Page:British Weights and Measures - Superior to the Metric, by James W. Evans.djvu/9



is somewhat singular that after the whole of this work was in type, two messages, having a direct bearing upon the subject discussed, should have reached us by medium of the cable. The first was that the House of Lords had passed the second reading of a Bill to make the use of the metric system compulsory within two years. The second stated that a Blue Book, issued by the Home Government, “shows that the majority of the Colonies favour the metric system of weights and measures.”

It may be safely assumed that the House of Lords is little in sympathy with those engaged in retail buying and selling. The ranks of hereditary legislators are sometimes recruited from among successful and opulent manufacturers who have dealings abroad, who are unconcerned as to the many and the serious inconveniences which in the following pages I have attempted to show would necessarily fall upon domestic traders, as a consequence of the suggested change. Such of the peerage as have no connection with trading interests cannot Well be considered competent judges. As a body they are not in touch with the requirements or needs of the people, and do not constitute a tribunal of last resort upon such matters which can be leaned upon with confidence. The decision of the House of Lords is not likely to be endorsed by the representative House of Commons, which, as pointed out, hereafter, has never yet been induced to sanction the introduction of a system not asked for, and certainly not wanted by the people.