Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 14.djvu/778

758 these contributions to the solution of the really important question at the head of this article have a unique and special value. They have been written by officers high in position in the Government and entirely free from prejudice. Their recommendations were not influenced by any considerations as to their personal convenience, and their judgments were based on the actual operations of their several departments. It is somewhat singular, in examining their reports in detail, to find that there is so little repetition. For these reasons it appears that no such important additions to the literature of this subject have been made for many years. In what follows, brevity has been studied, and omissions have been freely made whenever possible, the object being to present only the most important arguments. The bills introduced into Congress are first given, and then follow the detailed reports of the heads of executive departments. No attempt has been made to answer the important questions considered, that having been left to the reader.

Mr. Muldrow introduced on November 3, 1877, a bill "to promote the establishment of the metric system of coinage in the gold coins of the United States of America.

"Whereas, The metric system of coinage, based on the gramme as the unit of weight, is now almost universally acknowledged to be the best; and—

"Whereas, The gold coinage of the United States can be brought into exact conformity with the metric system by a change amounting to less than one third of one per centum: therefore—

"Be it enacted, etc., That the gold hereafter coined by the United States shall contain, for each dollar of denominational value, one and one half gramme of pure gold, and shall weigh, for each dollar, one and two thirds gramme, the proportion of alloy to the entire weight being thus kept as one to ten.

" That such coins shall be legal tenders in payments arising from contracts made at anytime after the 4th day of July, 1878.

" That such coins shall have stamped upon them, in addition to other devices, their weight in grammes, and the inscription, 'nine tenths fine.' "

Mr. Maish introduced on January 25, 1878, a bill "to establish the metric system in the post-offices and custom-houses of the United States.

"Be it enacted, etc., That on and after January 1, 1879, for all postal purposes, fifteen grammes shall be substituted for half an ounce, and so on in progression.

" That on or before January 1, 1879, the Postmaster-General shall furnish all post-offices with postal balances denominated in grammes of the metric system, at an expense," etc., etc.

" That on and after January 1, 1880, the metric system of weights and measures, as legalized in section 3,569 of the Revised