Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-05

NO, indeed. If two persons were to al
range to meet at certain place in a little
while, and one was pleasantly occupied, and
the other idly waiting, the der would be sure
standard was agreed upon. A foot or hand
IN one place was not of the same length as
loot or hand in another place. Civilized
natlons began TO call for something more def
nlte- FOR long time, in different parts of
even the same country, the measurements were
not ahke; SO, in making exchanges, buying
and selling, there would be a difference not
only IN money, but in the measurements and
welghts. Think what confusion for poor, un-
cultivated brains!'
that must have been," sighed Bessie. az don't
know but l agree with Miss Keller that all
ma .aH2 t1ons better adopt the French SYSTEM,
lou have no idea how much importance
IS a.Cached to the matter of standards. For
instance, In making standard yard measure,
Wnicn you know is one Of the principal meas
ures In our system, some materials expand un
oer certain conditions, and consequently would
noG answer the purpose"
g., "a ~ood BOD: expands when it becomes damp"
seilu bessie. And heat causes quicksilver or
mercury, to expand, while cold has Just the
opposite effect. Papa explained the ther.
mometer to Joe and me the other evening SO
down dow IA know e why the mercury goes up and
so,, Ine tupe' Isn't It strange how one les
You will always find it so. OF course mer-
curry Is not suitable material for a yard
measure, although your first example, wood
Is; There is another objection to it. however
v, wien MAKES 1t undesirable for standard
measure mean for the exact one, which is
TO De authority for all others. The wood
would be easily worn off at the ends of the
ileHsure. Ihere are two other materials that
ah ahSwer admirably, except that each has one
opleecc1tlon-glass and platinum"
Glass would break easily," said Ress;e
promptly Perhaps platinum would bend
700 700 easily Papa showed me the spring of
ms watch when we were DISCUSSING metals
ana a i was curied around showing It can be
"You are right about the glass It's brittle
ness or fragility is the objection. But the
platinum could be made into bar too thick
to be easily bent. There is A very different
reason, which you will know when / tell
metals" " 'n' sO-oaiieu nooie
Too expensive" was the quick resnonse
am ashamed to say that do not remem. |
Der what our government standard ward |
m measure is made from. You must look it nm,
Great brtalns is brass rod, with gold |
pms pms inserted to mark off the exact yard. The |
pms are dressed down fat and a small dot
made In the centre of each They are SO very
particular about the exactness of this, thai
the measurement is fixed when the bar Is at n
certain temperature; then this is pronounced
& Srue yard. from this exact one yard meas
ures for common use can be made. But even
IN these great care should be taken"
oh, dear! who would ever dream peonle
had worked so hard to settle upon those Door
teresting, and 1 should think -easier'S said
Bessie. ut seems a pity to give them nm
now for new ones. When did this metric sys
tenn business begin?"
=, u will tell you if you will tell me when
Philip lV reigned-of France, not Snain
The system did not come into use then. % Init
as long .aeo as that some wise Frenchmen he.
gan to discuss the Importance of a change
Philip ~ was. Philip the Fair, or Handsome
Philip le Bel"
"I'm dreadfully mixed on the French kinSa"