e

0 0154 grain avdp. 0.1543 grain avdp. 1.5432 grains avdp. 15,432 grains avdp. 0.3527 ounce avdp. 3.5274 ounces avdp. 2 2016 tbs. avdp. 22.046 tbs avdp. 220 46 lbs. avdp. 2204.6 lbs. avdp.

Metric Standards to be furnished each State.-By a joint Congressional resolution of the same date, the Secretary of the Treasury was "authorized and directed" to furnish to each State, "one set of the standard weights and measures of the metric system."

Metric Postal Balances to be furnished certain Postoffices.-By another act of the same date, the PostmasterGeneral was "authorized and directed to furnish to the post-offices exchanging mails with foreign countries, and to such other officers as he shall think expedient, postal balances denominated in grammes of the metric system; and until otherwise provided by law, one half ounce avoirdupois shall be deemed and taken for postal purposes as the equivalent of fifteen grammes of the metric weights, and so adopted in progression; and the rates of postage shall be applied accordingly."

It will be seen on reference to the tables above given, that one-half ounce avoirdupois is actually equal to about 14.176 grammes instead of fifteen grammes. Length of the Meter.-The meter was designed to be the ten-millionth part (15500505) of the earth's meridian passing through Dunkirk and Formentera. vestigations, however, based on additional measures of meridional arcs in other parts of the world, have shown that the meter sensibly exceeds such ten-millionth part of the quadrant-the excess being equal (as is stated by Sir John Herschel) to about one part in 6400.

16 drams

WEIGHTS IN COMMON USE.

16 ounces.

28 tbs.

4 grs. 20 cwt.

100 lbs.

175 troy bs.

1 lb. troy

Avoirdupois Weight.

1 ounce, oz.

1 pound, tb.

1 quarter, qr.

Later in

1 hundredweight, cut.

16 cubic feet.

8 cord feet or

1 ton.

1 cental.

144 pounds avoirdupois. 5760 grains.

7000 grains.

1 tb. avdp. This weight is applied to all coarse articles, such as hay, meat, fish, potash, groceries, hemp, flax, butter, cheese, &c., and all metals, except gold and silver. Gross weight is the weight of goods with the boxes, casks, or bags which contain them. Net weight is the weight of the goods only. Formerly the usual custom was to allow 112 pounds for a hundredweight, and 28 pounds for a quarter; but this practice has very nearly passed away. In buying and selling all articles of commerce estimated by weight, the laws of most of the States, as well as general usage, call 100 pounds a hundred weight, and 25 pounds a quarter. The custom-house, however, continues the old usage.

128 cubic feet

1 cubic foot.

1 cubic yard.

1 ton, or load.

1 ton of shipping.

f 1 foot of wood, or a cord

foot.

1 cord.

1 pennyweight, dwt.

4 gills.

1 ounce, oz.

2 pints

1 pound, lb.

Gold, silver, and jewels are weighed by this weight.

10 gallons

1 pint, pt.

1 quart, g.

1 gallon, gal.

1 tierce.

1 hogshead, hhd, 1 puncheon.

1 pipe.

1 tun.

1 gallon.

1 anker.

12 3.

1 ounce, 3 1 pound, Ib

This weight is used by apothecaries and physicians in

* Sir John Herschel has called attention to the remarkable fact, not generally known, that the earth's polar semi-axis contains almost precisely 1001 millions of English quarter inches: and recommends the augmentation of the existing English measures of length by their one thousandth aliquot part; the augmented measures to be designated "geometrical measures."

Thus augmented, a cubic double foot (or a cube, the sides of which are each twenty-four "geometrical" inches), will contain almost exactly 1000 half pounds avoirdupois (more exactly 1000.131), of distilled water at its temperature of maximum density; and a square the side of which measures 10,000 of the new (or geometrical) quarter-inches, will contain almost precisely one acre (more exactly 0.9984 acre). These close approximations to integral ratios, show that the familiar units of measure and weight may be very nearly preserved in a decimal system based upon a natural unit.

2 pipes

231 cubic inches

A shipping ton (U. S.) of 40 cubic feet equals three and nine-tenths (3.895) English quarters of 8 imperial (or 84 U.S.) bushels each. A shipping ton (British) of 42 cubic feet, equals four and one-tenth (4.09) English quarters. A shipping ton of 41 (or more exactly 40.9776) cubic feet, would equal exactly four English quarters; i. e., 32 imperial bushels, or 33 United States bushels.

WHEAT A STANDARD OF VOLUME AND WEIGHT.Wheat is a standard alike for the volume and weight of cargoes. When in bulk on board ship, this commodity occupies about fifteen per cent, less space than when filled into measures of capacity in the customary way. So compressed, a ton of 2240 pounds occupies about 40 cubic feet.

