The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-01-05
RECKONING BY DECIMALS.
TIRE EXTENSION OF THE METRIC
SYSTEM IN 4ACTUAL USE.

SYSTEM IN ACTUIL USE,
America Ahead of Franco i'm Adopting
Part of 1.-THE Queer Origin of Some
of the Until OF Measurement.
The bill introduced by Congressman
Shafroth, of Colorado, providing that on
and after January /, 1903, the weights
and measures in the metric system shall
be the legal standard of weights and
measures in the United States is simply
another in long line of attempts to
supplant the present awkward system
by the easy and simple metric or deci-
NAL system. Though the bill has been
reported favorably by the committee on
weights and measures it has still
hard fight before it. The chances for
it's adoption are said to be not the
brightest
+ In one sense the United States may
be said to have been even before
France in the adoption of at least a por
ton of the metric system. In 1885 con-
gress adopted the decimal system Of
liiO4lCS, Will ING NiClieli tlo tAiS 1AAiIt
whereas the metric system proper was
not adopted by France until 1875. The
basis of the metric system, the metre,
was determined by two eminent French
Astronomers and mathematicians, and
is exactly one-forty- millionth part Of
the circumference of the earth on the
meridian of Paris The metre is 1857
inches longer than the American yard
1t is the standard Of the measures Of
length and all other measures are based
upon it. Thus the metric unit of sur
face measure is the centare, which IS
one square metre. The unit of capacity
is one litre, which is the cube of one
tenth of a 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
representing France, Holland, Sweden,
Switzerland Denmark, Spain, Savoy
and the Roman, Cisalpine and Ligurian
republics. 1t was made Of platinum,
and was deposited in the Palace of
Archives in Paris to be the definite ba-
sis of the metric system forever.
The use of the metric system was de-
clared obligatory in France on Noyem-
Der Q, 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 system obligatory and ordering
its enforcement after January 1S40. AT
present it is universally used by France
as well as by all European nations, ex-
cept Great Britain, where it is allowed,
but not compulsory. 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, Brazil, Chill,
Peru and other of the South and Central
American republics. AT the present
time England and the United States are
left practically alone as the only two
civilized nations which have not adopt
ed the decimal system of weights and
measures.
AS early as 1917 the subject of adopt
ing the metric system in the United
States was agitated. John Quincy Ad-
ans was appointed to investigate the
weights and measures of the United
States, and he found that the stand
ards of weight, measure and capacity
differed considerably in the different
states and even in the same state. He
fully on the result Of his in
and did not favor the adop-
ton of the French or metric system be-
cause of the popular repugnance to q
change and the inconvenience which
would follow the adoption of a new sys-
tenn. At the same time he declared his
belief that the metric system was al
most ideal and reflected the greatest
credit on the men and on the age which .
had devised 1t.
In 1890 another investigation was
made and it again was found that a
pound or a yard in one state or city
was often more or less than in another.
As a result the treasury department
was authorized and instructed to have
made copies of the standards of weight
and measure then in its possession, a
set of which copies were to be delivered
20 the governor of each state IN the
Union.
In 1866 it was made by an act of con-
yress lawful to employ the weights and
measures of the metric system through
nut the United States, and the secre-
airy of the treasury was instructed to
urnish to the governor of each state a
yet of standard weights and measures
# the metric system for the use Of the
respective states.
Under the regulations of the interna
ional postal convention the metric sys-
EN- was adopted as the standard in all
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