5. Canada and Mauritius

Canada

The Imperial system is used, but the Cental replaces the long Cwt. and its stone divisions.

In the old French districts of Quebec certain old French measures are lawful: the Paris foot, the perch, usually of 20 feet, the Arpent of 100 perches.

The Minot, of 3 boisseaux = 1·073 bushel, is still used.

Mauritius

This island, formerly a French colony, retained the old French measures and weights: the Paris foot, the Toise, the Mille of 1000 toises = 1·21 mile, the Perch, usually of 18 feet, the Arpent of 100 perches, the French livre, the corn-setier, the wine-setier or Velte = 1·639 gallon.

The Metric system was substituted in 1876, notwithstanding that ‘the feeling of a great portion of the community was so strongly against it that in 1882 it was thought to be not improbable that the British Imperial weights and measures might be reverted to’ (‘Merchants’ Handbook,’ by W. A. Browne, 1899). It is added that this antagonistic feeling gradually died out, but evidence on this point would be desirable.

[33]. Etudes sur la condition de la classe agricole en Normandie au moyen age (Leopold V. Delisle, 1851).

[34]. The difficulty in representing the sound á, ah, in English letters led to a general substitution of aw. Hence ‘cawny, maund, ghaut (steep), pawni (water), cawn (khan),’ &c.; all these words having an a, or ah, vowel. The Anglo-Indian also says seer for sér.