210 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



" . . . . They also received the assistance of those distinguished members of 

 the National Academy of Sciences who constitute the special committee of that 

 learned society having charge of these subjects, and particularly Professor 

 Newton, of that committee, whose efforts in aid of their purposes have been 

 patient and persevering." 8 



After this follows a resume of the history of the coinage, 

 weights and measures of the United States, Great Britain and 

 France, and a comparison of the existing weights and measures 

 with the metric system. Finally, on page 20 of the report of 

 the House Committee it is said " Your committee unanimously 

 recommend the passage of the bills and the joint resolutions 

 appended to this report. They were not prepared to go, at this 

 time, beyond this stage of progress in the proposed reform." 

 The reasons are then given and the report concludes with a list 

 of the bills recommended. These are as follows : 



" A bill making it lawful to use the metric system. 



" A joint resolution directing the Secretary of the Treasury to furnish metric 

 standards to the States. 



" A bill to authorize the use in the post offices of weights of the denomination 

 of grams. 9 



" A joint resolution to authorize the President to appoint a special commissioner 

 to facilitate the adoption of a uniform coinage between the United States and 

 foreign countries." 



The bills legalizing the use of the metric system, directing the 

 Secretary of the Treasury to furnish metric standards to the 

 States, and authorizing the use in post-offices of weights of the 

 denomination of grams passed the House on May 17, 1866, with- 

 out discussion. 



8 House of Representatives, 39th Congress, ist Session. Report no. 62. Coinage, Weights 

 and Measures. (To accompany bills House Res. nos. 596 and 597, and House Res. no. 141.) 

 May 17, 1866. Ordered to be printed, p. i. 



'The text of this bill is as follows: 



" Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, etc., That the Postmaster 

 General be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to furnish to the post offices exchang- 

 ing mails with foreign countries, and to such other offices as 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 progression; and the rates of 

 postage shall be applied accordingly." 



