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A History of the Metric System Controversy in the United States

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A History of the Metric System Controversy in the United States U.S. METRIC STUDY INTERIM REPORT A HISTORY OF THE METRIC SYSTEM CONTROVERSY IN THE UNITED STATES U.S. METRIC STUDY U.S. METRIC SUBSTUDY REPORTS The results of substudies of the U.S. Metric Study, while being evaluated for the preparation of a comprehensive report to the Congress, are being published in the interim as a series of NBS Special Publications. The titles of the individual reports are listed below. REPORTS ON SUBSTUDIES NBS SP345-1: International Standards (issued December 1970, SD Catalog No. C 1 3. 10:345- 1 , price $1.25) NBS SP345-2: Federal Government: Civilian Agencies (issued July 1971, SD Catalog No. C13. 10:345-2, price $2.25) NBS SP345-3: Commercial Weights and Measures (issued July 1971, SD Catalog No. 0 3.10:345-3, price $1.00) NBS SP345-4: The Manufacturing Industry (issued July 1971, SD Catalog No. C 1 3. 10:345-4, price $ 1 .25) NBS SP345-5: Nonmanufacturing Businesses (issued August 1971, SD Catalog No. C 1 3. 1 0:345-5 , price $ 1 .50) NBS SP345-6: Education (issued July 1971, SD Catalog No. C13. 10:345-6, price $1.75) NBS SP345-7: The Consumer (issued July 1971, SD Catalog No. C13. 10:345-7, price $1.25) NBS SP345-8: International Trade (issued August 1971, SD Cata- log No. C 1 3. 1 0:345-8, price $ 1 .50) NBS SP345-9: Department of Defense (issued July 1971, SD Catalog No. C 1 3 . 1 0: 345-9, price $1.25) NBS SP345-10: A History of the Metric System Controversy in the United States (this publication) NBS SP345-11: Engineering Standards (issued July 1971 SD Catalog No. CI 3. 10:345-1 1, price $2.00) NBS SP345-12: Testimony of Nationally Representative Groups (issued July 1971 , SD Catalog No. C13. 10:345-12, price $1.50) COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON THE U.S. METRIC STUDY NBS SP345: A Metric America: A Decision Whose Time Has Come (issued August 1971, SD Catalog No. C13. 10:345, price $2.25) Those publications with catalog numbers have already been issued, and may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 for the prices indicated. Add one- fourth of the purchase price if the publication ordered is to be sent to a foreign address. Be sure to include the SD Catalog number with your order. m. BUREAU OF STANSMSIS .1£P 2 1 1971 \lo-t' i^u.-Ref iC i^<^ U.S. METRIC STUDY INTERIM REPORT A HISTORY OF THE METRIC SYSTEM CONTROVERSY IN THE UNITED STATES Tenth in a series of reports prepared for the Congress U.S. METRIC STUDY Daniel V. De Simone, Director Charles F. Treat, Historian O'S, National Bureau of Standards * ' " r Special Publication 345-10 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Maurice H. Stans, Secretary NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS Lewis M. Branscomb, Director Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), Spec. Publ. 345-10, 312 pages (August 1971) CODEN; XNBSA Issued August 1971 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govemnnent Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. C 13.10:345-10). Price $2.25 Stock Number 0303-0879 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL THE HONORABLE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE THE HONORABLE SPEAKER OFTHEHOUSEOF REPRESENTATIVES SIRS: I have the honor to present the tenth in the series of interim reports stemming from the U.S. Metric Study, prepared by the National Bureau of Standards. This Study was authorized by PubHc Law 90-472 to reduce the many un- certainties concerning the metric issue and to provide a better basis upon which the Congress may evaluate and resolve it. I shall make a final report to the Congress on this Study in August 1971. In the meantime, the data and opinions contained in this interim report are being evaluated by the Study team at the National Bureau of Standards. My final report to you will reflect this evaluation. Respectfully submitted, Secretary of Commerce Enclosure iii LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL Honorable Maurice H. Stans Secretary of Commerce Dear Mr. Secretary: I have the honor to transmit to you another interim report of the U.S. Met- ric Study, which is being conducted at the National Bureau of Standards at your request and in accordance with the Metric Study Act of 1968. The Study is exploring the subjects assigned to it with great care. We have tried to reach every relevant sector of the society to elicit their views on the metric issue and their estimates of the costs and benefits called for in the Metric Study Act. Moreover, all of these sectors were given an opportunity to testify in the extensive