1 66 The National Geographic Magazine 



for they are really not necessary to the 

 system at all — the English equivalents 

 would do as well. It is convenient, how- 

 ever, for many reasons to have some 

 means of expressing all these various 

 denominations in specific words coined 

 for the purpose, although the names are 

 not all of equal importance. As a matter 

 of fact, many of them are seldom used, 

 and a few suffice for ordinary purposes. 

 This greatly simplifies the nomenclature 

 for English-speaking persons. 



You will appreciate the point by refer- 

 ence to our monetary system. Our system 

 of coinage provides for eagles, dollars, 

 dimes , cents, and mills ; but, as a matter 

 of fact, dollars and cents are sufficient for 

 all ordinary purposes. We do not reckon 

 money by eagles or dimes, and mills are 

 hardly ever alluded to excepting by Con- 

 gressmen and statisticians. 



So, on the metric system, the terms 

 kilogram and gram are generally suffi- 

 cient to express weight; and the other 

 terms provided, which Americans find 

 some difficulty in remembering, are really 

 of little importance because so seldom 

 used. 



The meter and centimeter are generally 

 sufficient for ordinary purposes, although 

 millimeter is also needed for fine meas- 

 urements, and kilometer for long dis- 

 tance comparable to our mile, though lit- 

 tle more than half its length. 



The liter is necessary also in express- 

 ing volumes ; but the multiples and sub- 

 divisions of it are not much used. These 

 give you what may be called the basal 

 points. It is not really necessary to use 

 the other names, although advisable to 

 possess them in case of need for special 

 purposes. 



The Chairman: Just as you would re- 

 member pounds and quarts and dollars 

 and cents. 



Mr Bell: Exactly. 



The Chairman: When you know the 

 value of anything expressed in one de- 

 nomination you know it in all, by looking 

 at it. 



Mr Bell: Yes. And you are relieved 

 of the enormous and unnecessary labor 

 of calculation involved in the use of our 

 present measures in merely translating 

 from one denomination of the system to 

 another. 



The Chairman: Now, for the purposes 

 of actual measurement, something has 

 been said about the inch being a more 

 convenient unit than the centimeter. 



Mr Bell: I do not see any reason why 

 an inch should be more convenient than a 

 centimeter, excepting that we have be- 

 come accustomed to it. Usage will famil- 

 iarize us with the centimeter, and then 

 our judgment will probably be just the 

 other way. 



The Chairman: Some of those who op- 

 pose the introduction of the metric sys- 

 tem say that, so far as its actual use is 

 concerned, there is no difference between 

 the two systems, and others say that the 

 inch is a more convenient unit; that the 

 meter is not a convenient unit. There 

 have been suggestions that it ought to be 

 40 inches. 



Mr Bell: Is not the fact of the matter 

 this : That anything you are accustomed 

 to is convenient? 



The Chairman: Yes ; I think so. 



OUR FOREIGN COMMERCE WOUED BE 

 HELPED TREMENDOUSLY 



Mr Bell: The metric system is already 

 in extensive use. It has stood the test of 

 a hundred years, and has displaced the 

 older systems in most of the countries of 

 the old world. The metrical units have 

 proved to be very convenient there, and 

 they will be equally convenient to us 

 when we become accustomed to them and 

 use them. 



If we employed them, we would have 

 the same system that is in use in most of 

 the foreign countries with which we 

 trade. The trade and commerce of the 

 United States would then be enormously 

 facilitated by reason of the fact of our 

 using the same weights and measures em- 

 ployed by the people with whom we deal. 



