356 REPORT — 1866. 



system of weights and measures for the United States. In 1790, in accor- 

 dance with a recommendation of President Washington, Mr. Jefferson, then 

 Secretary of State, reported elaborately on the subject; and it is probable 

 that one or other of the plans proposed by him would have been carried into 

 effect, had not the proposals of the French Government for an international 

 system inclined the American Legislature to wait and watch the result of 

 the efforts made in Franco before initiating any radical changes in their 

 own Aveights and measures. The adoption of the metric system in America 

 does not seem to have been urged till very recently. During the early part 

 of the century that system was still an experiment in France, and by adopting 

 it the Americans would have sacrificed, what was then more important to 

 them than now, uniformity with England. But its inherent merits were so 

 great, and its ultimate success was becoming so probable, that, although 

 Mr. Jefferson in 1790 recommended the seconds pendulum as the standard 

 of measure, Mr. John Quincy Adams, to whom the matter was referred by 

 the Senate in 1817, and who reported in 1821 in probably the most ex- 

 haustive essay that has been written on the subject, advised a suspension of 

 all innovation at home until an international scheme could be adopted by 

 America in conjunction with foreign nations. Though Mr. Adams did not 

 recommend in so many words the adoption of the metric system, there is no 

 doubt that that was the system which he most admired. Indeed, in one re- 

 markable passage, he almost puts off the gravity of the statesman to anticipate 

 with rapturous enthusiasm the time when " the metre will surround the globe 

 in use as well as in multiplied extension, and one language of weights and 

 measures will be spoken from the equator to the poles.'' 



The plan which he did recommend consisted of two parts, the principles 

 of which were — 



1. To fix the standard with the partial uniformity of which it is sus- 

 ceptible, for the present excluding all innovation. 



2. To consult with foreign nations for the future and ultimate establish- 

 ment of universal and permanent uniformity. 



The first part of Mr. Adams's plan has been in a great degree accomplished. 

 I visited at Washington the building in which are deposited the standards of 

 the weights and measures of the United States, under the charge of J. E. Hil- 

 gard, who is now Acting Suprintendent of Weights and Measures in place 

 of Professor Bache. From this central office of Weights and Measures, full 

 sets of standards, including most beautiful and accurate balances, have been 

 furnished to all the States and Custom-hoiises of the country. Each State 

 Government in its turn directs the distribution of standards to its counties ; 

 and in States where the further subdivision of towns exists, as, for example, 

 in the State of New York, the authorities of each county are instructed by a 

 law of the States to provide each town with standard weights, measures, and 

 balances, and to compare them with the count}- standard once in every five 

 years. 



The office of Weights and Measures at Washington contains, moreover, 

 several copies of the metric standards which have been from time to time fur- 

 nished by the French Government. The first of these were sent to Congress 

 in 1795, being copies of the provisional metre and kilogram. The latest 

 addition was made in 1852, and consists of three different series: — 



1. A standard metre of steel upon a bronze base and a standard Idlograra 



of brass gilt. 



2. A graduated brass metre and a litre, both by Gambey. 



3. A complete and valuable collection of the whole apparatus composing 



