265 
of Edinburgh, Session 1883-84. 
closely similar to the old English mile ; this is the old Erench 
mile, which is equal to 1'21 statute miles, or within 3 per cent, of 
what we have seen to he probably the earliest English mile. And 
this resemblance is not only in length, but also in subdivision, as 
the Erench mile is 1000 toises, and this is decimally divided like 
the 10 furlongs in the mile, and the 10 chains in the furlong. 
Also, the English league consisted of two old English miles,* like 
the French league. 
This continued decimal division of the Erench mile suggests that 
perhaps the old English mile may have had lesser subdivisions than 
the chain ; of the chain would be SOT 5 ± ’6 inches ; and if this 
fathom was subdivided into 6 feet, like the Erench toise, we should 
have a foot of 13*36 ±T inches, or rather less perhaps by the 
original mile. 
Now, on referring to Inductive Metrology, p. 107, it will be seen 
that the commonest foot known in the medimval remains in Eng- 
land is 13*22 ±“01 inches in length; this being more commonly 
found even than our modern foot of 12*0 inches. Here then we 
have found the basis of the old mile appearing quite independently 
as the most frequent measure in mediaeval England. This foot ap- 
pears to be the same as the classical “Drusian foot,” which may have 
been introduced by the Komans into both France and England. 
The series of measures thus connected with the old English mile 
run thus : — 
Inches (by the mile). Inches (by the foot). 
Foot . . . 13*36+ ‘1 or 13-22+ -01 
6 feet =1 fathom . 80-15+ -6 79-32± +6 
10 fathoms =1 chain . 801*5 + 6- statute miles. 793-2 + -6 statute miles. 
10 chains ^1 furlong 8015- + 60-= -1265+-001 7932- ± 6-= -1252±-0001. 
10 furlongs = 1 mile 80150“ + 600- = 1-265 ±-01 79320- ± 60-=l-252 ±-001. 
The second determination, working from the foot, which is far more 
accurately known than the mile, is probably the most trustworthy ; 
and as we have observed that the original form of the mile was 
probably rather shorter than 1*265, therefore this restoration of the 
old mile from the foot, shown by various buildings, represents the 
data that we have as well as anything can, and is far more accurate 
than anything that we can hope to recover from itinerary measures. 
See Eoger Bacon’s distances, before quoted. 
