THE METRIC SYSTEM. 401 



Electricity as a quantitative science is founded on the metric system. 

 The congress of electricians at Chicago in 1893 fixed the electrical 

 units for the entire world, and these have been legalized by all the 

 governments represented in that congress. In one branch of industry, 

 of great and growing importance, the civilized world is thus united in 

 the use of a common system of measurement. It would probably be 

 hard to find an electrical engineer in England or America who is not 

 in favor of the universal adoption of the metric system. 



During the last dozen years there has been a growing popular de- 

 mand among the commercial classes throughout the English speaking 

 world for the general adoption of the metric system. This demand is 

 not based on any theoretic ground, such as its simplicity and consist- 

 ency, but on the commercial need of international uniformity. It 

 would have no existence if all civilized nations used the British system. 

 New markets can not be secured if customers are unable to understand 

 the mode of measuring what is bought or must present their specifica- 

 tions in terms that are unsuited to the machinery employed in manu- 

 facture. Moreover, those who are already accustomed to a simpler sys- 

 tem can not be expected to adopt in its place what is to them complex, 

 unintelligible, indefinite and radically incapable of being made simple. 

 Whatever may be the claims made by those who are accustomed to a 

 bad system of metrology, or who have property that would be made 

 valueless by its abolition, there is scarcely any conceivable prospect of 

 the universal adoption of the British system. In the race for com- 

 mercial supremacy there is little respect shown for theory, sentiment, 

 old habits or corporate vested interests. The demands of trade must 

 finally be met, even if vested interests should be strong enough to re- 

 tard satisfactory legislation. The demand for international uniformity 

 will continue to grow. The choice of the whole world has to be made 

 between two systems of metrology, and only two, the British and the 

 metric. All others have been practically eliminated from such a con- 

 test. If England and America should completely dominate the trade 

 of the rest of the world the British system will be established; if not, 

 it is doomed. Its total destruction will not be witnessed by any now 

 living, but uniformity of weights and measures for the civilized world 

 is as reasonably to be expected as was the establishment of Jefferson's 

 monetary system throughout the union of American states. 



In 1895 a select committee of the house of commons, after carefully 

 considering commercial demands in England, urged upon the govern- 

 ment that the metric system be at once legalized and that it be made 

 compulsory by act of parliament after a lapse of two years. A deputa- 

 tion from thirty-nine chambers of commerce, including those of Lon- 

 don, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Birmingham and Belfast, urged upon Mr. 

 Balfour the importance of carrying out the recommendations of the 



VOL. LXIV. — 26. 



