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LXIV. On Weights and Measures, and on numerical Notations, 

 in reply to Mr. Tredgold. By A Correspondent. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal. 



Gentlemen, 



WHATEVER opinions concerning established practices 

 or projected alterations of the national policy, with re- 

 gard to matters within the scope of science, are promulgated 

 in your pages, they derive great weight therefrom, and espe- 

 cially so, when suggested improvements come therein, from 

 the pens of known benefactors to science, and the useful arts, 

 as occurs with respect to Mr. Tredgold's communication 

 in page 202, on a suggested new gallon Measure, and in ob- 

 jection to the decimal Notation : but, as sometimes the most 

 able men are liable to take partial and inadequate views of 

 particular subjects, and to make hasty and inconsiderate pro- 

 posals for alterations, it is not only allowable, but becomes a 

 duty incumbent on the most humble labourer in the field of 

 science, who may discover and be convinced of evils, likely to 

 follow from the general adoption of opinions, or on the making 

 of changes, so introduced or proposed, to candidly submit his 

 observations and reasons to the scrutiny of your readers. I 

 shall, therefore, without further preface, proceed to make a 

 few remarks on Mr. Tredgold's letter, which, at its outset, 

 alludes to the Act of the last Session of Parliament, for regu- 

 lating Weights and Measures, and for making, after the first 

 day of May next, an entire change, embracing every Measure 

 of capacity, ascertainable by a measuring Vessel, which hereto- 

 fore has been in use in England. 



Of this Act, a correct, although too brief an abstract has ap- 

 peared in page 248 of the current volume of the " Monthly 

 Magazine;" but, until the allusion by Mr. T., the subject of 

 this important Act has somewhat surprisingly escaped notice 

 in your pages*. 



I am unable to anticipate with Mr. Tredgold, in his first 

 sentence, that the enacted change of our measures of capacity 

 will soon, or even eventually, take place; especially with re- 

 gard to the corn Bushel, the measuring vessels for which are 

 expensive ones — are dispersed far more widely, and in more 

 persons' hands, the farmers, millers, corn-dealers, innkeepers, 

 &c, throughout England and Wales : the bulk, and the value 

 also of the articles ascertained by means of these vessels, and 

 the frequency of their use, by some score times exceed the use, 

 of any other denomination of measure used in South Britain. 



* We have annexed the Abstracttoour Correspondent's paper: seep. 366. 

 —Ed. 



In 





