APPLETONS' 



POPULAR SCIENCE 



MOKTHLY. 



OCTOBER, 1896. 



THE METRIC SYSTEM. 



By Prof. T. C. MENDENHALL, 



president worcester polytechnic institute. 



IN" tlie June numlDer of this Journal there appeared a paper on 

 the Metric System, by Herbert Spencer. It was originally 

 published as a series of anonymous letters in the London Times, 

 in the course of a discussion growing out of proposed legislation 

 by the English Parliament. They aroused little interest among 

 metrologists, except as examples of " curious and interesting 

 reading," until their authorship was acknowledged by Spencer. 

 No little astonishment was created by this announcement, and as 

 a matter of fact, owing to the extraordinary character of the 

 letters and the great fame and reputation of Mr. Spencer, the 

 statement was not at first credited by many. Indeed, messages 

 were sent to London, inquiring, " Who is this Herbert Spencer 

 who is writing about the metric system ? " These things are 

 worth mentioning, to show the surprise everywhere manifested, 

 not on account of the fact that Mr. Spencer was opposed to the 

 adoption of the suggested reform in weights and measures, but 

 rather at the singular arguments which he advanced in defense 

 of his position. Without a single exception they had all been 

 traversed more than a quarter of a century ago ; their inherent 

 weakness and entire lack of philosophic consistency had long ago 

 been pointed out ; and it is perfectly safe to say that, with possibly 

 one exception, they are such as no one familiar with the progress 

 of metrology during the past quarter of a century would think 

 of offering at the present time, however strongly opposed to the 

 metre and its derivatives he might be. The great influence which 

 everywhere and always goes with the name of the distinguished 



VOL. XLIX. — 56 



