Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 14.djvu/784

764 the decimal system long in use in the United States for coinage and money valuations, and that presumptively no greater inherent difficulty is likely to be encountered in the application of the decimal system to our weights and measures in the domestic postal service than was met in the change from the English system of coinage and money valuations to the present one. The latter is certainly the simpler one, and has for some time past been in use for the foreign mail service of this department. The objection, then, is in my opinion founded on an apprehension that mistakes, and consequently resulting annoyances, and possibly losses, would occur in the practical application, and not on any well grounded objection to the principle of the metric system. This apprehension would, I believe, be greatly lessened, if not altogether abated, were sufficient time given for familiarizing postmasters and the general public with the practical workings of the new system before discontinuing the use of the old one.

"I have only the same means that any other citizen has of forming a judgment in regard to the last inquiry made in the resolution of the House, and I therefore deem it proper not to attempt to make an answer to it in this connection."

The Secretary of War replies by forwarding the reports of his chiefs of bureaus.

The Inspector-General reports: "Although I have had no practical experience in the use of the metrical system of weights and measures, yet, in my judgment, the compulsory change from the present system would be inexpedient, as involving a large outlay of money without adequate comparative results."

The Quartermaster-General reports: "In reply to the reference of the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 6th instant, in regard to the objections which may exist to making the use of the metric system of weights and measures obligatory, first, in all government transactions, and, second, in all transactions between individuals, and the length of preliminary notice desirable before such metric law goes into operation in the United States, I have the honor to say that if the law makes the use of the metric system obligatory in all government transactions it can be adopted by officers of the Quartermaster's Department as soon as notified by general orders.

"Such an order can be distributed to every military post within the space of one month from the time of its publication, and, if the telegraph be used, within one week.

"The objections thereto which at once occur to me are:

"1. It will very considerably increase the labor of computation, for, in practice, all sellers to the United States will make their deliveries in accordance with the English measures now in general use, and the officers, using the ordinary scales for weight, and the yard, foot, and inch, and bushel, gallon, quart, and pint for measures, will first ascertain the quantities and sizes in the present weights and measures, and then, by