FRENCH WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 



REDUCED TO ENGLISH STANDARDS. 



As the system of French weights and measures is frequently referred to in this volume, 

 and is now generally adopted for scientific purposes, we insert the following explanation 

 of the system, with a table of measurements, reduced to English equivalents. 



The French unity of length and weight is based on an invariable dimension of the 

 globe, recognizable in all countries. It is independent of all extrinsic notions, such as 

 gravity, and the arbitrary subdivisions of duration, an advantage which the length of a 

 seconds pendulum does not present. The basis assumed is the fourth part of a meridian, 

 or of an ideal circle going round the globe from pole to pole, at right angles with the equa- 

 tor. The length of this fourth of a meridian is divided into 10,000,000 parts ; a single 

 ten-millionth part is a metre, or the unity of long measure. A square measuring on each 

 side 10 metres forms the are, or the unity of the mensuration of surface. (160 ares are 

 nearly equal to one English acre.) A cube measuring on each of its sides one metre con- 

 stitutes the stere, used for dry measure. A cube measuring on each of its sides the 

 tenth part of a metre is the unity of volume. A vessel gauging such a cube is called the 

 litre. (A litre equals about a quart, English measure.) The weight of a cube of water at 

 39 F., its point of maximum density, measuring on each of its sides the hundredth part 

 of a metre, is the unity of weight, a gramme. A thousand grammes of pure water at the 

 same temperature are of course equivalent to a litre. 



These unities being often too great or too small for common use, they constitute the ba- 

 sis of new unities on the simple decimal principle. The names of these ne^y unities are 

 formed from Greek and Latin words; if to express multiplication of the original unity, 

 Greek is used, if to express division of the original unity, Latin, or words slightly modi- 

 fied from the Latin, are used. The Greek words are deca, for ten, hecto, a hundred, kilo, a 

 thousand, and myria, ten thousand. The Latin words are deci, for ten, cente, a hundred, 

 and mille, a thousand. These various words are placed before, or prefixed to, the princi- 

 pal unity. Thus, the decametre is equal to ten metres, and the decimetre is the tenth 

 part of a metre. The hectolitre is equal to one hundred litres, and the centelitre is the 

 one hundredth part of a litre ; the kilogramme is equal to a thousand grammes, and a 

 millegramme is a thousandth part of a gramme. The connection between these weights 

 and measures will now be clearly seen. The are is the square decametre, the litre is the 

 cubic decametre, and the kilogramme is the weight of a litre of pure water at its maximum 

 density. 



MEASURES OF LENGTH. 



Millimetre 

 Centimetre 

 Decimetre 

 Metre 

 Decametre = 



In English inches. 



0.03937 



0.39371 



3.93703 



39.37079 



393.70790 



In 



Hectometre = 3937.07900 

 Kilometre = 39370.79000 



feet = 12 inches. 



0.00323 



0.03230 



0.32303 



3.28089 



32.80399 



323.03992 



3230.89920 



In yards = 3 feet. In miles = 1760 yards. 



0.00109 



0.01093 



0.10936 



1.09363 



10.93633 



109.36331 



1093.63310 



0.00006 

 0.00062 

 0.00621 

 0.06213 

 0.62138 



MEASURES OF CAPACITY. 



Millilitre, or cubic centimetre 



Centilitre, or 10 cubic centimetres 



Decilitre, or 100 cubic centimetres 6.10271 



Litre, or cubic decimetre 



Decalitre, or centistere 



Hectolitre, or decistere 



Kilolitre, or stere,or cubic metre 61027. 1 1200 



MEASURES OF WEIGHT. 



0.1 milligramme 



Milligramme 



Centigramme 



Decigramme 



Gramme 



Decagramme 



Hectogramme 



Kilogramme 



In English grains. 



0.00154 



0.01543 



0.15434 



1.54340 



15.43400 



154.34000 



1543.40000 



15434.00000 



In Troy pounds 

 = 5760 ffraias. 



0.00002 

 0.00026 

 0.00267 

 0.02679 

 0.26795 

 2.67951 



In Avoirdupois 



pounds = 7000 



grains. 



0.00022 

 0.00220 

 0.02204 

 0.22048 



2.20485 



In cwt. =112 Ibs. 

 = 784000 grains. 



0.00001 

 0.00019 

 0.00196 

 0.01963 



