new standards of weights and measures. 7 
consider the degree of reliance which might be placed upon 
the accuracy of the experiments made by Sir George Shuck- 
burgh on this subject. 
A cube, a cylinder, and a sphere of brass were used in 
these experiments ; and in consequence of some difficulties 
which occurred, the weight of these, both in air and in dis- 
tilled water, was so repeatedly ascertained by Sir George 
Shuckburgh, as to leave no reasonable doubt of the accuracy 
of his conclusions. But as the linear dimensions of the cube, 
sphere and cylinder, might not have been determined with 
equal precision, it was thought adviseable to repeat these 
measurements. This was accordingly done ; and though in 
detail they differed somewhat from Sir George Shuckburgh’s 
determinations, yet, fortunately, the variations were such as 
nearly to counterbalance each other, and to occasion little 
difference in the ultimate result, as may be seen in an account 
of these last mentioned measurements given in the Philoso- 
phical Transactions for 1821. 
Sir George Shuckburgh’s results having been expressed 
in terms derived from the mean of several standard Troy 
weights, of one and of two pounds, kept at the House of 
Commons, the Commissioners of Weights and Measures 
thought it desirable that the Troy pound, which differed the 
least from this mean, should be taken as the unit of weight ; 
and therefore recommended that the Parliamentary Standard 
Troy pound of 1758 should remain unaltered; and this has 
been accordingly declared by the Legislature to be the ori- 
ginal “ unit, or only standard measure of weight, from which 
all other weights shall be derived and that it is to be 
denominated “ the Imperial Standard Troy Pound." 
