6 



SCIENCE. 



LN. S. Vol. IV. No. 79. 



and the obligations under which he has 

 placed metrologists is a matter worthy of 

 record. 



Up to the present date this Act completes 

 the list of statutes relating to weights and 

 measures, and it will be seen that in a 

 hundred years only four laws fixing stand- 

 ards have been made. In 1828 the stand- 

 ard of the mint was fixed by law ; in 1866 

 the Metric System was legalized ; in 1893 

 a gauge for measuring sheet iron was es- 

 tablished, and in 1894 the units fpr electrical 

 measurement were defined. 



This seems entirely inadequate to the 

 needs of a great nation, and such a con- 

 dition of things could never have continued 

 had not the several States long ago exer- 

 cised that authority which by the Consti- 

 tution belongs to Congress, but which Con- 

 gress has thus far practically ignored. For 

 reasons already given, this condition is not 

 one to cause regret. It leaves our National 

 law makers to-day practically free from the 

 influence of past legislation, which might be 

 a serious obstacle in the way of following 

 that course which a century of experience 

 has now shown conclusively to be the only 

 wise one. 



History shows that marked advances of 

 the character here referred to are usually 

 brought about through the active, personal 

 interest and enthusiasm of a very few men, 

 often not more than one or two. It is true 

 that they must be supported and reenforced 

 by outside influence, but in a matter of this 

 kind it will usually happen that not many 

 members of either House or Senate will have 

 the time or the interest to thoroughly in- 

 form themselves of the merits of a measure 

 which does not immediately appeal to them. 

 They depend largely on the few who are 

 well informed, who have made a special 

 study of the subject, and who by reason of 

 their pergonal character and influence are 

 accepted as authority. A general Act, 

 however, changing either now or at some 



fix:ed future time the whole system of met- 

 rology in daily and constant use is some- 

 thing which is likely to challenge opposition 

 and to secure which it will be necessary ta 

 give the widest possible range to discussion 

 and criticism. 



Such an act is now under consideration by 

 Congress. On December 26, 1895, Hon. D. 

 M. Hurley, of New York, introduced a bill 

 looking to the compulsory adoption of the 

 Metric System within the next few years. 

 It was considered with much care by the 

 Committee on Coinage, Weights and Meas- 

 ures, to which it was referred, and on 

 March 16th the Chairman of that Com- 

 mittee, Hon. Chas. Stone, made, by the 

 unanimous direction of the Committee, an 

 elaborate, interesting and valuable report, 

 recommending the passage of a substitute 

 for Mr. Hurley's bill, involving essentially 

 the same principles, but differing from it 

 somewhat as to details. Mr. Stone, as- 

 Chairman of the Committee, has cham- 

 pioned the bill on the floor of the House 

 with the same interest and skill that char- 

 acterised his previous efforts in behalf of a 

 scientific metrology. He has been effici- 

 ently seconded by Mr. Hurley and others, 

 to the end that the friends of the measure 

 have much confidence in its final success in 

 the next session of Congress. No more 

 important measure has been considered by 

 Congress for many years and no opportunity 

 to pass a law which will be for the great 

 and lasting benefit of the whole of the peo- 

 ple in so great a degree as this is likely to 

 present itself for many years to come. 



T. C. Mbndenhall. 



Note.— The following are the Acts re- 

 ferred to above, except that of 1894, defin- 

 ing electric units, which has already been 

 published in this journal : 



Act of Congress of 1799, directing a semi-yearly 

 comparison of weights and measures used in custom 

 houses: « 



