734 



NA TURE 



[December 2, 1922 



tube ; (3) the influence of the head of liquid on the 

 curvature of these lines. As all of these admit of 

 exact mathematical treatment, it should be possible, 

 by running a gram-molecule of the liquid, to calculate 

 W m . This would be entirely independent of the 

 velocity of flow and would represent the relative 

 molecular gyro - viscosity. Whereas the ordinary 

 figures for absolute viscosity appear to bear no 

 general relationship to the other physical constants 

 of the liquid, it is possible that these values might 

 be more productive of results. A thorough investiga- 

 tion of these lines of flow is therefore the first necessary 

 step towards the solution of this most interesting 

 problem. Frank M. Lidstone. 



37 Powell St., Derby, 

 November I. 



New Weights and Measures for India. 



I have read with interest the article in Nature 

 of September 2, p. 325, on the weights and measures 

 of India by Mr. Silberrad, president Indian Weights 

 and Measures Committee. Mr. Silberrad reports 

 conditions much the same as I found them in India 

 in 1910. One of the pleasures in reading Nature 

 is that the desirability of producing commodities 

 and methods of service is taken for granted. Now 

 in attacking this problem it is assumed that a simple, 

 useful system of weights and measures is desired for 

 India. While in India I was asked to rewrite the 

 article on weights and measures for the " Times 

 Year-book," and in looking up data in this connexion, 

 I came across the permissive Metric Act of 187 1. 

 This Act represents one of the attempts of the leaders 

 of India to secure the advantages of the general use 

 of the metric system. By it the Viceroy of India is 

 empowered to make what preliminary arrangements 

 might be necessary, and proclaim the date after 

 which metric weights and measures shall come into 

 general use. 



Let us consider the various necessary units of 

 measurement in their logical order. 



1. Mr. Silberrad rightly mentions " the Peshawari 

 yard of 38 in. to 38I in.," and also the yard of ap- 

 proximately 40' inches. Also the Ilahi gaz, which 

 is frequently in the neighbourhood of, if not exactly, 

 39-37 inches or one metre. These are only a few 

 examples of units of length in a country of approxi- 

 mate lengths that could be best standardised on the 

 international metre. 



2. Practically the same thing is true of measures 

 of area. Nearly all of the British engineers that I 

 have met have favoured the metric system, and 

 few have any desire to continue the use of such a 

 difficult unit as the acre. The square metre and 

 the hectare of 10,000 square metres are good and 

 sufficient, and will, we believe, be used eventually 

 in all civilised countries. Several of the Indian 

 units fortunately approximate to the hectare. 



3. The suggestion that " the standardisation of 

 suitable measures of capacity at the nearest suitable 

 multiple of the bulk of 1 \ seers of water, this being 

 approximately equivalent to the bulk of a seer of 

 wheat," is not so unfortunate as it may seem. This 

 probably will soon become the litre. 



4. My findings also correspond with those of Mr. 

 Silberrad in reference to the tola of 180 grains, about 

 12 grams. This brings the seer to approximately 

 1 kilogram. When it is understood that the seer 

 has been adopted for practically all railroad trans- 

 ai. lions in India by the British Government, one 

 valises that India is using the metric system in what 

 amounts to 60 per cent, of all accurate transactions 

 according to weight. 



NO. 277O, VOL. I IO] 



It was my pleasure to spend part of the past 

 summer in England, and confer in regard to the 

 metric campaign with members of the Decimal 

 Association and others who are actively interested 

 in the metric movement. I found a general desire 

 to secure the advantages of decimal currency and 

 metric weights and measures. It was forcibly brought 

 home to me that the chief men of England who have 

 the vision of service and big foreign trade will not 

 only encourage the Colonies to make progress in the 

 metric movement, but will also see to it that the 

 British Government leads the way in this much- 

 needed reform. Readers of Nature will be in- 

 terested to see the following statement by Prof. J. C. 

 McLennan of Toronto University : "In the early 

 part of 1906, at the request of the Hon. L. P. Brodeur, 

 Minister of Inland Revenue of the Dominion Govern- 

 ment of Canada, I agreed to deliver a number of 

 lectures on the use of metric weights and measures. 



" Through the co-operation of the Department 

 mentioned, a schedule of the lectures was arranged, 

 and it was made known in various centres through- 

 out Canada that my services in connexion with 

 the metric campaign would be available on certain 

 dates for the various local societies interested in this 

 subject. 



" In carrying out this rather strenuous schedule, 

 lectures were given in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, 

 Winnipeg, Regina, Vancouver, and in over 30 other 

 Canadian cities. In some places the idea of the 

 simple metric sj'Stem corresponding to decimal 

 currency was then new to many people. Our meet- 

 ings were well attended, in some cases as many as 

 600 people being present. At the close of each 

 address, all present were invited to take part in the 

 discussion of the subject. The pros and cons were 

 propounded with the utmost frankness, and in some 

 cases with considerable vigour. Never during this 

 lecture tour or at any other time have I heard, in 

 so far as I can judge, a realty valid argument against 

 the general use of metric weights and measures. 

 On the other hand, the many valid reasons for their 

 use increase as time passes. 



"It is highly desirable that this preliminary 

 educational work, conducted entirely at the expense 

 of our Government, should be effectively followed 

 up. It is chiefly for the purpose of encouraging others 

 to do their part in securing for Canada the advantages 

 of the use of the metric system that on April 28, 

 1922, I accepted the Chairmanship of the Toronto 

 Section of the American Metric Association. At 

 that time Mr. W. P. Dobson of the Hydro-Electric 

 Power Commission was elected Secretary, and Mr. L. 

 Burpee, of the Canadian General Electric Company, 

 Ltd., was elected Treasurer. Our Section is com- 

 posed of volunteer workers, who desire to see the 

 metric campaign progress as it should. We believe 

 that everybody can do something to help. We 

 hope that a great many people will let Mr. Dobson 

 know that they will help the metric movement in 

 their own industry or line of work." 



It may seem a far cry from Canada to India, but 

 there is a direct connexion when one realises that 

 the various peoples of the world can understand and 

 serve each other best when they use the same con- 

 venient weights and measures. The members of 

 the American Association are determined to secure 

 these advantages in the United States and Canada, 

 and we ask for the hearty co-operation of all pro- 

 gressive men and women throughout the world. 



Howard Richards 

 (Secretary). 



American Metric Association, 

 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. 



