598 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 'AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



desire for the adoption of the same standard, and a uniform system of 

 weights and measures throughout the world. Much labor is spent in com- 

 putations, and many errors are made in calculations, as the consequence, 

 which would be avoided if the commercial world, in making estimates of 

 quantity, used synonymous terriis. With them a translation from a foreign 

 language involves computation. Our progressive movements have thus 

 far related principally to applications of physical power, yet there is no 

 reason why reform should not embrace economical measures in relation to 

 mental as well as muscular exertion. The transportation of freight over 

 two railways of different gauges, requires its transfer from one train to 

 another. The delaj"- and labor involved in this movement have compelled 

 railway companies to adopt a uniform width of track. So the transmis- 

 sion of accounts from one country to another, having a different system of 

 weights and measures requires a transfer in terms; the time and thought 

 expended in this process can only be saved by an international compromise 

 which shall secure to commerce a uniform system. The speaker then di- 

 rected attention to the evils arising from a misunderstanding of foreign 

 terms even in our daily reading. A single instance occurring lately in the 

 transactions of this association was alluded to for the double purpose of 

 illustration and correction. The difference of the star Sirius was given, as 

 stated in an English journal, in which the word billion was written; in 

 the printed report of our proceedings in the N. Y. Tribune, the distance is 

 in figures, estimating the billion as used in this country and on the conti- 

 nent of Europe, at one thousand millions. But the English billion is one 

 million of millions, and was in this instance so used as will be seen by cal- 

 culating the distance by the time required for the light of Sirius to reach 

 us, twenty-two years. The speaker then pointed out other discrepancies 

 in the meaning of terms. In Spain, the yard is 33.04 inches; in the United 

 States and England, it is 36 inches; in Prussia, 36.51 inches; in Austria, 

 337.5 inches; in France, 39.13; in Russia, 39.51; in Switzerland, 57.60. 

 The land-j'ard varies considerably in different parts of the British kingdom, 

 at Hertford it is 3 feet, and at Downpatrick 21 feet. 



The mile, estimated in American yards, is in Netherlands 1,093 yards; 

 in England and this country, 1,760; in Scotland, 1,984; in Ireland, 2,038; 

 in Spain, 2,472; in France, 3,025; in Germany, 10,120; in Sweden, 11,700, 

 or more than six and a half American miles. 



The fact was also alluded to, that we have in this country two estimates 

 for the pound, two for the hundred weight, and two for the ton. 



Mr. G. Bartlett spoke of the advantages of the decimal sj'stem as adopted 

 by France. The scientific men and journals are taking the lead in tlie use 

 of that system. England is so conservative she dislikes to leave the old 

 ruts, and is consequently behind most of the Continent of Europe in the 

 use of the decimal system. 



Mr. Overton spoke further of the advantages of the French system, based 

 on the meter one-forty-millionth of the earth's circumference which is equal 

 to 39.37 American inches. 



The chairman said that a more correct estimate of the earth's circumfer- 

 ence made, since the adoption of meter, had slightly altered the ratio as 



