xii POLITICAL LIFE 287 



by the activity of the " Decimal Association," of which 

 I am one of the Vice-Presidents. In a Report of the 

 above Association, dated January, 1905, it is stated 

 that, " The growth of the popular feeling in favour of 

 the change has been so marked, that the Executive 

 Committee gladly decided, in October 1903, to take 

 advantage of an offer made by Lord Belhaven and 

 Stenton to attempt the passage of a Bill through the 

 House of Lords to render the metric weights and 

 measures compulsory in this country, and Lord Kelvin 

 supported the Bill on its introduction." 



A Bill was accordingly drafted by counsel, and on 

 the occasion of the second reading in the House of 

 Lords on the 23rd February, 1904, it was supported 

 by the Lords Rosebery, Spencer, and Tweedmouth. 

 With the concurrence of the Government, the Bill was 

 read a second time, and was referred to a Select 

 Committee for consideration. After revision in Com- 

 mittee, and the acceptance of certain amendments 

 suggested by Government departments, the Bill was 

 read the third time on May I7th, and sent to the 

 House of Commons. Simultaneously with the pro- 

 gress of the Bill through the Lords, the Association 

 sought to obtain the views of the Members of the 

 House of Commons, and more than 330 Members 

 promised to support the Bill. 



We may thus hope that, in spite of opposition, 

 which no doubt will occur in the House of Commons, 

 a measure will ere long be passed, not merely to legalise 

 the metrical standards for this has already been 

 accomplished but to make their use compulsory. 



It is here interesting to note that the late Mr. 

 Herbert Spencer wrote a series of letters in The 

 Times, signed " A Citizen," against the metric system, 

 and that I endeavoured to combat his arguments in 



