Sept. 1895.] 



PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. 



227 



Report from the Select Committee on Weights and Measures 

 with the Proceedings of the Committee. [H. C. — 346.] 

 Price l\d. 



This publicatioD contains the Report and the Proceedings of 

 Select Committee appointed to inquire whether any and what 

 changes in the present system of weights and measures should 

 be adopted. 



Tiie Committee received evidence from witnesses representing 

 ofiBcial, commercial, manufacturing, trade, educational, and 

 professional interests. They also received from numerous cor- 

 porations, school boards, and other public bodies, resolutions, 

 without exception, in favour of the adoption of the metrical 

 system. 



The Committee find that almost all the witnesses express 

 a strong opinion as to the complicated and unsatisfactory con- 

 dition of our present weights and measures, and of the distinct 

 and serious drawback to our commerce, especially our foreign 

 trade, which this system entails, differing as it does from the 

 system (metrical) now adopted by ever}? European nation except 

 ourselves and Russia, as well as by far the majority of non- 

 European countries with which this kingdom trades. The 

 evidence, however, goes further to show that not only is our 

 foreign trade in every branch seriously handicapped, but that 

 the home trade would be benefited if more simple and uniform 

 standards of weights and measures than those now existing 

 were adopted. 



Moreover, strong evidence was brought forward as to the 

 serious loss of time incurred by English school children in 

 having to learn the complicated system of tables of existing 

 weights and measures, and the urgent need of the adoption of 

 a simpler system. It was stated that no less than one year's 

 school time would be saved if the metrical system were taught 

 in place of that now in use. 



Evidence from competent witnesses proved to the satisfaction 

 of the Committee that a compulsory change from an old and 

 complicated system to the metrical had taken place in Germanv, 

 Norw^ay and Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, and many other 

 European countries without serious opposition or inconvenience ; 

 that this change was carried out in a comparatively short 

 period ; and that as soon as the simple character of the new 

 system was understood it was appreciated by all classes of the 

 population, and no attempt to use the old units or to return to 

 the old system was made. 



In the United States, where a system founded on the English 

 units exists, a Commission is at present engaged in an investi- 

 gation of the same character as that with which the Committee 

 is charged, and the Federal Government has this year passed an 

 Act rendering the metrical system compulsory for pharmaceutical 

 purposes. 



