In logarithm tables the fractional part of a logarithm is printed with spaces, thus: Log. 2670 = 3, 426 5113; and also: Log. 2670 = 3, 4 265 113.
10. Roman and italic.—In algebraical formulae the capital letters are always put in roman and the small letters in italic. If, however, the text is in italic, the small letters are put in roman type.
The titles of works, of plays, of journals, names of ships, of statues, and titles of tables mentioned in the text, are put in italic; thus: La pièce La Chatte blanche; J’ai vu Les Rois en exil; On lit dans Le Figaro; le journal Le Temps; le transport Bien-Hoa.
Foreign words[85] and quotations are, as in English, italicized: Agir ab irato; Cave canem! lisait-on....
Superior letters in words italicized should be in italic, thus: Histoire de Napoléon Ier.
11. Reference figures.—References to notes are generally rendered thus: (1), or thus: 1. Sometimes an asterisk between parentheses (*) or standing alone *, or italic superior letters (a), are used. The second example (1) is the best from the English point of view.
The figure in the note itself is put either 1. or (1) or 1. In many works the reference figure is put 1, and the note-figure 1.
12. Metal-rules.—These serve in French to denote conversational matter, and take a thick space (or more, if necessary) after them. In fact, metal-rules, as in German, always have a space before or after, and are never put close to a word as in English. They are likewise never put after colons.
They are also used to give more force to a point: Il avait un cœur d’or, — mais une tête folle; et vraiment, — je puis le dire, — il était d’un caractère très agréable.
They are likewise used, as in English, for intercalations: Cette femme — étrangère sans doute — était très âgée.