VOL. XLVI.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 631) 



sures of capacity with great exactness: for, on the 25th of May, 1688, 2 ge- 

 neral officers of the excise, in the presence of the lord mayor, the commissioners 

 of excise, Mr. Flamsteed, and others, on an exact trial, found that the old 

 standard wine gallon, kept in Guildhall, contained only 224 cubic inches; yet at 

 that time it was thought convenient to continue the former supposed content, 

 being 23 1 cubic inches, as the standard wine gallon, and which has since been 

 established by a law.* 



In the year 1696, an experiment was made, in order to fix the true and ex- 

 act contents of the brass standard bushel of Henry 7 th, which being filled with 

 common spring water, and the water measured out with great nicety and exact- 

 ness ; the bushel -|~ was found to contain 2145.6 solid or cubic inches ; and the 

 water being weighed by the standard weights in the exchequer, was found equal 

 to 1131 oz. 14 dwt. Troy; and at the same time and place the standard Troy 

 weights were compared with the standard avoirdupois, and 15 pounds of the 

 latter were found equal to 18 pounds 2 oz. 15 dwt. Troy; which fixes the pound 

 avoirdupois at 700O such grains, as the Troy pound weighs 576O; and on three 

 several trials, made by the gentlemen of the council of the Royal Society, at the 

 exchequer, on a medium the avoirdupois pound was found equal to 7000:J- Troy 

 grains. 



By the first malt act, which passed soon after the making the experiment on 

 the Winchester bushel, it is declared, that every bushel 184- inches wide, and 8 

 inches deep, should be esteemed a legal Winchester bushel : and the coal bushel 

 is directed to be made 1 Q-^ inches diameter, and to contain the last bushel and 

 one quart of water. The first contains 2)50.42 cubic inches, the last 2217.47. 



We now see different measures established by law ; and under the excise laws 

 two different gages or measures, used for taking the dimensions of wine and ale 

 vessels. The wine gallon contains 23 1 cubic inches, and the ale gallon 282 ; 

 but on what foundation this last measure was established, is difficult to de- 

 termine. 



Troy weights had for some time been established and used for the money 

 affairs in the mint, and for weighing gold, silver, and some few commodities ; 

 and the avoirdupois were in general use for weighing all heavy and gross com- 

 modities. Wine measure was generally considered as equal to Troy weight : from 

 hence the managers of the excise duty were perhaps led to fix the standard of the 

 ale gallon, bearing the same proportion to the wine gallon, as the avoirdupois 

 pound did to the Troy; and according to this conjecture, the two gallons answer 



• 5 Ann. c. 27. § 17. — This act says, any cylinder 7 inches diameter, and 6 inches deep, or 

 any vessel containing 231 cubical inches, and no more, shall be a lawful wine gallon. — Orig. 

 + Everard's Stereometr)', p. 193. — Orig. 



