120 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. II. No. 31. 



approval of every member of the Com- 

 mittee biit one. Some of the conclusions 

 reached are extremely interesting and im- 

 portant. It was found that " with a single 

 exception, all the witnesses express a strong 

 opinion as to the complicated and unsatis- 

 factory condition of our present weights 

 and measures, and of the distinct and se- 

 rious drawback to our commerce, especially 

 our foreign trade, which this system en- 

 tails, differing as it does from the system 

 (metrical) now adopted by every European 

 nation excepting ourselves and Russia, as 

 well as by far the majority of non-European 

 countries with which this kingdom trades. 

 The evidence, however, goes further to 

 show that not only is our foreign ti-ade, in 

 every branch, seriously handicapped, but 

 that the home trade would be benefited if 

 more simple and uniform standards of 

 weights and measures than those now ex- 

 isting were adopted." 



On the question of loss of time during the 

 educational period of English due to the 

 complicated and cumbersome system "it 

 was stated that no less than one year's 

 school time would be saved if the metrical 

 system were taught in place of that now in 

 use." Evidence was also produced to show 

 that the change from the present to the 

 metric system could be accomplished with- 

 out serious opposition or inconvenience. 



The Committee finally recommended as 

 follows : 



(a) That the metrical system of weights 

 and measures be at once legalized for all 

 purpose's. 



(b) That after a lapse of two years the 

 metrical system be rendered compulsory by 

 Act of Parlirment. 



(c) That the metrical system of weights 

 and measures be taught in all public ele- 

 mentary schools as a necessary and integral 

 part of arithmetic, and that decimals be in- 

 troduced at an earlier period of the school 

 curriculum than is the case at present. 



A Parliamentary report so positively 

 favorable as this marks an epoch in the his- 

 tory of metrology. Hitherto the well known 

 conservatism of the English has prevented 

 action friendlj^ to the metric system, al- 

 though many famous Englishmen have 

 been consistent and aggressive advocates of 

 its adoption. The time has come, however, 

 when the most sensitive nerve in the Brit- 

 ish body politic is touched by this persistent 

 adherence to an unscientific, unpractical 

 and uneconomical system of conducting 

 barter. The manufacturing and commer- 

 cial interests have learned within the past 

 decade that they are handicapped by this 

 in the markets of the world. When this 

 fact is fully impressed upon the English 

 people there will be prompt and decisive 

 action. 



The event ought to be a warning to the 

 United States. It cannot be denied that a 

 decided advantage will accrue to which- 

 ever of the two great English-speaking na- 

 tions shall first put itself in line with the 

 rest of the world in this, one of the great- 

 est economic reforms of the nineteenth cen- 

 tury. Up to the present time, we have 

 been, on the whole, in advance of England, 

 We made the system permissive in 1866, 

 and have encouraged its use by fragmentary 

 legislation since that time. But unless we 

 mean to be left behind, we must shortly do 

 something in the way of a definite plan for 

 the complete adoption of the system. The 

 advantages of the metric system should be 

 vigorously exploited and kept continually 

 before the public during the next year or two. 



The recent success in England is largely 

 due to the perfect organization and skilful 

 direction of ' The New Decimal Associa- 

 tion,' of which Mr. Edward Johnston is the 

 efficient Secretary. This body took the 

 initiative in the presentation of the advan- 

 tages of the metric system and has carried 

 on an extensive and siiccessful educational 

 campaign. T. C. M. 



