new standards of weights and measures. 49 



I cannot conclude without bearing testimony to the un- 

 wearied perseverance, ability and accuracy, which Mr. Bate 

 has shown in the course of a work attended with no common 

 difficulties, and to the perfect execution of which he has 

 devoted, for a long period, the whole of his time and 

 attention. 



From what has been said, it will be seen that the length 

 of the pendulum vibrating seconds in London has been found 

 in parts of the imperial standard yard ; consequently, the 

 value of the yard may at any time be known, having been 

 referred to a natural standard presumed to be unalter- 

 able. The length of the French metre, a standard expressing 

 a certain portion of a terrestrial meridian, has also been 

 given in parts of the English scale. The weight of a cubic 

 inch of distilled water has been determined in parts of the 

 imperial troy pound ; and thus the pound, if lost, may at any 

 future age be recovered. The avoirdupois pound is now for 

 the first time defined, and the measures of capacity are made 

 to depend upon the weight of water they contain ; the impe- 

 rial gallon, containing ten pounds avoirdupois of water, 

 having been declared to be the unit or only standard measure 

 of capacity from which all others are to be derived. This 

 it is to be presumed cannot but powerfully tend to produce 

 uniformity throughout the United Kingdom, by putting it in 

 the power of every individual possessed of standard weights, 

 to verify his measures of capacity with the utmost facility. 



London, November, 1825. 

 MDCCCXXVI. H 



