Page:British Weights and Measures - Superior to the Metric, by James W. Evans.djvu/57

Rh accordance with commercial measures, and these measures, to be convenient, must possess appropriate modes of subdivision at almost every point where every branch of trade may require one.

The metric system offers no sufficient advantage to justify us in discarding what is in reality superior—what we have been habituated to, which we have found equal to all demands made upon it. Our system is part and parcel of ourselves; and adherence to old and wise customs is too deep rooted to be destroyed. There exists no popular demand for a change; the agitation is the work of a few, some of whom are interested for unworthy and selfish reasons. The attitude of the public is markedly one of indifference. Fortunately we can generally rely upon the common sense of the representatives of the people in the various Parliaments to resist attempts to force upon us a retrogaderetrograde [sic] measure. Should that safeguard fail, however, it is easy to foresee that such a storm would be raised, so much turmoil would be created, every branch of trade would be so disturbed, that practical completion of the movement would never be accomplished. The English-speaking communities lead the world in commerce, with a common system of weights and measures, and to ask them to dispense with it would be to make a heavy demand upon their practical methods of dealing with business, and is quite as illogical as to ask us to change our language in order to facilitate trade abroad.

We have the best system of weights and measures in existence. It is suited to our commercial requirements, long practical employment has proved its value for all trading purposes, it is part of our language, and ingrained in us. Not one sufficiently valid ground has been advanced why