Dear Jim, Thanks for reminding me of this quotation from Lord Kelvin. I recall that I used it in an early edition of the Metrication matters newsletter, see: http://www.metricationmatters.com/mm-newsletter-2004-06.html
In the 1880s the British Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS) were very active in promoting the use of the metric system both in Britain and on a world scale. At about this time the BAAS were working on the idea of a coherent system of units. After a false start, using the centimetre-gram-second (cgs) system, they later moved to the metre-kilogram-second system that eventually (in 1960) evolved into the International System of Units (SI). The BAAS worked in cooperation with the International Electrical Congress to develop their mutually coherent set of practical units. Among these units were the ohm for electrical resistance, the volt for electromotive force, the ampere for electric current, the joule for energy, the watt for power, and a coherent unit of inductance, that was later given the name henry. If you go to http://www.metricationmatters.com/articles and scroll down to the Metrication timeline, you will be able to see these developments within their historical context. Cheers, Pat Naughtin PO Box 305 Belmont 3216 Geelong, Australia 61 3 5241 2008 Pat Naughtin is manager of http://www.metricationmatters.com an internet website that focuses on the many issues, methods and processes that individuals, groups, companies, and nations use when upgrading to the metric system. Contact Pat Naughtin at [EMAIL PROTECTED] On 2007 04 21 10:30 AM, "James R Frysinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I got this from: http://zapatopi.net/labs/kibioctets.html > "In 1884, the Lord Kelvin had the following to say about inadequate > measurement systems:" > > Here I went to their source and expanded the quote from Lord Kelvin in his > address "A Lecture Delivered Before The Academy Of Music, Philadelphia, Under > The Auspices Of The Franklin Institute, 29 September, 1884, printed in the > Journal of the Franklin Institute, November 1884, 118: 321-341.": > > "You, in this country, are subjected to the British insularity in weights and > measures; you use the foot and inch and yard. I am obliged to use that system, > but I apologize to you for doing so, because it is so inconvenient, and I hope > all Americans will do everything in their power to introduce the French > metrical system. I hope the evil action performed by an English minister whose > name I need not mention, because I do not wish to throw obloquy on any one, > may be remedied. He abrogated a useful rule, which for a short time was > followed, and which I hope will soon be again enjoined, that the French > metrical system be taught in all our national schools. I do not know how it is > in America. The school system seems to be very admirable, and I hope the > teaching of the metrical system will not be let slip in the American schools > any more than the use of the globes. I say this seriously: I do not think any > one knows how seriously I speak of it. I look upon our English system as a ! > wickedly brain-destroying piece of bondage under which we suffer. The reason > why we continue to use it is the imaginary difficulty of making a change, and > nothing else; but I do not think in America that any such difficulty should > stand in the way of adopting so splendidly useful a reform." > > [Source: http://zapatopi.net/kelvin/papers/wave_theory_of_light.html] > > Jim > > >
