Surface.—The acre was one-tenth of the square furlong.
Capacity.—The wine-bushel was the cubic foot, the measure of 1000 ounces of wine or water. 1/8 of it was the wine-gallon = 1728/8 or 216 cubic inches.
The corn-bushel was 1-1/4 cubic feet, the measure of 1000 oz. = 62-1/2 lb. of wheat; 1/8 of it was the corn-gallon = 270 c.i.
Weight.—The pound was 16 Roman ounces = 6992 grains. Its multiples were the 16-lb. stone, the wey of 16 stones, and the true cwt. of 100 lb.
This excellent system has become, after many disturbances, the Imperial system, only differing from the old English system in the following points:
1. The slight rise of the pound (by 8 grains) to 7000 grains.
2. The rise of the wine-gallon to 231 c.i. as now used in America.
3. The unification of the wine- and corn-gallons (the latter still used in America at the standard of 268·8 c.i.) in the Imperial gallon = 277-1/4 c.i. = 10 lb. water.
4. The fixing of the mile at 8 roods or field-furlongs of 220 yards.
5. The optional decimalisation of several series: