- Email: [email protected]
Messrs. the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Metric System o f Weights and Measures.
Sept., i9o2. ]
18 7
Superintendent nay chart, issued by the American Metrological Society, which I regard as excellent. Please refer this to some one of the s p e c i a l committee of the Iffstitute, or use it otherwise as may best help a d v a n c e the use of the metric system. Yours very truly, CHAS, A. MIXER,
Res. Eng. ENGI£'EERS' AND ARCHITECTS' CLUB OF LOUISVILLE. LOUISVILLE, KY., December 21, 19Ol.
To the Secretary ." I respectfully request that you use this writing as authority for casting nay vote strongly in favor of the metric system of weights and measures. I would make it compulsory and in force as early as possible. Yours truly, THOMAS P. SHANKS,
PHILADELPHIA,February 7, I9O~. To/he Secrelary ." ~
same.
~
I
anl in sympathy with the resolutions, and i n d o r se the Yours very truly, HORACE PETTIT.
Alessrs. lhe Franklin Inslitule, Philadelphia, U.S.A. SIRS :--I just received the February 2ist number of London Engineering, and noted with the greatest interest ttiat your Institute took so decisive a step in relation to the introduction of the metric system into your great republic, which we Dutchmen can never forget is the birthplace ot J o h n Lothrop Motley, to whom we owe so great a debt. I am glad to see that the name of the great Franklin will be united to the great scheme of introducing the metric system and supplanting the barbarous, incoherent mass of weights and measures which is now prevalent in Anglo-Saxon reginn.~, l am sure that if he had lived to-day, he would have been the first to propose the measure you have just taken. W h a t especially rejoices me is that not only scientific men like Mr. Jesse Pawling, Jr., signed the report issued by the committee, but that practical men like James Christie and others, joined in the recommendation of the metric system. Scientists, as physicians, chemists, have, even in Great Britain, adopted metric measures and weights, and so I was not at all astonished to see their names. But every technical man must feel what heavy expenses and great trouble will a c c o m p a n y the introduction of metric measuring into shop-Work. The m o r e it is to be appreciated that practical men join in the demand, but I a m sure that after a purgatory of confusion the reward will not remain behind.
I88
Pan 3Iee,ten :
[J. F. I.,
The cry for the metric system has been heard in Great Britain as well as in the United States, and I am glad to add that there also the cry is heard not only from scientists or laboratory workers, but also from practical men like Harvard Biles, Archibald Denny, etc. Allow me, gentlemen, one little remark in relation to Questions 8 and 9 of the Appendix to the Report. There will be, of course, a little confusion accompanying the introduction of the metric system; but I beg to remark that the sooner the introduction is carried on, the less will be the confusion. There is now a whole stock of machinery, etc., which in time wants repair; bolts and nuts, boiler plates, wheel-tires, and so on, want periodical renewing, and in the majority of cases the articles dimensioned in feet and inches cannot be supplanted by metrically dimensioned ones. So, as long as this stock is not yet exhausted, a double set of lathes, of rules and regulations will be necessary; double sets of rolls for sections will be necessary for steel works for rolling the old and new sections. But this already large stock is daily rapidly increasing, and that is, in my opinion, the reason that, if it will be resolved to introduce the metric system, the sooner it will be done the better. Besides that, I think that for your foreign trade the time will not be far that manufacturers will be st with ioaatt,to accepmpelleod e their export business, the metric system, as otherwise they cannot take up the competition against German, Swiss and French manufacturers. I beg to call your attention to the splendid work the Germans have already done with their book for sections, " Deutsches NormalprofilBuch for Walzeisen," and also the work- done in standardizing screwthreads, the " I n t e r n a t i o n a l e s Gewindesystem," based upon the metric system, unites the advantages of the best two other systems--the Whirworth and the Sellers. In expressing my best sympathy for the measure you have taken and the hope that it will soon bear fruit, I conclude by calling myself, Most respectfully yours, HI' VAN MEERTEN, M. I. N. A.,
Late Chief Constructor, Dutch Wavy. B~qTENZO~C (JAva), March 2o, i9o2. P. S.--Before finally concluding, I beg to call your attention to the C. G. S. system, wbich has already done so much good service in the electric work, and which now Mr. A. Hauser, late Chief Constructor ot the French Navy, has proposed for the standard to be used in ship building and machine building. His views are published as well in the Bulletin of the Association Technique Maritime as in the Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects, and, if accepted, will in future considerably facilitate the study and working out of mechanical problems. * ~ ~ H. VAN M.
