238 
STANDARDS COMMISSION. 
And of the increasing use of the metric system in scientific researches, and in the 
practice of accurate chemistry and engineering construction; 
We are of opinion that the time has now arrived when the law should provide, 
and facilities be afforded by the Government, for the introduction and use of metric 
weights and measures in the United Kingdom. 
That for this object, metric standards, accurately verified in relation to the 
primary metric standards at Paris, and deposited in the Standards Department of 
the Board of Trade, should be legalized; and that verified copies of the official 
metric standards should be provided by the local authorities for inspectors of such 
districts as may require them. 
(2.) Considering the advantages of adopting an international system not only of 
uniform weights and measures, but also uniform names; and that although there may 
be well-founded objections to the inconvenient length and occasional similarity, both to 
the eye and ear of the French nomenclature, yet it is probable that these names will 
become familiar by custom, and obtain popular abbreviations; 
We think that the French nomenclature, as well as decimal scale of the metric 
system, should be introduced in this country. 
(3.) Considering,— 
That there is no immediate cause requiring a general change in the existing system 
of legal weights and measures of the country for the purposes of internal trade; 
That the statutable values of the fundamental imperial units are adopted in use with¬ 
out the slightest variation throughout the whole of the British Isles; 
That the primary imperial standards are as perfect as can be made by modern skill and 
science, and that the whole series of official standards are now most accurately verified 
in relation to the primary standards; 
That a very large number of copies of the official imperial standards, accurately veri¬ 
fied, are now in use by the local inspectors of weights and measures ; 
That it is estimated there are nearly 30 millions of ordinary weights and measures of 
the existing imperial system now in common use; 
That at the present time there is no evidence to show that any considerable portion 
of traders and their customers in this country are dissatisfied with the imperial system 
now in use, or that they desire to substitute the metric system for it; 
We are of opinion that the general introduction of the metric system should 
be permissive only, and not made compulsory by law after any period to be now 
specified, so far as relates to the use of metric weights and measures for weighing 
and measuring goods for sale or conveyance. 
(4.) Considering that during the concurrent use of the metric and imperial systems, 
it will be expedient to prevent, as far as possible, imperial and metric weights and 
measures from being accidentally or fraudulently substituted for each other ; 
We are of opinion that authoritative regulations should be established under 
which each series may be readily and easily distinguished, by the adoption of con¬ 
spicuous distinctive forms or marks for the several weights and measures, and by 
such other mode as may be determined upon after due inquiry. 
(5.) We are of opinion that it is expedient that customs duties should be allowed 
to be levied by metric weight and measure, as well as by imperial weight and measure; 
that the use of the metric system, concurrently with the imperial system, should be 
adopted by other public departments, especially the Post Office, and in the publication 
of the principal results of the statistics of the Board of Trade, as well as for the admea¬ 
surement and registration of the tonnage of shipping ; 
(6.) And that mural standards of the metric system, as well as of the imperial system, 
be exhibited in public places. 
(7.) Considering,— 
That the metric system, as adopted in other countries, includes the relation of coinage 
to weights and measures, particularly in its uniform decimal scale ; 
And that the advantages of the introduction of the metric system into this country, as 
an international system of weights and measures, would be much increased by establish¬ 
ing a corresponding international system of coinage, in regard to a unit and to a decimal 
scale; 
We are of opinion that, even if the difficulties of establishing an international 
unit of coinage cannot be at present overcome, yet the decimalization of our system 
