MEASURES OF CAPACITY.
The measures of capacity in use among us are of the following names and proportions:
- The gill, four of which make a pint.
- Two pints make a quart.
- Two quarts a pottle.
- Two pottles a gallon.
- Two gallons a peck, dry measure.
- Eight gallons make a measure called a firkin, in liquid substances, and a bushel, dry.
- Two firkins, or bushels, make a measure called a rundlet or kilderkin, liquid, and a strike, dry.
- Two kilderkins, or strikes, make a measure called a barrel, liquid, and a coomb, dry; this last term being ancient and little used.
- Two barrels, or coombs, make a measure called a hogshead, liquid, or a quarter, dry; each being the quarter of a ton.
- A hogshead and a third make a tierce, or third of a ton.
- Two hogsheads make a pipe, butt, or puncheon; and
- Two pipes make a ton.
But no one of these measures is of a determinate capacity. The report of the committee of 1757-8, shows that the gallon is of very various content; and that being the unit, all the others must vary with it.
The gallon and bushel contain—
- 224 and 1792 cubic inches, according to the standard wine gallon preserved at Guildhall.
- 231 and 1848, according to the statute of 5th of Anne.
- 264.8 and 2118.4, according to the ancient Rumford quart, of 1228, examined by the committee.
- 265.5 and 2124, according to three standard bushels preserved in the Exchequer, to wit: one of Henry VII., without a rim; one dated 1091, supposed for 1591, or 1601, and one dated 1601.
- 266.25 and 2130, according to the ancient Rumford gallon of 1228, examined by the committee.
- 268.75 and 2150, according to the Winchester bushel, as declared by statute 13, 14, William III., which has been the model for some of the grain States.
- 271, less 2 spoonfuls, and 2168, less 16 spoonfuls, according to a standard gallon of Henry VII., and another dated 1601, marked E. E., both in the Exchequer.
- 271 and 2168, according to a standard gallon in the Exchequer, dated 1601, marked E., and called the corn gallon.
- 272 and 2176, according to the three standard corn gallons last mentioned, as measured in 1688, by an artist for the Commissioners of the Excise, generally used in the seaport towns, and by mercantile people, and thence introduced into some of the grain States.
- 277.18 and 2217.44, as established for the measure of coal by the statute 12 Anne.
- 278 and 2224, according to the standard bushel of Henry VII., with a copper rim, in the Exchequer.
- 278.4 and 2227.2 according to two standard pints of 1601 and 1602, in the Exchequer.
- 280 and 2240, according to the standard quart of 1601, in the Exchequer.
- 282 and 2256, according to the standard gallon for beer and ale in the Treasury.
There are, moreover, varieties on these varieties, from the barrel to the ton, inclusive; for, if the barrel be of herrings, it must contain 28 gallons by the statute 13 Eliz. c. 11. If of wine, it must contain 31½ gallons by the statute 2 Henry VI. c. 11, and 1 Rich. III. c. 15. If of beer or ale, it must contain 34 gallons by the statute 1 William and Mary, c. 24, and the higher measures in proportion.
In those of the United States which have not adopted the statutes of William and Mary, and of Anne before cited, nor their substance, the wine gallon of 231 cubic inches rests on the authority of very long usage, before the 5th of Anne, the origin and foundation of which are unknown; the bushel is the Winchester bushel, by the 11 Henry VII. undefined; and the barrel of ale 32 gallons, and of beer 36 gallons, by the statute 23 Henry VIII c. 4.
The Secretary of State is not informed whether there have been any, and what, alterations of these measures by the laws of the particular States.
It is proposed to retain this series of measures, but to fix the gallon to one determinate capacity, as the unit of measure, both wet and dry; for convenience is in favor of abolishing the distinction between wet and dry measures.