, for every year the population OF
adventurous and hardy white men in
creases. and every winter there is more
from place to place, difficult and
dangerous as it may be.
Toward the close of the season at Nome
this wear dogs were in great demand and