Sept., i9o2. ]
18 7
Superintendent nay chart, issued by the American Metrological Society, which I regard as excellent. Please refer this to some one of the s p e c i a l committee of the Iffstitute, or use it otherwise as may best help a d v a n c e the use of the metric system. Yours very truly, CHAS, A. MIXER,
Res. Eng. ENGI£'EERS' AND ARCHITECTS' CLUB OF LOUISVILLE. LOUISVILLE, KY., December 21, 19Ol.
To the Secretary ." I respectfully request that you use this writing as authority for casting nay vote strongly in favor of the metric system of weights and measures. I would make it compulsory and in force as early as possible. Yours truly, THOMAS P. SHANKS,
PHILADELPHIA,February 7, I9O~. To/he Secrelary ." ~
same.
~
I
anl in sympathy with the resolutions, and i n d o r se the Yours very truly, HORACE PETTIT.
Alessrs. lhe Franklin Inslitule, Philadelphia, U.S.A. SIRS :--I just received the February 2ist number of London Engineering, and noted with the greatest interest ttiat your Institute took so decisive a step in relation to the introduction of the metric system into your great republic, which we Dutchmen can never forget is the birthplace ot J o h n Lothrop Motley, to whom we owe so great a debt. I am glad to see that the name of the great Franklin will be united to the great scheme of introducing the metric system and supplanting the barbarous, incoherent mass of weights and measures which is now prevalent in Anglo-Saxon reginn.~, l am sure that if he had lived to-day, he would have been the first to propose the measure you have just taken. W h a t especially rejoices me is that not only scientific men like Mr. Jesse Pawling, Jr., signed the report issued by the committee, but that practical men like James Christie and others, joined in the recommendation of the metric system. Scientists, as physicians, chemists, have, even in Great Britain, adopted metric measures and weights, and so I was not at all astonished to see their names. But every technical man must feel what heavy expenses and great trouble will a c c o m p a n y the introduction of metric measuring into shop-Work. The m o r e it is to be appreciated that practical men join in the demand, but I a m sure that after a purgatory of confusion the reward will not remain behind.
I88
Pan 3Iee,ten :
[J. F. I.,
The cry for the metric system has been heard in Great Britain as well as in the United States, and I am glad to add that there also the cry is heard not only from scientists or laboratory workers, but also from practical men like Harvard Biles, Archibald Denny, etc. Allow me, gentlemen, one little remark in relation to Questions 8 and 9 of the Appendix to the Report. There will be, of course, a little confusion accompanying the introduction of the metric system; but I beg to remark that the sooner the introduction is carried on, the less will be the confusion. There is now a whole stock of machinery, etc., which in time wants repair; bolts and nuts, boiler plates, wheel-tires, and so on, want periodical renewing, and in the majority of cases the articles dimensioned in feet and inches cannot be supplanted by metrically dimensioned ones. So, as long as this stock is not yet exhausted, a double set of lathes, of rules and regulations will be necessary; double sets of rolls for sections will be necessary for steel works for rolling the old and new sections. But this already large stock is daily rapidly increasing, and that is, in my opinion, the reason that, if it will be resolved to introduce the metric system, the sooner it will be done the better. Besides that, I think that for your foreign trade the time will not be far that manufacturers will be st with ioaatt,to accepmpelleod e their export business, the metric system, as otherwise they cannot take up the competition against German, Swiss and French manufacturers. I beg to call your attention to the splendid work the Germans have already done with their book for sections, " Deutsches NormalprofilBuch for Walzeisen," and also the work- done in standardizing screwthreads, the " I n t e r n a t i o n a l e s Gewindesystem," based upon the metric system, unites the advantages of the best two other systems--the Whirworth and the Sellers. In expressing my best sympathy for the measure you have taken and the hope that it will soon bear fruit, I conclude by calling myself, Most respectfully yours, HI' VAN MEERTEN, M. I. N. A.,
Late Chief Constructor, Dutch Wavy. B~qTENZO~C (JAva), March 2o, i9o2. P. S.--Before finally concluding, I beg to call your attention to the C. G. S. system, wbich has already done so much good service in the electric work, and which now Mr. A. Hauser, late Chief Constructor ot the French Navy, has proposed for the standard to be used in ship building and machine building. His views are published as well in the Bulletin of the Association Technique Maritime as in the Transactions of the Institution of Naval Architects, and, if accepted, will in future considerably facilitate the study and working out of mechanical problems. * ~ ~ H. VAN M.