764 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the decimal system long in use in the United States for coinage and 

 money valuations, and that presumptively no gi'eater inherent difficulty 

 is likely to be encountered in the application of the decimal system to 

 our weights and measures in the domestic postal service than was met 

 in the change from the English system of coinage and money valuations 

 to the present one. The latter is certainly the simpler one, and has for 

 some time past been in use for the foreign mail service of this depart- 

 ment. The objection, then, is in my opinion founded on an apprehen- 

 sion that mistakes, and consequently resulting annoyances, and possibly 

 losses, would occur in the practical application, and not on any well- 

 grounded objection to the principle of the metric system. This appre- 

 hension would, I believe, be greatly lessened, if not altogether abated, 

 were sufficient time given for familiarizing postmasters and the general 

 public with the practical workings of the new system before discontinu- 

 ing the use of the old one. 



" I have only the same means that any other citizen has of forming 

 a judgment in regard to the last inquiry made in the resolution of the 

 House, and I therefore deem it proper not to attempt to make an an- 

 swer to it in this connection." 



The Secretary of War replies by forwarding the reports of his chiefs 

 of bureaus. 



The Inspector-General reports : " Although I have had no practical 

 experience in the use of the metrical system of weights and measures, 

 yet, in my judgment, the compulsory change from the present system 

 would be inexpedient, as involving a large outlay of money without 

 adequate comparative results." 



The Quartermaster-General reports : " In reply to the reference of 

 the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 6th instant, in 

 regard to the objections which may exist to making the use of the met- 

 ric system of weights and measures obligatory, first, in all government 

 transactions, and, second, in all transactions between individuals, and 

 the length of preliminary notice desirable before such metric law goes 

 into operation in the United States, I have the honor to say that if the 

 law makes the use of the metric system obligatory in all government 

 transactions it can be adopted by officers of the Quartermaster's De- 

 partment as soon as notified by general orders. 



"Such an order can be distributed to every military post within the 

 space of one month from the time of its publication, and, if the telegraph 

 be used, within one week. 



"The objections thereto which at once occur to me are: 



" 1. It will very considerably increase the labor of computation, for, 

 in practice, all sellers to the United States will make their deliveries in 

 accordance with the English measures now in general use, and the offi- 

 cers, using the ordinary scales for weight, and the yard, foot, and inch, 

 and bushel, gallon, quart, and pint for measures, will first ascertain the 

 quantities and sizes in the present weights and measures, and then, by 