series of Metric Study Conferences that were held last year. On the basis of all that we have been able to learn from these conferences, as well as the numerous surveys and investigations, a final report will be made to you before August 1971 for your evaluation and decision as to any recommendations that you may wish to make to the Congress. The attached interim report includes data and other opinions that are still being evaluated by us to determine their relationship and significance to all of the other information that has been elicited by the Study. All of these evaluations will be reflected in the final report. Sincerely, Lewis M. Branscomb, Director National Bureau of Standards Enclosure iv . FOREWORD Almost two centuries of debate have attended the metric question in this country. Thomas Jefferson and John Quincy Adams were embroiled in this controversy. It is yet to be resolved. This report is an account of the metric system controversy in the United States and is based upon a wide survey of available historical data. The author of this volume is Mr. Charles F. Treat of the National Bureau of Standards. In an appendix to this report, Mr. Treat acknowledges the assistance he received from many individuals during his research. Reports covering other substudies of the U.S. Metric Study are listed on the inside front cover. All of these, including this report, are under evalua- tion. Hence, they are published without prejudice to the comprehensive re- port on the entire U.S. Metric Study, which will be sent to the Congress by the Secretary of Commerce in August of 1 97 1 Daniel V. De Simonc, Director U.S. Metric Study V 1 CONTENTS Page I. Introduction 1 A. The Basic Elements: Measurement Units, Standards, and Systems 1 B. The Origins and Development of Major Systems of Weights and Measures 3 1 . Ancient Weights and Measures 3 2. Evolution of the Customary System of Weights and Measures 5 3. The Creation and Growth of the Metric System of Weights and Measures 8 11. Toward A More Perfect Uniformity (1607-1860) 13 A. Weights and Measures in the United States Prior to the Ratification of the Constitution 14 B. The Adoption of a Decimal System for U.S. Coins 15 C. Constitutional Provision for Weights and Measures and Thomas Jefferson's Proposals 1 1 D. Congressional Consideration of Jefferson's Proposals; Events Leading Up to John Quiney Adams' Investigation 20 E. The Exhaustive Investigation of John Quincy Adams 24 F. The Importance and Impact of Adams' Report 3 G. Some Temporary Measures and A Lengthy Interlude 32 III. An Act To Authorize the Use of the Metric System (1861- 1866) 35 A. The Currents of Change 35 B. The Metric System Acquires Sponsorship: 1863-1864 39 C. 1866: A Reform Initiated 41 D. A Persistent Notion 46 IV. A Pint's A Pound The World Around? (1866- 1890) 49 A. The Polarization Process Begins 50 1. The Davies-Barnard Schism 51 2. Concurrent Developments 58 B. The "Treaty of the Meter" 60 C. American Metric Advocates Organize 62 1. The American Metrological Society 63 2. The American Metric Bureau 68 D. The Legislative Scene: 1877-1886 73 1. Polling the Executive Branch 75 2. Further Congressional Consideration 79 E. The Revelations of the Great Pyramid and the Inter- national Institute 82 1. Pyramidology 82 2. "The Battle of the Standards" 85 F. Recapitulation 92 vi CONTENTS vii Page V. The "EnteringWedge" Controversy (1890-1914) 94 A. Early Developments 96 B. A Fleeting Victory 102 C. Aftershocks 112 D. Establishment of the National Bureau of Standards 114 E. 1902: The Year of Transition 119 F. Rising Opposition 129 G. "The Metric Fallacy" 136 H. The Road to Oblivion 144 I. Recapitulation 153 VI. The Great Metric Crusade (1914-1933) 156 A. The Participants 159 1. The Metric Association 162 2. The World Trade Club and Its Successors 164 3. The American Institute of Weights and Measures 169 4. Other Participants 176 B. Squaring Off (1914-191 8) 178 C. The Battle for Public Opinion (1919-1 922) 1 86 1. Legislative Proposals 186 2. The Pro-Metric Case 188 3. The Anti-Metric Defense " 195 4. The 1921 Senate Hearings 204 D. The Final Attempts (1923-1933) 211 1. Legislative Trends 211 2. The Controversy Renewed 212 3. 1926 House Hearings 217 4. The Outcome and the Aftermath 223 E. Recapitulation 226 VII. To Be Continued (1959-1968) 230 A. The Doldrums (1933-1958) 231 B. Authorizing a Study of the Advantages and Dis- advantages of Increased Use of the Metric System (1959-1968) 236 C. Conclusion 252 VIII. Summing Up 254 1. The Period of Consolidation (1786- 1866) 255 2. The Educational Movement (1866-1889) 256 3. The Movement to Introduce the Metric System Through Government Adoption (1890-1914) 258 4. The Propaganda Period (1914-1933) 260 5.
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