516 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. XXIII. No. 587. 



estly request you yourself, to write nnd also 

 secure from other friends of the system as many 

 letters to representatives in Congress as possible, 

 so that they may see that public sentiment is not 

 one-sided as might seem from the statements of 

 the opponents of the system. 



Notwithstanding these misleading statements, 

 tlie metric sj'stem during the past thirty years 

 has made the most substantial and important 

 progress of its history. By the establishment of 

 the International Bureau of Weights and Sleas- 

 ures in 1872, the metric system became in the 

 f\illest sense an international system. Its sub- 

 secjuent introduction into actual and general use 

 in Germany and the neighboring countries have 

 given it the character of a real international sys- 

 tem, and secured for it a commanding position 

 which neither the British nor any other system 

 ever possessed, and which make it as near a 

 permanent institution as any human arrangement 

 can be. At the same time it is among English 

 speaking people themselves, the medium in which 

 all scientific research is carried on, the system in 

 which all electrical measurements ai-e made, and 

 in which all higher education is given, for which 

 reason thou.sands of our young people are al- 

 ready acquainted with it. 



Under present conditions the British system is 

 an ugly excrescence on the world's literature and 

 practical arts which the general welfare requires 

 we should abolish as speedily as possible. Al- 

 read}' the conflict of two systems is a serious 

 obstacle to international trade and a hindrance 

 to international cooperation in every direction. 



For these reasons, among others, we earnestly 

 request you to obtain the largest possible ex- 

 pression of opinion favorable to the introduction 

 of the system into all government work by Act 

 of Congress, by writing yourself, and getting all 

 friends of the system to write to members of 

 Congress in both houses, requesting them to pass 

 the act now pending which provides for the intro- 

 duction of the metric system into government 

 use. The sentiment in favor of the metric sys- 

 tem is so far advanced in the British Empire 

 that it is a question whether we will not be antici- 

 pated in its adoption. 



The expression of boards of trade, educational 

 bodies and colonial governments leave no doubt 

 but that England would immediately follow us in 

 tlie adoption of the metric system should we be 

 fortunate enough to first take the step. 



In the present state of affairs individual let- 

 ters are more effective than the resolutions of so- 

 cieties, most of which are already on record. 



THE CONOREfiS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



Fehruary 21. — Mr. Humphrey, of the state 

 of Washington, introduced a bill for the pro- 

 tection of game animals, birds and fishes in 

 the Olympic Forest Reserve in the state of 

 Washing-ton. Eeferred to the Committee on 

 Public Lands. 



Fehruary 23- — House Eesolution, 1.3,190, to 

 protect birds and their eggs in game and bird 

 preserves, passed the House of Representatives. 



Fehruary 28. — A bill (15,849) was intro- 

 duced to protect wild water-foy/l on the Po- 

 tomac River and its tributaries. Referred to 

 Committee on Agriculture. 



March .5. — House Resolution, 13,542, au- 

 thorizing the Secretary of the Interior to 

 lease land in Stanley County, South Dakota, 

 for a buffalo pasture, passed the Senate. 



House Resokition, 13,5.38, incorporating the 

 Carnegie foundation for the advancement of 

 teaching, passed the Senate with amendments. 



Fehruary 15. — The Secretary of Commerce 

 and Labor transmitted a letter to the House 

 of Representatives, with a draft of proposed 

 legislation to enable the Bureau of Fisheries 

 to continue the exchange of fish eggs with 

 foreign governments. 



Fehruary 19. — The same matter was laid be- 

 fore the Senate, with the added proviso that 

 the Department of Commerce and Labor be 

 authorized to donate to foreign governments 

 living fish and other water animals and their 

 eggs, etc., when the efficiency of the Bureau of 

 Fisheries would be enhanced thereby. 



The Committee on Public Lands, to which 

 was referred the bill to protect birds and their 

 eggs in game and bird preserves (H. R. 

 13,190), reported the same with amendment, 

 accompanied by a report. The bill and re- 

 port were referred to the House Calendar. 



Fehruary 26. — House Resolution, 13,190, to 

 protect birds and their eggs in game and bird 

 preserves, was referred to the Senate Com- 

 mittee on Forest Reservations and the Pro- 

 tection of Game. 



March 12, 1906. — Mr. Lacey, from the Com- 

 mittee on the Public Lands, to which was re- 

 ferred the bill of the House (H. E. 11,016) for 

 the preservation of American antiquities, re- 



