Page:British Weights and Measures - Superior to the Metric, by James W. Evans.djvu/14

6 books. This, after all, is not to be wondered at—it is only natural. Metrology (or the science of weights and measures) attracts but few. The literature devoted to it is not captivating. It has with force been said that "books on the subject are few, and frequently have the defects of being unnecessarily and repulsively dry, as well as highly inaccurate and incorrect."

Commerce between nations is undoubtedly impeded by the existence of conflicting systems of weights and measures. Obviously uniformity would be desirable. The same might (to a far greater extent) be said of language, and of many other things.

There are some who clamour for change, if only for the sake of novelty. Others are indolent, and care little what happens so long as they themselves are not seriously inconvenienced or disturbed in their business relations. Again, there are some who wish to push to the furthest extremity the latest hobby they have adopted; and still others who hope for proﬁt even from a revolution. To the latter belongs the promotion of much of the agitation to combat which this treatise has been compiled.

The Commonwealth House of Representatives has adopted a resolution favourable to the adoption of decimal coinage, and the metric system of weights and measures—though the two do not harmonise—but the decision has been wisely safeguarded with the declaration that any change in these respects must be preceded by action on the part of the mother country. In New Zealand the Government has been empowered to establish, on and after January 1, 1906, the metric system of weights and measures, by promulgation of an Order-in-Council. In