be no more inconvenience in employing this measure as a substitute for the foot, referring still to the metre as the unit, than we now experience in the use of the fourth of a dollar, referring to the dollar as the unit; and probably the occasions for this sum are as much more frequent than those for the dollar, as the occasions for the foot exceed those for the metre. It will be observed, that we have here availed ourselves of the outline of a system so ingeniously sketched by the author of the report, upon which we should be tempted to enlarge, were it not that the bane of all speculation, as well as of legislation relative to this subject, has been the multiplicity of systems.

It is believed, that the difficulty attending the decimal relation of the different denominations of weight and measure, has arisen from previous habits, more than from any inherent incompatibility of such a progression with the purposes to be answered. It is true, that this relation is inconvenient, on account of the small number of divisors belonging to the number ten. But this inconvenience would be greatly outweighed, we think, even with respect to those who have little to do with calculation, by the advantages to be derived from a scale of weights and measures, thus rendered identical with our numerical scale.

That a decimal proportion among weights and measures is capable of meeting the wants of society, seems to be proved by the example of the Chinese, who, it appears, have anticipated us in this reform, as they have in many other things which we of the west claim as our own.* The decimal multiplication and subdivision of quantities,' says sir George Staunton, 'used almost in every instance by the Chinese, greatly simplifies their computations. Thus, for example, a leang, which is generally equal to an ounce of silver, is subdivided into ten chen, the chen into ten fen, and the fen into ten lee. The ideal subdivisions of money descend much lower, but always, as well as in increasing quantities, in the same decimal proportions.' Another great advantage in the Chinese system of coins, weights, and measures, is the brevity of the language, almost all the names, not only of the denominations of

It is maintained upon apparently good authority, that the Chinese have been before us in the use of the mariner's compass, the art of printing, gunpowder, and inoculation for the small pox.

+ Macartney's Embassy to China, vol. ii. p. 265. See also the New Edinburgh Encyclopedia, art. China.

money, as here given, but also of those ap lied to weight and measure, being monosyllables. These names, taken together, contain in fact fewer syllables than the corresponding ones of the so much admired French system, and would probably have met with less opposition by the mass of the French nation. We would further remark, that it is on account of this decimal proportion, that the Chinese are able to make their mercantile computations with so much facility and despatch, by means of the swan pan, a very simple mechanical instrument, consisting of a sort of beads strung upon wires, but which admirably represents the scale of numbers, according to the decimal notation.

If the units of the French system could be introduced. without too violent an innovation, the decimal divisions and multiples would naturally follow in the course of time. They would probably be adopted almost immediately by persons engaged in scientific pursuits, and they would greatly extend that community of language, which already exists with regard to abstract numbers, the mathematical and physical sciences, the divisions of the day, of the year, and of the circle. There need be no more confusion arising from different divisions and multiples of the same units, than has proceeded from a similar state of our money system, than is now experienced from the not unfrequent application of decimal arithmetic to our present measures and weights. Much beyond this is not perhaps to be expected. The language of science and philosophy must always be in a degree different from that in common use, but it is of great importance that both should be such as to admit of an easy translation from one into the other.

As, therefore, the general adoption, at least of the leading features, of a philosophical system of weights and measures, like that of France, would be of such eminent service to the cause of human improvement, the most powerful considerations are presented in the report before us with a view to the attainment of this great end.

-'As final and universal uniformity of weights and measures is the common desideratum for all civilized nations; as France has formed, and for her own use has established, a system, adapted, by the highest efforts of human science, ingenuity, and skill, to the common purposes of all; as this system is yet new, imper. fect, susceptible of great improvements, and struggling for existNew Series, No. 9.

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ence even in the country which gave it birth; as its universal establishment would be an universal blessing; and as, if ever effected, it can only be by consent, and not by force, in which the energies of opinion must precede those of legislation; it would be worthy of the dignity of the Congress of the United States to consult the opinions of all the civilized nations with whom they have a friendly intercourse; to ascertain, with the utmost attainable accuracy, the existing state of their respective weights and measures; to take up and pursue, with steady, persevering, but always temperate and discreet exertions, the idea conceived, and thus far executed, by France, and to co-operate with her to the final and universal establishment of her system.

But, although it is respectfully proposed that Congress should immediately sanction this consultation, and that it should commence, in the first instance, with Great Britain and France, it is not expected that it will be attended with immediate success. Ardent as the pursuit of uniformity has been for ages in England, the idea of extending it beyond the British dominions has hitherto received but little countenance there. The operation of changes of opinion there is slow; the aversion to all innovations, deep. More than two hundred years had elapsed from the Gregorian reformation of the calendar, before it was adopted in England. It is to this day still rejected throughout the Russian empire. not even intended to propose the adoption by ourselves of the French metrology for the present. The reasons have been given for believing, that the time is not yet matured for this reformation. Much less is it supposed advisable to propose its adoption to any other nation. But, in consulting them, it will be proper to let them understand, that the design and motive of opening the communication is, to promote the final establishment of a system of weights and measures, to be common to all civilized nations.

