Men and Measures

by Edward Nicholson

3. The Reform of the Metric System

The defence must be active; then the attack would cease, and the French people, seeing its failure, would demand a reform of the system imposed on them; the other nations suffering under it would follow their example, if indeed the Teutonic peoples did not begin the reaction.

Modifications would be demanded, rendering the metric system less inconvenient for manufacturers, for trade, for the everyday business of life.

The metric standards would be retained, but the decimal system would be optional, left principally for scientific purposes. The divisions and multiples would be in harmony with the customs of each people, usually in sexdecimal series.

For France, the système usuel of Napoleon’s compromise would be revived. Incomplete a century ago, it could be rendered complete by the following arrangement of the metric system, suitable both to Northern and to Southern France.

1. The metre to be divided optionally either into 3 feet of 12 inches, or into 4 spans of 9 inches or 12 digits; 2 metres to be a toise and 10 toises a perch; 100 toises or 10 perches to be a centenié (furlong) and 800 toises or 8 furlongs a mile = 1741-3/4 yards. The meridian mile would be 926 toises or 9-1/4 cables.

2. Land to be measured by the square toise, 1/25 of an are; 1600 square toises to be an arpent of 16 vergées metriques or boisselées, each 10 toises square, = 4 ares.

3. The livre, = 500 grammes, to be divided commercially into 16 ounces of 8 drachms; and for medicinal purposes, the drachm to be 8 oboles of 8 grains. Grammes and decimal fractions of a gramme could be used for scientific purposes.

4. The hectolitre would be divided sexdecimally, into 4 boisseaux, of 4 gallons = 6-1/4 litres. The litre would be divided into 2 setiers or chopines, 4 half-setiers, and 32 ounces.

The equivalence with imperial measures would be approximately:

1 Metre	= 1-1/10 yard.
1 Mille	= 1 mile.
1 Vergée	= 1/10 acre.
1 Arpent	= 1·6 acre.
1 Livre	= 1-1/10 lb.
1 Litre	= 9/10 quart.

Similar arrangements could be made in other countries, the units being made in accordance with the old custom of the people, but always on a metric basis so that international conversion of measures would be easy and accurate.