APPENDIX.
Having shown in the preceding pages that in the point of view of scientific accuracy the yard, mètre, and toise standards are on a common level, and that in the matter of comparisons there is no extreme accuracy, I will now refer to the proposed change of our standard from the yard to the mètre.
Theoretically the mètre is the 10,000,000th part of the earth’s quadrant, and the yard the 36/39·13929th part of a seconds pendulum at London. Practically, neither the mètre nor yard could be recovered with exactness from their natural basis. The legal French mètre differs from the latest reduction enough to give an excess of over three miles to the circumference of the earth. In fact, the mètre and yard are only the lengths of bars of metal kept in certain offices, from which copies are made. Decimally considered, it is as easy to divide one as the other into tenths, hundredths, etc., and the yard standard is often so divided.
As to nomenclature, the metrical system is overloaded with Greek and Latin prefixes, which are in no way so easy and convenient in expression as the short, sharp Anglo-Saxon words yard, foot, inch.
In all sciences Latin and Greek names are given for easier purposes of classification; but the different peoples invariably keep their own household names for daily purposes, leaving prefix and affix to specialists, probably with advantage to both parties.
The units used for different purposes are entirely distinct from the base of any system, and though always referable to such base, are not practically so referred. It therefore seems useless to burden the people with long scientific names in the ordinary transactions of daily life.
For long distances the units in the yard and metrical systems are respectively the mile and the kilomètre.