The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-02-27

ards does not think we are wasting time
and labor and getting no results.
THE manufacturers in Germany viii
admit. I venture TO say, that the extra
ordinary industrial growth of their coun-
try since the Franco-Prussian war can
be attributed in an important measure
to the construction Of instruments OF pre-
cision and Of apparatus that could be
guaranteed with respect TO its accuracy.
The reputation Of German instruments,
and they were used in all parts of the
world. helped 10 create a demand for and
to sell other kinds of instruments and
machinery. The Germans are essentially
a scientific people and they have carried
their knowledge and their methods into
business and obtained remarkable re-
suits
Computed by Wave Lengths.
without precision" DR.. Stratton went
on to say, 'the science OF optics would
still be undeveloped. Lenses are com
puted by wave lengths and the refinement
Of prt ession In such work is absolutely
necessary. Accuracy carried to the ulti-
mate with worthless piece of rock
would be senseless, but a piece OF glass
for optical purposes is ground for weeks
and weeks and is finished by rubbing
with the fingers. DR.. Brashear. the cele-
brated lens maker of Pittsburg. works in
that way-so does HiIger. OF London-and
when he is through the plate he has fin
ished isn't one-one-millionth OF an inch
out of the way from being a perfect fiat.
Yet, Of course, precision must be
practicable; like almost anything else, II
can be taken too far-rhetoric. for in
stance. An author may pick and pick
his words and tinker with his construc-
ton until all that he writes becomes
vapid or dead A right degree of pre-
cisiOn in practical work. and no more. Is
a science in itself"
THE purpose OF your bureau I said,
rs to construct standards, when neces-
sary, and 10 be the custodian OF those al
ready establshed?'
mot to construct" DR.. Stratton re-
piled. 'but to have the custody of those
created by the laws of Congress. We
must have standards with which to do
business, but they would be OF no benefit
to the people unless they were accessible
A man in a village, let US say, buys ten
pounds of nails. The merchant weighs
the nails on his scales. He and the Gus
toner believe that the scales are accurate.
They are compelled to accept a measure
supplied by some one else, who. in this
suppositionaI instance, is the man who
makes the scales. The scale manufac-
turer has his own standards by which he
does his work. But are they right? How
is he to know unless he can get standards
from an authority that is open and final
10 ali? SO he comes to the bureau and we
test his measures and correct them II
wrong. It is important that the millions
OF people who daily buy and sell food,
fabrics, and materials should have meas
ures that are stable. exact. and lawful.
The bureau keeps the standards and the
people, knowing where TO go. may obtain
them at viii
Measures Are Essential.
Gold is our standard in relation to
money. other established measures are
no less essential. When James Watt the
Scotch civil engineer and mechanician.
inventor Of the condenslng steam engine.
attempted to learn what might be called
the dimensions of an ounce he found that
many different ounces, fifty, perhaps. |
we're then in common use There was
no standard-no universal yard stick, to
mix the measures, but to put the case in |
simpler language. At the union of Ger
many into one great empire there were
sixteen different measures Of length