The Metric System. A Compilation, Consisting of Extracts from the Report of the Committee of the House of Representatives, and the Law of Congress Adopting the System, and Tables of Authorized Weights and Measures; and a Translation of a Portion of a Work Entitled "The Legal System of Weights and Measures," by M. Lamotte, Published in France ...

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J.B. Lippincott & Company, 1867 - 37 pages

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Page viii - That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be lawful throughout the United States of America to employ the weights and measures of the metric system ; and no contract, or dealing, or pleading in any court, shall be deemed invalid, or liable to objection, because the weights or measures expressed or referred to therein are weights or measures of the metric system.
Page ix - Statutes the tables in the schedule hereto annexed shall be recognized in the construction of contracts, and in all legal proceedings, as establishing, in terms of the weights and measures now in use in the United States, the equivalents of the weights and measures expressed therein in terms of the metric system...
Page xi - The Postmaster-General shall furnish to the post-offices exchanging mails with foreign countries, and to such other offices as he may deem expedient, postal balances denominated in grams of the metric system, fifteen grams of which shall be the equivalent for postal purposes, of one-half ounce avoirdupois, and so on in progression.
Page xi - That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to furnish to each State, to be delivered to the governor thereof, one set of the standard weights and measures of the metric system, for the use of the States respectively.
Page viii - When it is remembered that of the value of our exports and imports, in the year ending June 30, 1860, in all $762,000,000, the amount of near $700,000,000 was with nations and their dependencies that have now authorized, or taken the preliminary steps to authorize, the metric system, even denominational uniformity for the use of accountants in such vast transactions assumes an important significance. In words of such universal employment, each word should represent the identical thing intended, and...
Page vii - A system which has incorporated with itself so many different series of weights, and such a nomenclature as 'scruples,' 'pennyweights,' 'avoirdupois,' and with no invariable component word, can hardly protest against a nomenclature whose leading characteristic is a short component word with a prefix signifying number. We are all familiar with thermometer, barometer, diameter, gasometer, &c., with telegram, monogram, &c., words formed in the same manner. " After considering every argument for a change...
Page xi - OF THE METRIC SYSTEM. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to furnish to each State, to be delivered...
Page vi - The interests of trade among a people so quick as ours to receive and adopt a useful novelty, will soon acquaint practical men with its convenience. When this is attained, — a period, it is hoped, not distant, — a further act of Congress can fix the date for its exclusive adoption as a legal system.
Page viii - We are already familiar with thermometer, ba?~ometcr, diameter, gasometer, &c., with telegram, monogram, &c. — words formed in the same manner. After considering every argument for a change of nomenclature, your committee have come to the conclusion that any attempt to conform it to that in present use would lead to confusion of weights and measures; would violate the...
Page xi - ... exchanging mails with foreign countries, and to such other offices as he shall think expedient, postal balances denominated in grams, 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 grams of the metric weights, and so adopted in progression ; and the rates of postage shall be applied accordingly.

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