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57 



Since the object in undertaking a reform of the system 

 of weights and measures consists in bringing all instru- 

 ments of measurement into directly commensurable rela- 

 tions with the decimal scale of numbers, without resorting 

 to the use of instruments of inconvenient size or gradation 

 for the particular measuring purposes to which they must 

 be applied, a distinction might be made between the mea- 

 sures of account and the measures used in actual practice, 

 a method which has a ready precedent in the case 

 of money ; there being in several instances a money of 

 account, differing from any coinage really in circulation. 

 To show that such a scheme is quite feasible, some denomi- 

 nations may be cited, given here in a very rough approxi- 

 mation as to values, but susceptible of perfectly accurate 

 determination whenever it may be deemed advisable to set 

 about the reform. 



I. LENGTH. 



New measures. 



Substitute 



FOR. 



Near values. 



Metre 



Yard 





39 inches. 



\ Metre 



-J yard or 2 



feet 



19,5 inches. 



\ Metre 



Foot 





2,75 inches. 



Decimetre 



4 inches 





3,9 inches. 



\ Decimetre 



2 inches 





1,95 inches. 



\ Decimetre 



Inch 





0,975 inches.' 



Centimetre 



J inch 





0,39 inches. 



\ Centimetre 



\ inch 





0,195 inch. 



\ Centimetre 



J inch 





0,0975 inch. 



Millimetre 



Line or jfc 



inch 



0,039 inch. 



Decametre 



Rod 





10,25 yards. 



\ Decametre 



2 poles 





5,175 yards. 



\ Decametre 



Pole or 10 



feet 



2.5875 yards. 



C at o metre 



100 yards 





103,1 yards. 



\ Catometre 



50 yards 





51,55 yards. 



jCatometre 



Chain or 100 feet 25,275 yards. 



Trans, viii.] 



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