SHALL WE ADOPT THE METRIC SYSTEM? 761 



WEIGHT. 



Ratio to 

 next unit. 



Metric name. 



1,000... 

 10.., 

 10... 

 10... 

 10... 

 10... 

 10... 

 10... 

 10.. 

 10... 



Milligramme. 

 Centigramme 

 Decigramme. 

 Gramme .... 

 Decagramme. 

 Hectogramme 

 Kilogramme.. 

 Myriagramme 



Quintal 



Millier or ton- 

 nefiu 



New name. 



Gas unit, tu oifTi grain . . . . 

 Seed = pin cube, y^u grain 



Value in English measure. 



Corn = drop, 1^ grain. 



Die = nail cube 



Nut, 3| ounces 



Grain. . 

 Grain. . 

 Grain. . 

 Grains . 

 Grains . 

 Ounces. 



, 0-000015 

 . 0-0154 

 , 0-1543 

 , 1-5432 

 .15-43235 

 , 3-5276 



Bip = hand cube, 2^ pounds. 



Ton. 



Pounds 2-2046 



Pounds 2,204-62125 



This system is understood to be the invention of Mr. Samuel Bar- 

 NETT, of Washington, Georgia. 



It is believed that no other bills were introduced in relation to the 

 metric system. It is perhaps worth while to quote a bill " proposing a 

 reward for a new foot-measure," as a sample of what may be laid before 

 Congress : 



"-Be it enacted, etc., etc., That the Congress of the United States 

 of America will vote an appropriation, the same as a reward, to be paid 

 the American citizen who shall produce a new foot-measure which shall 

 divulge, in it, the truth of the meeting of parallel lines in exceeding 

 great length." 



A resolution of the House of Repi'esentatives (November 6, 1877) 

 provided " that the heads of the executive departments be, and they 

 are hereby, requested to report to this House, at as early a date as prac- 

 ticable, what objections, if any, there are to making obligatory in all 

 governmental transactions the metrical system of weights and measures 

 whose use has been authorized in the United States by act of Congress ; 

 and also how long a preliminary notice should be given before such ob- 

 ligatory use can be introduced without detriment to the public service ; 

 and that they are also requested to state what objections there are, if 

 any, to making the metrical system obligatory in all transactions be- 

 tween individuals, and what is the earliest date that can be set for 

 the obligatory use of the metrical system throughout the United 

 States." 



This resolution addressed directly the officers best qualified to judge 

 of the questions involved, and their answers are given below, abridged 

 when possible. 



The Secretary of State reports : 1. That the obligatory use of the 

 metrical system, so far as the operations of the Department of State are 

 concerned, and especially its consular and commercial relations with 

 foreign governments, while of convenience and utility with respect to 

 those countries which have already adopted the metrical system to the 

 exclusion of all others, would be of no benefit with regard to those 



VOL. XIT.^-49 



