Proposal for a new Regulation of IVeights and Measures. 113 



The Tables Nos. IV. and V. are founded on actual experiments^ 

 undertaken for the purpose of ascertaining what would be the 

 specific gravities of the sohitions of this acid at different degrees 

 of concentration. A single example will be sufficient to explain 

 their design. 



Suppose a printer, who uses purified crystals of citric acid, 

 should find that a solution of the sp. gr. of 1-0162 is suitable 

 for any particular purpose, he will learn, by reference to the 

 Table No. IV., that he may prepare a similar solution by dis- 

 solving one ounce of crystals in 20 ounces of water, or 6 ounces 

 61 drachms in one gallon of water. The Table No. V. is con- 

 structed upon the same principle, and is intended for the use of 

 those printers who employ the brown crystals of citric acid. 



XXIII. Proposal Jor a neiu Regulation of Weights and Mea^ 

 sures. By A Correspondent. 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



Sir, — Jl ERCEiviNG that you sometimes devote a portion of your 

 valuable publication to the consideration of weights and mea- 

 sures, and as doubtless the bill at present before a select com- 

 mittee of the House of Commons has been perused by the greater 

 part of your readers, I shall take the liberty of making a few re- 

 marks on the subject, and lay before you a plan for the simplifif 

 cation of an uniformity of weights and measures. 



The great inconvenience which exists at present, owing to the 

 intricate state of our pondcral system, must be obvious to every 

 obsener. This complicateness has long called for a remedy to pre- 

 vent the inconceivable trouble arising therefrom, and to establish 

 one weight and one measure throughout the British empire. The 

 committee of the House of Commons of 1758 paid most lau- 

 dalile attention to the suliject, to establish a standard universal 

 and uniform. The committee of the present time, under who«e 

 directions the aljove-mentioned bill was prepared, have followed 

 the former, and have even paid greater attention to it, by endea- 

 vouring to simplify the system ; but they also have not attempted 

 entirely to aljolish the system at present in use, though such a thing 

 would be highly desirable. The Royal Society also have exerted 

 themselves, and have even oflFered a premium for the discovery of 

 an invariable standard, — but none have appeared to be sufficient 

 for establishing an universal standard : the only ones which have 

 been at all approved are, the length of a pendulum vibrating se- 

 conds of time, and the arc of the meridian. The latter is that 

 lately established in France, and is said to be superior to the 



Vol. 46. No. 208. August 1815. H other. 



