Michael, In Britain this contribution to metric was a scientific effort but it did not influence politics. Lord Kelvin was a staunch supporter of metrication but the politicians, who would have to take the decision to metricate, listened to the opponents in the first place. So, in spite of an important British contribution to metric, politicians decreed that Britain should not go metric. In France the same differences between science and politics nearly caused the end of metric. Scientists like Laplace had to deal with politicians like Napoleon and his Minister of the Interior, Montalivet, who hatched out this foul egg in 1812, the Systeme Usuel: Paris weights and measures, but the meter and the kilogram remained the standards. In fact, Imperial and USC are today's versions of Napoleons Systeme Usuel, as both rely on metric standards for their definitions.
Although British and US signatures of the Metric Convention and thus their membership of the BIPM looks weird to say the least and are difficult to understand we see the same thing. Science, which uses SI very often in the US and UK, need membership of the BIPM. Even moere, NIST is deeply incolved in the search for a non-material definition of the unit of mass, the kilogram. Politics, which always listens to the old fogeys and the whiners agreed to join the Convention, but metric itself should stay just a voluntary matter. Han ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael-O" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, 2003-08-14 23:12 Subject: [USMA:26621] Re: French and British. WAS: Re: Re: M$ > Han Maenen wrote: > > Michael, > > > > The French can be sophisticated but also very unsophisticated. That > > is also true for the British and all other peoples on this planet. If > > we were really that sophisticated, we would measure the power of cars > > in kilowatt, and not in horse power as is done only too often yet. > > > > The British did away with the ridiculous fiscal horse power for road > > tax in 1947, I think. The French did away with the 'cheval fiscal' > > just a few years ago. A Ferrari with a 300 kW engine had something > > like 35 fiscal horse power! > > > > The monstrous Napoleonic Customary system of 1812 was a very > > unsophisticated French invention and as The Netherlands was part of > > France between 1810 and 1813 attempts were made to impose it on The > > Netherlands. The metric system was literally pushed to the brink, > > until deliverance came in 1837, after a desperate struggle by friends > > of the metric system in France from about 1800 to 1837. > > > > British scientists like Lord Kelvin and others have contributed > > enormously to the development of the metric system in the second half > > of the 19th century, working within the British Association for the > > Advancement of Science. This should never be forgotten. > > > > The British did not ' invent' FFU, as FFU-like systems were universal > > before the metric system came. In fact, before 1790 the British had > > the most unified and the best standardized system of weights and > > measures in Europe. The 'Encylopedie' by Diderot c.s. used British > > units as default ones to compare other units with and this was a very > > rational thing to do *then*. Weights and measures in France and > > Germany were extremely diverse, we would call them chaotic in terms > > of today's standards. > > > > Two years before you joined this list, I found out about the depths > > to which some French people can sink in this matter. The *French* > > road map and itinerary website Maporama used US/UK ifp units as the > > default in all languages! Not very sophisticated indeed! > > http://www.maporama.com > > I corresponded with them about what they were doing. If you would > > like to read this correspondence I can send it to you in a Word > > attachment. I was furious when I read an itinerary between the Dutch > > cities Den Helder and Maastricht in the Dutch language in YARDS and > > MILES! Maporama has changed its defaults since then to metric and to > > their own language - French. Other languages and measuring units can > > be personalized. The BWMA and other opponents can not use this > > mainland European French site in their propaganda now. They had not > > found it yet. > > thx for the enlightment but I have actually one question left! > > As your text says the UK took a vigor part of the metric invention why > didn't they hook up with metric, switched to the right side and used metric > (SI) since then? > > makes no sense for me. Same as the US signed the Meter Convention. > > > > Last but not least, I can not see what is wrong with present day > > English money. > > > > Ever seen the coins? > *Personally*, I don't like monarchy at all and I don't like to see a drag > queen everywhere I go and the money I pay with, poor Aussies and Canucks! > > /This is a personal opinion, you don't have to agree with/ > > > > Han > > Solo :D > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Michael-O" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Wednesday, 2003-08-13 19:17 > > Subject: [USMA:26569] Re: M$ > > > > > >> CONCLUSION: > >> > >> French were always more sophisticated than English. > >> > >> Have you ever seen English money, then you undersand why only this > >> nation could have invented the FFU. > >> > >> bye > >> > >> John Woelflein wrote: > >>> Look at this Quebec web site and the use of M$ in the link: > >>> > >>> http://www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/fr/index.asp > >>> > >>> Never saw that one before. > > > >>> John Woelflein > > >
