| Show THE METRIC SYSTEM friends pi lends of the metric system axe are again preparing a bill in favor of that standard of measurement to be introduced in congress at an early day there Is one reason perhaps the only one why it should be adopted and that is this that a great many countries have it and that common weights and measures facilitate trade inger in germany france austria belgium sweden norway italy spain portugal hungary switzerland venezuela peru and servia serela the metric system to 19 obligatory russia denmark and japan are about the only countries where it has not obtained some recognition I 1 the prevailing sentiment in great britain as in this country to is said to be in favor of the metric system it in ie a question of dollars and cents it has had been reported to the united states coast survey that england has lost many contracts in foreign countries because the changing of figures from one system to another to is always liable to result in inaccuracy this consideration will command attention low since no progressive country can afford to stand isolated in such matters even when possible to do so the claim however that the meter to is a scientifically more correct standard than thenard the yard is not true alt h was established in prance france the savants savanis arrived at it by taking measurements of the earths surface at the meridian et 0 parts paris dividing this in ten million parts and thus obtaining inches a and nd calling this a meter it is in obvious that the measurement of a curved line at any amy particular merl meridian diali of the earth to is rather arbitrary besides science has proved that the originators of toe the new unit made some grave miscalculations A more rational proceeding it has been suggested would be to measure the axis of the earth which Is a straight line and the base line so to speak on which the globe Is framed dividing this line in five hundred million equal parts each would be about halt half a hairs breadth longer than the present inch twenty five of these might be given a convenient name and serve for a longer unit thus giving a system of measurement with all the advantages of the metric system and based upon a more scientific foundation it is not at all impossible that the meter system at some time will be subjected to some such revision |
