624 
Correspondence. 
'October, 
ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE. 
Perceiving that the “Journal of Science” pays especial atten- 
tion to the • intelligence of the lower animals, I place at your 
disposal notice of a faCt which I dare say some of your readers 
will be able to corroborate : — If a workman is allowed to bring 
his dog with him to any manufactory where he is employed, it 
is astonishing how quickly the animal finds out “ who is who ” 
in the concern. His profound respeCt for the head of the esta- 
blishment, and for managers, foremen, and officer-bearers in 
general, forms an amusing contrast to his sauciness to private 
workmen. 
J. C., of S. 
INTERNATIONAL WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 
Certain neighbouring nations conceive that they have iust cause 
of complaint against Britain on account of her tardiness in 
adopting the metric system ; but these grumblers, perhaps, forget 
that they, too, sin against international convenience. What, for 
instance, can be a greater nuisance to a non-German than the 
receipt of a letter or other document written in the German 
characters ? He may be able to speak the language with flu- 
ency, correctness, and even elegance, yet, unless he has constant 
practice in deciphering German manuscripts, he is put to a 
serious loss of time, and may even be in doubt concerning some 
important word. Yet Germany shows no signs of a disposition 
to make this needed reform. 
Were we to abandon our old system in favour of the metric 
standards, we should have to encounter a very tangible sacrifice. 
All our existing weights and measures, whether of length or 
capacity, would become so much waste material, involving a loss 
of probably not less than two millions sterling. In addition, 
many valuable works, tables, &c., on land-surveying, civil and 
mechanical engineering, &c., would be reduced to the rank of 
waste paper. Of the derangement in retail trade, which would 
fall heavily upon the poorer classes, I cannot here speak. Now 
what, on the other hand, would it cost Germany to adopt the 
written characters used by the rest of the civilised world ? 
Practically nothing, except to the speCtacle-makers, who would 
find short-sightedness diminish. 
The French, on their part, have a mal-praCtice which they 
might very well immolate on the shrine of internationalism. I 
