54 



1000 of which constitute the grain ; 7000 of which grains 

 go to the pound avoirdupois, and ten pounds make the 

 imperial gallon, which thus contains 277,274 cubic inches. 

 This extremely moderate advance in scientific legislation 

 was achieved in the year 1826, having occupied the atten- 

 tion of the british parliament for more than ten years. In 

 its conclusion, it appears to have aimed at nothing more 

 than to introduce a greater degree of precision into the old 

 rather indefinite reference of "three barleycorns make one 

 inch," the average weight of one of which corns or grains 

 being at the same time the nominal standard of weights. 

 In other respects, it certainly offers no advantage whatever 

 over the system theretofore in use in the British empire, 

 the constituent elements of which are now actually those 

 of the standards used in the United States. 



The system of standards now in use in the United States, 

 commenced by Mr. Hassler in 1835, and completed by his 

 successor, Prof. A. D. Bache, towards the year 1850, has no 

 immediate reference to any single unit as a common base. 

 The standard of length is the old english yard, a brass scale 

 of which was obtained from Mr. Troughton of London, and 

 agrees with the present english imperial yard, having the 

 ordinary division into three feet of twelve inches each. 

 The standard of weight is the old grain, which is also the 

 imperial grain, 5760 of which constitute the pound troy, 

 and 7000 the pound avoirdupois. The standard capacity 

 for liquids is the gallon, consisting of 58372,2 grains of 

 pure water at its maximum density; and that for dry mate- 

 rials is the bushel, consisting of 543391,89 grains of water 

 under a similar condition of purity and density. The 

 american standard gallon is therefore 231 cubic inches 

 very nearly, while the english imperial gallon is 277,274 

 cubic inches nearly; and while the american bushel is 

 very nearly the old Winchester bushel of 2150,42 cubic 

 inches, the english bushel is 2218,2 cubic inches nearly. 



In place of this system of discordant elements which 



