lOZ REPOET 1864. 



Report on the best Means of providing for a Umformity of Weights 

 and Measures, loith reference to the Interests of Science. By a Com- 

 mittee consisting of Lord Wrottesley*^ D.C.L., F.R.S., The Rt. 

 Hon. C. B. Adderley*, M.P., Sir William Armstrong, C.B., 

 F.R.S., The Astronomer Eoyal, F.R.S., Samuel Brown*, W. 

 EwART, M.P., T. Graham, F.R.S., Sir John Hay* Bart., M.P., 

 F.R.S., Prof. Hennessy* F.R.S., James Heywood* 3I.A., F.R.S., 

 Dr. Lee* F.R.S., Dr. Leone Levi*, F.S.A., F.S.S., Prof. W. A. 

 Miller, F.R.S., Prof. Rankine* F.R.S., Rev. Dr. Robinson, 

 F.R.S., Col. Sykes*, M.P., F.R.S., W. Tite, M.P., F.R.S., Prof. 

 A. W. Williamson*, F.R.S., James Yates, M.A., F.R.S., and 

 Frederick Purdy*. 



Foe a uniformity of weights and measures with reference to the interests 

 of science, the Committee recommend to the British Association the follow- 

 ing resolutions : — 



1, That it is desirable, in the interests of science, to adopt a decimal system 

 of Aveights and measures. 



2. That in furtherance of this proposal, it is desirable, from its scientific 

 capabilities, to adopt the metric system f. 



o. That as the weights and measures of this country are gradually under- 

 going a process of decimaUzation, it would be more advantageous, instead of 

 drifting by degrees into a heterogeneous variety of systems, to change at 

 once to a really convenient system. 



4. That it be recommended to the Government, in all cases in which 

 statistical documents issued by them relate to questions of international 

 interest, to give the metric equivalents to English weights and measures. 



5. That in communications respecting weights and measures, presented to 

 foreign countries wliich have adopted the metric sj'stem, equivalents in the 

 metric system be given for the ordinary English expressions for length, 

 capacity, bulk, and weight. 



6. That it be recommended to the authors of scientific communications, in 

 all cases where the expense or labour involved would not be too great, to 

 give the metric equivalents of the weights and measures mentioned. 



7. That the influence of the British Association would be beneficially 

 exerted in obtaining from Paris an authorized set of metric weights and 

 measures, to be placed in some pubhc and fre(iuented bi;ilding in London. 



8. That advantage will be derived from the recent publication of metric 

 tables, by C. H. Dowling, C.E., in which British standard weights and 

 measures are compared Avith those of the metric system J. That treatises 

 explaining the metric system, with diagrams, should be forthwith laid before 

 the public. That works on arithmetic should contain metric tables of weights 

 and measures, with suitable exercises on those tables ; and that inspectors of 

 schools should examine candidates for pupil-teachers in the metric system. 



9. On the subject of temperature, it is recommended that the authors of 

 Reports to be presented to the British Association, relative to temperature, 



* Those inembers whose names have an asterisk (*) added hare attended meetings of 

 the Committee. 



t Professor Rankine has dissented from the second Kesolution. 

 J London, Lockvvood and Co., 1864. 