MEASUREMENT CARGO.-The capacity of a vessel for cargo, on voyages of average length, is usually estimated at from 20 to 25 per cent less than her Register Tonnage, or entire internal capacity. This net space, in cubic feet, divided by 40, gives, in shipping tons of 40 cubic feet each, her "Measurement Cargo," so called, or her net carrying capacity, in shipping tons. Her measurement cargo is, therefore, from 17 to 2 times the number of register tons, of 100 cubic feet each, in her Register Tonnage.

DEAD WEIGHT CARGO.-The "Dead Weight Cargo" of a vessel, or the net weight in tons, of the cargo which the vessel can safely carry on voyages of average length, is approximately ascertained by dividing the entire internal capacity of the vessel in cubic feet by 63, and deducting from the gross result one-fourteenth (or about 7 per cent.) for the weights of water, provisions, crew, and their luggage. The number of tons weight in this net result is, therefore, about 11⁄2 times the Re

gister Tonnage, or number of tons of volume in the entire internal capacity of the vessel.

LOAD DISPLACEMENT.-The "Load Displacement" of a vessel, or the entire weight of the vessel, cargo, &c. when fully equipped and ready for sea, may be ascer tained by dividing the number of cubic feet of sea-water displaced by the vessel by 85, the number of cubic feet, occupied by a ton (2240 pounds) of sea-water.

RELATIVE BUOYANCY OF IRON AND WOODEN HULLS. In case of vessels of wooden hulls, whether sailing or steam, about 60 per cent. of the "load displacement" is for cargo, and 33 per cent. for the hull, the remaining 7 per cent. being for the weights of water, provisions, In case of iron hulls, if of sailing vessels, crew, &c. the weight allowed for cargo is about 68 per cent. of the displacement, if of steam, 65 per cent. The weight of cargo which can be carried is therefore relatively greater with iron hulls than with wooden; 13 per cent. greater if of sailing vessels, 9 per cent. if of steam.

NEW MODE OF ADMEASUREMENT OF VESSELS.— The new "mode" for the admeasurement of vessels in use in the United States, since the Act of Congress of May, 1864, is very accurate; prior to that date, the system was rude, and, in its results, inaccurate. The new system differs somewhat from the British system (adopted by Act of Parliament in 1854), chiefly as applied to steamers. In the British measurement of steamers, deductions are made for the space occupied by engines, boilers, and coal; no such deductions being made for United States steamers under the United States law. Under the new United States method, the Register Tonnage of double-decked and three-decked vessels is somewhat augmented, of clipper and half clipper vessels diminished, of single-decked sailing vessels, canal boats, and freight barges on the Western rivers diminished, and of river and lake steamers largely increased.

Measuring Distances.

Zollstein, of 2) zollpfund, = 22 04621 lbs. avoirdupois, 10 kilogrammes.

Münzpfund, of 10000 ass, 7716 1744 U. S. grains, 500 grammes.

NORTH GERMAN CONFEDERATION. (Established since the war with Austria, in 1866.) (New System)

By a decree of the 17th of August, 1983, the metrical (French) system of weights and measures has been adopted, commencing with the 1st of January, 1870, aud will be compulsory from the 1st of January, 1872.

The base of the new system is the meter or stub; the same as the French mètre.

The unit of length is also the meter or stab.

0.01 meter,

0 001 meter,

1 zentimeter or neu-zoll.

1 millimeter or strich.

The unit of money-weight continues to be the münzpfund (of 500 grammes) divided into 10,000 ass.

The unit of weight for purposes of assay, or for trying gold and silver, is the 0001 part of the münzpfund ( gramme or 500 milligrammes), which unit is again divided into 1000 parts.

15.4323488 grains,

Kilogramme, 15.4323488 grains, or

2.204621 lbs. avdp (of 7000 grains), or 2.679227 lbs troy (of 5760 grains),or 00787365avdp.quarter(of 28lbs.),or 0.0196841 hundred wt (of 112lbs),or 0.0110231 centals (of 100 lbs.), .

10 hectogrammes. 100 dekagram

mes

1000 grammes.

10 myriagrammes 100 kilogrammes.

10 quintals, or 1000 kilogr.

Zollverein (Customs' Union), an important Commercial Union originating in 1828; embracing in 1833 all the German States, except Austria, Leichtenstein, Holstein, the two Duchies of Mecklenburg, and the three free cities of Hamburg, Lübeck, and Bremen; dissolved with the close of the year 1865, and held together only by temporary agreements until Nov. 1, 1867, when a new Commercial Treaty was concluded between the North German Confederation and the South German States.

The unit of weight is the zollpfund (customs' pound) of 500 grammes.

Zollpfund, of 30 zoll-loth, = 7716.1744 U. S. grains, kilogramme.

Livre,

Pied de roi,
Aune,
Muid,
Boisseass,