It is

In contemplating so great, but so beneficial a change, as the ultimate object of the proposal now submitted to the consideration of Congress, it is supposed to be most congenial to the end, to attempt no present change whatever in our existing weights and measures; to let the standards remain precisely as they are; and to confine the proceedings of Congress at this time to authorizing the Executive to open these communications with the European nations where we have accredited ministers and agents, and to such declaratory enactments and regulations, as may secure a more perfect uniformity in the weights and measures now in use throughout the Union.

The motives for entertaining the opinion, that any change in our system at the present time would be inexpedient, are four:

First, That no change whatever of the system could be adopted, without losing the greatest of all the elements of unformity.

that referring to the persons using the same system. This uniformity we now possess, in common with the whole British nation; the nation with which, of all the nations of the earth, 'we have the most of that intercourse which requires the constant use of weights and measures. No change is believed possible, other than that of the whole system, the benefit of which would compensate for the loss of this uniformity.

'Secondly, That the system, as it exists, has an uniformity of proportion very convenient and useful, which any alteration of it would disturb, and perhaps destroy; the proportion between the avoirdupois and troy weights, and that between the avoirdupois weight and the foot measure; one cubic foot containing of spring water exactly one thousand ounces avoirdupois, and one pound avoirdupois consisting of exactly seven thousand grains troy.

Thirdly, That the experience of France has proved, that binary, ternary, duodecimal, and sexagesimal divisions, are as necessary to the practical use of weights and measures, as the decimal divisions are convenient for calculations resulting from them; and that no plan for introducing the latter can dispense with the continued use of the former.

Fourthly, that the only material improvement, of which the present system is believed to be susceptible, would be the restoration of identity between weights and silver coins; a change, the advantages of which would be very great, but which could not be effected without a corresponding and almost total change in our coinage and monies of account: a change the more exceptionable, as our monetary system is itself a new, and has hitherto been a successful institution.

Of all the nations of European origin, ours is that which least requires any change in the system of their weights and measures. With the exception of Louisiana, the established system is, and always has been, throughout the union, the same. Under the feudal system of Europe, combined with the hierarchy of the church of Rome, the people were in servitude, and every chieftain of a village, or owner of a castle, possessed or asserted the attributes of sovereign power. Among the rest, the feudal lords were in the practice of coining money, and fixing their own weights and measures. This is the great source of numberless diversities existing in every part of Europe, proceeding not from the varieties which in a course of ages befell the same system, but from those of diversity of origin. The nations of Europe are, in their origin, all compositions of victorious and vanquished people. Their institutions are compositions of military power and religious opinions. Their doctrines are, that freedom is the grant of the sovereign to the people, and that the sovereign is amenable only to God. These doctrines are not congenial to nations originating in

colonial establishments. Colonies carry with them the general laws, opinions, and usages, of the nation from which they emanate, and the prejudices and passions of the age of their emigration. The North American colonies had nothing military in their origin. The first English colonies on this continent were speculations of commerce. They commenced precisely at the period of that struggle in England between liberty and power, which, after long and bloody civil wars, terminated in a compromise between the two conflicting principles. The colonies were founded by that portion of the people, who were arrayed on the side of liberty. They brought with them all the rights, but none of the servitudes, of the parent country. Their constitutions were, indeed, conformably to the spirit of the feudal policy, charters granted by the crown; but they were all adherents to the doctrine, that charters were not donations, but compacts. They brought with them the weights and measures of the law, and not those of any particular district or franchise. The only change which has taken place in England with regard to the legal standards of weights and measures, since the first settlement of the North American colonies, has been the specification of the contents of measures of capacity, by prescribing their dimensions in cubical inches. All the standards at the exchequer are the same that they were at the first settlement of Jamestown; with the exception of the wine gallon, which is of the time of queen Anne: and the standards of the exchequer are the prototypes, from which all the weights and measures of the union are derived.' pp. 91-94.

The official reports, above alluded to, upon the weights and measures, as authorized by the different state legislatures, and upon the state of the weights and measures used at the several custom houses in the United States, and other valuable documents appended to this work, we are obliged to leave unnoticed. Our limits will only adinit of the following recapitulation of the propositions finally submitted to Congress for their adoption.

The plan which is thus, in obedience to the injunction of both houses of Congress, submitted to their consideration, consists of two parts. the principles of which may be stated: 1. To fix the standard, with the partial uniformity of which it is susceptible, for the present, excluding all innovation. 2. To consult with foreign nations, for the future and ultimate establishment of universal and permanent uniformity. An apology is due to Congress for the length, as well as for the numerous imperfections, of this report. Embracing views, both theoretic and historical, essentially different from those which have generally prevailed upon the subject to which it relates, they are presented with the diffidence