AmMi?ch,f904.rm"}     Herbert  Spencer  and  the  Metric  System.  125 
If  the  magnesium  existed  as  a  sulphate  in  the  water  the  deposit 
of  magnesia  could  not  have  formed  in  the  purifier,  as  magnesium 
sulphate  is  a  stable  compound  under  the  influence  of  heat. 
The  remainder  of  the  calcium  carbonate  determined  by  titration 
is  stated  as  calcium  carbonate  and  deducted  from  the  amount  of 
calcium  oxide  found.  The  remainder  of  the  calcium  oxide  is  stated 
as  calcium  sulphate,  and  deducted  from  the  barium  sulphate  found, 
and  if  any  barium  sulphate  remains,  it  is  stated  as  sodium  sulphate. 
Each  water  requires  individual  study,  and  if  a  sample  of  sediment 
formed  by  the  water  is  also  examined,  it  will  decide  how  a  certain 
base  and  acid  exist  in  the  water. 
HERBERT  SPENCER  AND  THE  METRIC  SYSTEM. 
By  Florence  Yapi,e. 
The  question  of  the  adoption  and  use  of  the  metric  system  of 
weights  and  measures  in  the  United  States  being  the  subject  of  so 
much  debate  at  the  present  time,  it  seems  fitting  that  the  position  of 
the  late  Herbert  Spencer  with  regard  to  this  system  should  be  made 
more  generally  known,  more  especially  as  his  opposition  to  the 
general  adoption  of  this  system  was  a  life-long  one,  and  also  because 
he  may  be  said  to  have  occupied  a  position  such  as  enabled  him  to 
correlate  the  views  of  men  of  science  and  men  of  business. 
Without  considering  the  origin  and  history  of  the  metric  system, 
it  may  be  said  that  in  view  of  the  strong  national  prejudices, 
which  exist  in  many  countries,  as  well  as  other  impeding  influences, 
it  has  made  comparatively  rapid  progress,  particularly  for  scientific 
purposes.  The  question  arises,  is  this  wholly  due  to  the  intrinsic 
merits  of  the  metric  system  itself,  or  is  it  due  in  part  to  the  need  for 
a  system  of  weights  and  measures  which  is  international  or  universal 
in  its  application,  as  indeed  the  metric  system  was  intended  to  be  ? 
Or,  going  a  little  further,  may  not  a  better  system  than  the  metric 
system  be  found,  and  may  not  the  universal  adoption  of  the  metric 
system  prevent  finally  the  adoption  of  this  better  system  ?  This  was 
the  question  which  concerned  Spencer.  He  frankly  admitted  the 
advantages  of  a  decimal  system  to  the  man  of  science,  but  thought  it 
was  "  ill  adapted  for  industrial  and  trading  purposes." 
While  perhaps  it  may  seem  like  taking  a  step  backward  to  give 
even  so  much  sanction  to  Spencer's  views  as  to  publish  them,  still 
