MKIIUC SYSTEM. 



MEASURES OF CAPACITY. 



495 



Joint resolution to enable the Secretary of the Treasury to 

 furiiUh to each State one set of the Standard Weights and 



ros of the Metric System. 



Jb it resolved by the Senate and House of Represent- 

 atives of the United States of America in Congress at- 

 umbltd, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and 

 ho is hereby authorized and directed to furnish to 

 each State, to be delivered to the Governor thereof, 

 one set of the standard weights and measures of the 

 mi'triu system, for the use of the States respectively. 



A Bill to authorize the Use in Post-Offices of Weights of the 



Denomination of Grams. 



He it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 

 tives of the Untied States of America in Congress as- 

 stmblea, That the Postmaster-General be, and he is 

 hereby authorized and directed to furnish to the post- 

 offices exchanging mails with foreign countries, and 

 to such other offices as he shall think expedient, 

 postal balances denominated in grams of the metric 

 system, and until otherwise provided by law, one- 

 half ounce avoirdupois shall be deemed and taken 

 for postal purposes as the equivalent of fifteen grams 

 of the metric weights, and so adopted in progres- 

 sion ; and the ratea of postage shall be applied ac- 

 cordingly. 



For many purposes, approximations to the 

 exact values of these weights and measures are, 

 in other and more generally known terms, suf- 

 ficient for the purpose of their conversion to 

 our ordinary terms, or the reduction of them to 

 the metric system. "We subjoin a few which 

 are easy of calculation : 



1 millimeter = about ,>,th of an inch. 



1 decimeter = 4 Inches. 



1 meter = 1.1 yard. 



6 meters = 1 nnl. 



1 decameter = .6 of a chain. 



1 kilometer = .625 of a mile, or 200 rods or {of a mile. 



1 centiaro = 1.2 of a square yard. 



1 hectare = 2.5 acres. 



1 liter = l T y quarts, or .875 of a gallon. 



1 hectoliter = . 2 J bushels, or Jth or .688 of a barrel. 



1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds avoirdupois, or 32 oz. troy. 



1,,'s tonneaux = one long ton, or 2,240 pounds. 



1 tonueau = ' 1^ short ton of 2,000 pounds. 



In cases where greater accuracy is required, 

 the following table of comparison with theUni- 

 ted States standard weights and measures will 

 be found of great service. It gives the multiplier 

 or divisor for reducing metres, litres, etc., into 

 feet, inches, quarts, etc. In order to reduce the 

 common weights and measures into grams, 

 metres, etc., multiply ~by the divisor, or divide 

 "by the multiplier. 



The multipliers and divisors are given in 

 most cases to four or five decimals only. Greater 

 accuracy may bo obtained in comparing lengths, 

 surfaces, and capacities, by considering the 

 metres as 39.3685 U. S. inches, and in compar- 

 ing weights by considering the kilogram as 

 2.20606 pounds avoirdupois. The gallon is 

 called 231, and the bushel 2150.42 cubic 

 inches. 



Tc make the metric system more easy and ^lustrations : 1. The meter. This is a meas- 

 plaic of comprehension, we give the following uro of length, and the cut represents five ceo 



