A very good work on the history of British units is R.D. Connor, The Weights and Measures of England, London 1987; it was sold by HMSO and I bought my copy long ago in the Scientific Museum in London. It seems to be out of print and I can only hope that one day it will be reprinted. One reads how the use of measuring units in Britain has been strictly legalized and regulated from the Magna Carta onwards and that the use of any illegal unit was liable to prosecution. It is *not* an anti-metric book.
Han ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mighty Chimp" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, 2003-11-05 5:47 Subject: [USMA:27454] A history of measurement legislation > http://www.metricsucks.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config.pl?read=16423 > > Another supporter-October 14 2003 at 11:16 AM > > I took that post from the BWMA site to show how imperialists argue! Facts are never spoiling their presumptions. A glance at UK and US history shows that measurements good or bad were always enforced by law and their ease of use was dictated by horse and buggy requirements in those days. This is what a new contributor to BWMA has to say: Hello everyone,I've been browsing this forum for a few weeks now and decided it was time to join in. I guess that supporting either side of this debate is going to result in instant friends and enemies, but that can't be helped! > > I support the continued use of Imperial/U.S. customary units, and these are the measurements that I use for everyday purposes. I use metric measurements in some scientific work, where appropriate. Although we need standardized units in some areas for safety, I believe that the government has no business telling people what measurements they must use for a private transaction. If I want to offer something for sale by the foot, pound, meter, or kilogram, that is my choice, and my right. If someone decides not to buy from me because he doesn't understand the units I am using, that is his choice. The only official sanctions should be those to prevent fraud by short measures. In answer: Your introduction puzzles me? Why should adherence to a particular measuring system turn you into a friend, or foe? That seems to be an indication that your preference for imperial is not logic, but emotion based. Enmity usually occurs when people's emotions cloud undisputed facts. May I elaborate? You believe that governments have no business regulating measurements. You are absolutely right, since your emphasis is on "private" transaction". That laissez-faire attitude changes when trade takes place in the public domain and only legally accepted units are recognised. Governments always reserved the right to regulate measurements and units used. Prior to Britain going metric it was illegal to use metric measurements. Today pints, miles and troy ounces are still legal and cannot be substituted with metric units without an act of parliament. Who decreed that US gallons are illegal in Canada and vice-versa? In the past Britain suffered like France nominally identical units with different values. Over time some were streamlined to represent identical values and others declared illegal. According to official history only parliamentary decrees could and can change measurements units. Once signed into law people have no choice but to accept them. > > Now, should you have proof that no legal coercion occurred and people streamlined units voluntarily Nation wide in Britain and America, you win that argument. Failing that, you are wrong and compulsion always existed. Never mind who wins on facts presented; either party should accept it gracefully. Supporting my argument are some excerpts taken from: > "A History of Measurement and Metrics", no author given. In the Thirteenth Century, King Edward I of England took a step forward. He -{ordered)- a permanent measuring stick made of iron to serve as a master standard yardstick for the entire kingdom. He also -(decreed)- that the foot measure should be one-third the length of the yard, and the inch one thirty-sixth. King Edward II, in 1324, reverted back to the seed concept of the ancients and passed a -(statute)- (law) that "three barleycorns, round and dry," make an inch.. In 1824, the English Parliament (legalized) a new standard yard which had been made in 1760. So what is it to be? And please don't make the mistake and say, but people liked their measurements! If this is your argument how come all nations, including Britain, had such a hodgepodge of nominally identical, but value wise incredibly different units? To prevent the BWMA from repeating the lie that this did not happen in Britain, let me tell you it did, and it can be proven! <snip>
