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SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. V. No. 112 



measures and decimal currency? Foreign exporters 

 to the United Kingdon would be thankful for a simple 

 table of the British customs tariff in which the equiv- 

 alent duties and units of Continental Metric Systems 

 were shown in parallel columns beside our own." 



Flushing, October 20, 1894. — "The adoption of 

 the Metric System of Weights and Measures in Great 

 Britain and her dependencies would, to my convic- 

 tion, greatly benefit English manufacturers and 

 tradesmen, and would certainly contribute to facili- 

 tate and extend business with this country. ' ' 



Maeseilles, October 23, 1894. — "Very often 

 French merchants have complained of the great diffi- 

 culty thej' had in reducing English weights or meas- 

 ures into those of the Metric System, and I have not 

 the slightest doubt that if the said system was 

 adopted in England it would greatly facilitate trade 

 with this country. " 



Lisbon, October 24, 1894. — " I am of opinion that 

 our industries are materially handicapped in the 

 competition with foreign manufacturers by the isola- 

 tion of our system of weights and measures. 



" The small tradesmen are, therefore, the real rep- 

 resentatives of trade abroad, or at all events are fast 

 becoming so. We should, therefore, cater to their re- 

 quirements and cultivate their custom, for their 

 friendship, to the full extent of the word, is of 

 ' value ' to us. 



" In this regard I think I may safely say that to 

 the tradesmen of foreign countries our system of 

 weights and measures is a constant stumbling-block 

 and acts as a deterrent. Not one in a thousand un- 

 derstands it, and rather than suSer the perplexity of 

 it, or risk the loss that an erroneous computation 

 would entail, pass on to our neighbors, who speak and 

 vrrite to him, in his native language, of Metres and 

 Kilos. He thereby knows what he buys, knows what 

 he has to clear through the custom house without 

 risk of fine or forfeiture, and knows the length and 

 cube which leaves him a profit when he sells. 



" For these reiisons I doubt not but that we lose in 

 the aggregate much valuable trade." 



Alqibes, October 24, 1894. — "I have no doubt 

 whatever that our antiquated and most irrational sys- 

 tem has had an injurious effect wherever it has been 

 employed." 



Vienna, October 26, 1894.— "I believe the adop- 

 tion of the Metric System of Weights and Measures 

 in Great Britain and her dependencies would highly 

 benefit English importers and exporters." 



Malaga, October 23, 1894. — "I have heard pur- 

 chasers here say that they bought German goods in 

 preference to English ones because German merchants 

 sent out their price lists made out with the prices in 

 Spanish currency and weights according]to the Metric 



System, whereas the British merchant always sent 

 his made out according to English weights and cur- 

 rency. 



" I consider that British trade with Spain would 

 increase if we adopted the Metric System." 



Cheeboueg, October 27, 1894. — "I am convinced 

 that if a metrical system of measurement and a deci- 

 mal system of coinage were established in England 

 it would materially benefit British trade, especially 

 with those countries, such as France, where those sys- 

 tems are adopted." 



BoEDEAUX, October 20, 1896. — " If the views of 

 the New Decimal Association were adopted by the 

 legislative authorities they would, I believe, greatly 

 contribute towards facilitating, and consequently to- 

 wards extending, British commercial relations with 

 foreign countries." 



Madeid, October 25, 1896. — " You have my sin- 

 cerest sympathy in your endeavors to make the Metric 

 System compulsory in England. The numerous ad- 

 vantages of such a system are obvious and, moreover, 

 its adoption would greatly facilitate the commercial 

 relations of Great Britain with the rest of Europe." 



Been, October 21, 1896.— "In transacting my offi- 

 cial business I have frequently observed that the 

 present English system of weights and measures is 

 certainly detrimental to British trade in my consular 

 district. I should, therefore, strongly urge and ad- 

 vocate the compulsory adoption of the metric weights 

 and measures in Great Britain and Ireland." 



Rostock, October 20, 1896. — "I can only say that 

 if such a measure as the metric weights and measures 

 bill be adopted compulsorily it would be greatly 

 beneficial to all who have to do business with Great 

 Britain and also to all British subjects who have to do 

 business with the Continent." 



Kiel, November 12, 1896. — " The inconvenience 

 which was felt when the change was made in this 

 country was soon overcome and the reform met with 

 universal appreciation." 



Beest, October 19, 1896. — "The advantages of the 

 Metric System are recognized by all, and were it 

 adopted in England the British tradesmen would 

 greatly benefit by it in his transactions with France, 

 as at present a Frenchman will not take the trouble 

 to calculate the value of English weights and meas- 

 ures into French equivalments ; hence no business is 

 done. ' ' 



Seville, October 30, 1896. — "I heartily sympa- 

 thise with the objects of your association, and in 

 many commercial reports have drawn attention to the 

 loss of British trade through tendering in British 

 weights and measures and in sterling. ' ' 



Teneeiffe, September 10, 1896. — "The customer, 

 instead of seeking British firms to whom to give his 



