the Subject of Weights and Measures. 1 77 



means of the numbers 2 and 5, their powers and products, which 

 we should on the whole recommend ; still, as it is one of the oldest 

 of English measures, and is in more frequent use than any other, 

 we conceive it will be advisable to retain it ; especially as all the 

 established lineal and square measures above it may remain as 

 thev are. The only complex multiple which will then remain in 

 the system will be 16 j feet in a pole; and even that is consti- 

 tuted of 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 and 1 h-2, a power aiad a submultiple of 2. 



" But it may be asked. Why, since we render our standard of 

 length determinable by means of a pendulum, do we limit it to 

 the precise length of the foot now in use? Why do we not take 

 the yard as the unit ; or why do we not adopt some unit that has. 

 110 obvious relation to either the foot or the yard ? We reply. 

 Because we can as well employ the pendulum to fix one absolute 

 length as another ; because the main object of fresh legislation 

 is, not to make changes, but to prevent changes, except so far as 

 they become necessary to check incessant fluctuation and irregu- 

 larity; and, more than all, because by selecting the foot, with 

 the absolute value it now possesses, as the unit of lineal measure, 

 we are enabled to connect with it, by the simplest possible rela- 

 tions, measures of capacity and of weight, which shall deviate 

 from those now employed, the latter not at all, the former in such 

 a manner as to furnish a medium between those which exist. 



" Take, for example, ten cubic feet as equivalent to the quar- 

 ter of dry measure. The inches in this, divided by 8, give 2,160 

 for the cubic inches in the bushel which we would recommend. 

 The capacity of the bushel thus chosen is nearly an arithmetical 

 mean between 2, 16S, the capacity of the bushel which is the oc- 

 tuple of Queen Elizabeth's gallon, and 2,150 2-5ths that of the 

 Winchester bushel. The difference from either is less than would 

 be occasioned by pouring corn into the measure just over its brim, 

 and at the distance of 4 feet above it. A fourth of this will give 

 540 cubic inches for the capacity of the peck ; and half of this 

 again gives 270 for that of the gallon, differing only the 270th 

 part from Queen Elizabeth's gallon. Continuing the successive 

 divisions, we have 674, 33|, and S, 7-16ths cubic inches, for the 

 quart, pint, and gill respectively. Neglecting at once the un- 

 necessary distinctions between the ale and wine gallons, and be- 

 tween the ale, beer, and wine hogsheads, and the multiple 63 

 {i.e. 7 x.'i, numbers both of which give circulates by division) 

 expressing the gallons in a wine hogshead, we would retain the 

 more natural multiples, and call eight gallons a firkin, two firkins 

 a kilderkin, two kilderkins a barrel, and two barrels or 64 gal- 

 lons a double barrel. It will be observed that by introducing 

 this name, instead of calling 64 gallons a hogshead, we act in 

 conformity with a principle that should always be kept in view 



Vol. 5 I. No. 257. Sept. 1810. M " in 



