298 The Decimal System. (July, 
circumference of the earth was obtained from the measure- 
ment of an arc of a meridian, and this length was divided 
into 40,000,000 equal parts to obtain the unit of length, 
which received the name of ‘‘ metre.’ But as other 
measures of the circumference of the earth have given some- 
what different results, it is plain that this first obje¢t of the 
metric system has failed. Not so the other objects. Having 
obtained the métre, the standard of length, all other standards 
are derived from it, so that it is only necessary to keep one 
material standard, viz., the métre. 
For square or superficial measure we have the square 
métre, but for the measure of land another unit is employed. 
Surveyors in France make use of a chain, a decamétre, or 
10 metres in length (about half our English chain), and the 
surface of a square decamétre is taken as the unit for 
measuring land, and is called an “‘ ave.” 
In solid measure the cubic métre is used, or in measuring 
fire-wood, &c., the amount of wood which can be piled in 
cubic métre is called a “steve.” It will be seen that there 
is a difference. There is not a cubic métre of wood, but 
the pile of wood, on account of the interstices, occupies 
a cubic metre. 
For dry and fluid measure the litre is the standard. It is 
the volume contained in a hollow cubic decimétre; or, in 
other words, it is the volume contained in a cube whose 
side is a decimetre or the tenth part of a metre. 
The gramme is the standard of weight, and is the weight 
of a cubic centimetre of distilled water at its maximum 
density. 
The standard coin is the franc, a piece of silver weighing 
grammes. 
In the metric system the learning of tables is a very simple 
matter. It consists in acquiring the names of the different 
standards, and remembering that the Greek words, deca, hecto, 
and filo must be prefixed to indicate respectively ten times, 
one hundred times, and one thousand times the standard ; 
and that the Latin words, dect, centi, and milli prefixed to any 
standard signify the tenth, hundredth, and thousandth part 
respectively of the standard. This needs no comment; the 
facts speak for themselves. 
A friend in England happened a short time ago to send 
me in India the following cutting from a local newspaper :— 
“* The Metric System.— 7 he “Times,” in discussing the pro- 
posed adoption of the metric system, says:—The essential in- 
convenience would be the utter subversion of all existing con- 
ceptions of length, magnitude, and proportion. Atleast nine- 
