IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 
3 
To begin with an apparent defeat, namely the rejection of a bill providing 
for the obligatory use of the metric system in Great Britain, this bill was 
passed by the House of Lords, but defeated March 22, 1907, in the lower house 
by the small majority of 150 to 118. Such a close vote would have been impos- 
sible only a few years ago and shows clearly the decided change which has 
taken place in the attitude of the British public. Over 50 Chambers of Com- 
merce, sixty teachers’ associations, inspectors of weights and measures in 80 
districts, thirty retail trades associations and numerous chambers of agriculture 
and farmers associations endorsed the bill, and the congress of trades unions 
representing some five million workmen passed unanimously a resolution in 
favor of it. There exists in England a strong society, the Decimal Association, 
with 1,500 members, drawn from all classes of the population — members of 
parliament, scientists, manufacturers, etc. — ^all working for metric reform. Has 
not the time arrived for all of us who are interested in this important question 
to band together and take a more active part in this great educational movement? 
That the majority of the British colonies have strongly declared in favor of 
the introduction of the metric system is wejl known. Mauritius and the Sey- 
chelles are already metric countries, while New Zealand passed a bill in 1905 
authorizing the establishment of the system by the government. 
And now let us turn to other than English-speaking countries. A decree 
of Sept. 25, 1905, made the system obligatory in all Portugese colonies; in Den- 
mark a law was passed May 5, 1907, requiring the use of the metric system for 
all public acts except in the land survey, the date for its enforcement to be fixed 
by the king, but not later than 1910. 
China is seriously considering the adoption of a uniform system of weights 
and measures and its ambassadors to the various civilized countries are making 
a thorough investigation of the various systems in use. Let us hope that this 
means another country added to the already large number of countries where 
the metric system is used exclusively. 
3. Legislative action is doubtless necessary to secure for a country a uniform 
and efficient system of weights and measures; but everyone recognizes that 
the mere passage of a law is not sufficient to make the metric system a success. 
It must work out its own destiny; if the people have not been sufficiently 
educated to appreciate its advantages and are not in sympathy with such a 
legislative measure, its enforcement is made very difficult, as for example in 
Turkey, Greece and Portugal. The metric system must in fact first conquer a 
country unaided by laws and statutes, while these must finally be passed to 
restrain those who do not want to learn, from doing mischief. 
The metric system shows its greatest advance during the past few years 
outside of legislative domain. In Japan, for example, it is taught now in schools 
and is used almost exclusively in geodetic work, meteorology, medicine, phar- 
macy and in the army; in Egypt, though most of the officials are Englishmen, it 
is used in the public works department, the customs, postoffice and railways. 
Still more important seem the steps taken by large international associations 
representing important industries. The international screw system is being 
introduced rapidly in large continental factories and especially for screws of 
smaller size it is used by the great majority of watchmakers all over the world. 
The international association of silk manufacturers has accepted the metric 
system so that Mr. Roy in a report to a congress held in 1905 in Manchester 
could say that it is used now everywhere in the silk trade. 
