| J ounce (1-16th ofa pound) - 
658 
They may be used as weighing machines, or as 
cranes at pleasure, a simple turn of the hand 
being all that is required to render the jib either 
fixed or vibratory. The length of the chain, or 
of the jib, and the weight which the cranes may 
be required to raise and weigh, or the purposes 
for which they are intended, are matters of no 
moment. In landing and weighing heavy goods, 
the weight is ascertained with all the accuracy 
of the beam while the goods are in a state of sus- 
pension, and the loss of time, labour, and expense, 
occasioned by shifting them from the crane to 
the beam, and back again from the beam to the 
crane, are entirely avoided. 
WEIGHTS. In the article Mzasurzs we have 
given an account of the reformation of the Eng- 
lish measures. The following tables exhibit the 
relations of some of the most important measures 
of weight. 
1. French Measures of Weight.—The unit used 
in weighing is the kilogramme. It has been 
fixed by law, and is equal to the specific weight 
of the distilled water contained in one cubic de- 
cimétre. The kilogramme thus fixed was found 
| to be equal to 2 livres (pounds), 5 gros, 35 grains, 
roo poids de marc, and to 2 lbs. 8 oz. 3 dwt. 
6°355 grains troy, or 2 lbs. 2 oz. 4 drams, 16 grains 
avoirdupois weight, English. As the most com- 
mon things of daily consumption are sold by 
weight in small quantities, a great difficulty 
arose in introducing this part of the system ; and 
| the old denominations of weight have therefore 
been allowed to remain, with some modification 
in their actual value, taking the kilogramme as 
the basis. The kilogramme is divided into 2 
livres; the livre is subdivided into 16 ounces, 
the ounce into 8 gros, and the gros into 72 grains. 
This new livre, therefore, exceeds the old one 
(poids de marc) by 130; so, to reduce kilogrammes 
| into old measure, it is necessary to multiply by 
2 and add +25. 
French. 
0:06477 gramme. 
1:55456 gramme. 
31:0913 grammes. 
0°3730956 kilogramme, 
English Troy. 
1 grain (1-24th of a dwt.) Z S 
1 pennyweight (1-20th of an ounce) 
lounce- - = = Ea 
lpound troyimperial - ~- 
Nd i 
French. 
17712 gramme. 
28°3384 grammes, 
04534148 kilogramme. 
50°78246 kilogrammes, 
= 1015'649 kilogrammes. 
English Avoirdupos. 
1 dram (1-16th of an ounce) = 
1 pound avoirdupois imperial - 
1 hundred weight (112 pounds) 
Letome iy ie =) tev = 
I Ul tt If 
1 millier = 1000 kilogrammes (weight of a tun of sea-water). 
1 quintal = 100 kilogrammes. 
1 hectogramme = 1-10th of a kilogramme. 
1 decagramme = 1-100th “ 
1 gramme = 1-1000th cf 
1 decigramme = 1-10,000th we 
2. English Measures of Weight.—The statute of 
| 5 George IV., c. 74, made some slight modifica- 
tions in the measures of weight, but retained, in 
the main, the existing measures. “The troy 
weight,” say the Commissioners of weights and 
measures, “appeared to us to be the ancient 
weight of this kingdom, having existed in the 
same state from the time of Edward the Con- 
WEIGHTS. 
fessor; and there are reasons to believe that the 
word ¢voy has no reference to any town in France, 
but rather to the monkish name given to London 
of Troy Novant, founded on the legend of Brute: 
troy weight, therefore, according to this etymo- 
logy, is, in fact, London weight. We were in- 
duced, moreover, to preserve the troy weight, 
because all the coinage has been uniformly regu- 
lated by it; and all medical prescriptions or for- 
mule always have been estimated by troy weight, 
under a peculiar subdivision, which the college 
of physicians have expressed themselves most 
anxious to preserve.” It was resolved, therefore, 
to continue the use of troy weight, and also, on 
account of the accuracy of the troy standard, to 
raise the avoirdupois weight from this basis. 
“We found,” continue the commissioners, “the 
avoirdupois weight, by which all heavy goods 
have been for a long time weighed (probably de- 
rived from avoirs (averia), the ancient name for 
goods or chattels, and poids, weight), to be uni- 
versally used throughout the kingdom, This 
weight, however, seems not to have been pre- 
served with such scrupulous accuracy as troy 
weight, by which more precious articles have 
been weighed; but we have reason to believe 
that the pound cannot differ by more than one, 
two, or three grains, from 7,000 grains troy. It, 
therefore, occurred to us, that we should be of- 
fering no violence to this system of weights, if 
we declared that 7,000 grains troy should be here- 
after considered as the pound avoirdupois.” It 
was accordingly enacted that, from January Ist, 
1826, the standard brass weight of one pound 
troy weight, made in 1758, should be the genuine 
standard measure of weight, and be denominated 
the imperial standard troy pound, containing 
5,760 grains, and that 7,000 such grains should be 
a pound avoirdupois. 
Diviston I.—Avoirdupois Werght. 
2733 grains - -=l1dram - -= 2743 grains. 
16drams_ - - =Tlounce - oY 3 Gs 
16 ounces - -=H1pound (lb.) - = 7000 fs 
28 pounds - - = 1 quarter (qr.). 
4 quarters - - = 1 hundred weight (cwt.). 
20 hundred weight = 1 ton. 
This weight is used in almost all commercial trans- 
actions, and in the common dealings of life. 
Particular Weights belonging to this Division. 
ewt, qr. lb. 
8pounds - = 1 stone used for meat and fish. 
7 pounds = 1 clove 
14 Pande -=Ilstone-= 0 014 : 
9stone - =I1tod- = 0 1 0: used in the 
6tod- -=lwey -= 1 214 wool trade. 
Qweys - =I1sack = 3 1 0 
12 sacks -=llast -= 39 0 0 
A pack of wool contains 240 lbs. A truss of hay 
weighs 36 lIbs., and of straw 36. 
A stone of glass 
is 5 lbs.; a seam 24 stone. : 
8pounds -=AI1clove,- - - 
32 cloves - = i weyin Essex, - ( used for cheese 
42 « -= “ inSuffolk -( and butter. 
56 pounds - = 1 firkin eS 
