frequency of use, to be represented by two letters each; their derivatives, as above, by three letters. 3. Other words, of numerous letters, and frequent occurrence, to be in like manner reduced to three letters each; their derivatives to four. This to be gradually done, and extended in time to thousands of words. 4. The articles a or an and the to be dispensed with. 5. The to, sign of the infinitive, to be dispensed with. 6. One word or sign to suffice for all the six persons of the same tense. 7. The objective case of the pronoun to be dispensed with. 8. The second or noun form of the possessive pronoun to be dispensed with. 9. The preposition to, or for, before a place to which one has gone, to be dispensed with. 10. The plural signs, in almost every case, to be dispensed with. 11. The past and present participles, possessive forms of the noun, comparative and superlative degress of the adjective, to be represented by the addition, respectively, to their primaries, of only one letter each-d, n, s, r, t, or some still simpler telegraphic sign. 12. All silent letters, and one of all double letters, to be omitted. 13. In many long words, for which symbols have not been appropriated, the vowels to be omitted. My object on the present occasion is more to show that much might be done, than to recommend dogmatically any particular system. It is probable that a more minute examination of the subject would develope further abbreviations. But I think enough has been said to lead to the presumption that, after a thorough examination of the telegraphic messages for a considerable time, to ascertain the most frequently used words and letters, and a careful analysis of the language to distinguish what is essential from what is accidental in character, as well as to take advantage of general laws of structure on which simplifications may be founded, some scheme might be devised which would enable us to reduce very greatly the work required for telegraphic operations-probably to one-third or one-fourth of its present amount. Proceedings of Institutions. BURTON-ON-TRENT.-The report of the Committee of the Literary Society, read at the general meeting, July 15th, states that the progress of the Society during the past year has been favourable. Notwithstanding the large outlay which has been made in the purchase of books and furniture for the news-room, the statement of account, annexed to the report, shows an increase on the balance carried forward last year, and the committee have no doubt that, with judicious management, this highly satisfactory position may not only be maintained, but improved. The committee had long felt that the valuable and rapidly increasing library belonging to the Society was, owing to the few opportunities there were of obtaining books, practically closed to many of its members; but until the finances of the Society were brought into their present prosperous state, they could not recommend the outlay requisite for the salary of a librarian in constant attendance. This difficulty having, however, been removed, the much desired alteration has been effected, and the committee have little doubt that it will be beneficial to the Society in a pecuniary point of view, as well as to the advantage of the members personally. £61 6s. 113d. have been expended in the purchase of books during the past year, and a further addition will immediately be made to the library, which now bids fair to take a leading position amongst the other libraries of the town. A new catalogue, entirely re-arranged, is being prepared, and will shortly be ready for issue. The committee congratulate the members on the success which attended the lectures delivered during the last season. Great expense was incurred to secure the services of efficient lecturers; nevertheless, a profit of £38 13s. 9d. arose from this source alone. Encouraged by this success, the Committee will immediately enter into arrangements for a course of lectures and entertainments for the ensuing season, and will spare no trouble or expense to render them more attractive than those of any former season. CAMBRIDGE.-At the annual meeting of the Mechanics' Institute, held on 29th June, a handsome testimonial, consisting of a chastely-manufactured silver inkstand, was presented to Mr. Harris, in recognition of his services as one of the honorary secretaries, he having fulfilled the duties of that office from the establishment of the Society upwards of twenty-two years since. The testimonial bore the following inscription :-" Presented by the members of the Cambridge Mechanics' Institute to their Honorary Secretary, Henry Hemington Harris, Esq., June, 1857." CHATHAM, ROCHESTER, BROMPTON, AND STROOD.-In presenting the twentieth annual report of the Rochester and Chatham Mechanics' Institution, the committee commence by heartily congratulating the members and friends upon the great progress which it has made during the past year, which has been, indeed, a most important one in the history of the institution. At the commencement, it appeared fast sinking beneath the decrepitude of age, bowed down under a weighty load of debt, and tottering upon the verge of extinction. Each quarter exhibited a sad diminution in the number of its members, while its liabilities were, of course, correspondingly increasing, until at length it was deemed by many to be no longer advisable to attempt to prolong the existence of an institution which, to all appearance, was doomed to a speedy and unfortunate end. Under these circumstances, a meeting of the members was convened in July of last year, when various plans were submitted for its dissolution, remodelling, and continuance. It was at length, however, resolved that an energetic attempt should be made to rescue the Institution from the difficulties which surrounded it, and to re-establish it upon an improved and more enduring basis. An appeal was made to the inhabitants of the towns for pecuniary aid, an appeal most generously responded to, and, by means of which, the committee were placed in possession of funds, not only sufficient to extinguish the debt, which had so long impeded the progress of the Institution, but also to enable them thoroughly to refit the Institute itself. The actual results of the year may be summed up as follows:A debt of nearly £70 entirely liquidated. A considerable addition to the number of the members. A great improvement in the internal arrangement of the Institution, and in the class of lectures and entertainments provided for the instruction and amusement of the members. Besides which, a more general feeling of interest in the success of the Institution has been excited amongst the inhabitants of the towns, many of the most influential of them having become members. The committee call particular attention to the important services rendered to this Institution by one of its Vice-Presidents, Mr. Joseph Pyke. The library is not, as yet, in the condition in which the committee soon hope to see it; but they trust, however, that the balance which they hope to be in possession of at the close of the present quarter, will enable them to make some extensive additions to this most important branch of the appliances of the Institution; the issues from which, during the past unfavourable year, have amounted to 9,000. The committee still labours under a long felt disadvantage in the want of a suitable room for the delivery of the lectures given in connection with this Institution. During the past year, they have occasionally hired the Rochester Corn Exchange for the use of some of the more popular lecturers, and during the present quarter they have been again compelled repeatedly to make use of it. They are happy, however, in being able to state that notwithstanding the distance and other inconveniences attaching to the Corn Exchange, the at- arithmetic, nine chemistry, four French, four book-keeptendance has, on all occasions, been of the most satis-ing, three geometry, two algebra, two mensuration, one factory and encouraging nature. They will eagerly political economy, and one electricity. Two of the proembrace the first opportunity which presents itself, fessors-Mr. Buckmaster, of the chemistry class, and Dr. enabling them to supply the members with a lecture-hall White, of the arithmetic and algebra classes-were then suitable to the requirements of the towns, and capable of presented with votes of thanks, written on vellum and accommodating the rapidly increasing audiences. Instead framed, from their respective pupils; and they severally of being open, as hitherto, only during the evening of acknowledged the compliment. Subsequently a series of each day, admission can now be obtained at any hour resolutions, commendatory of the system of classes estabbetween 10 o'clock in the morning and 10 o'clock at night; lished at the Polytechnic, and of the examinations instithe librarian being constantly in attendance to exchange tuted by the Society of Arts, were proposed and adopted, books, and furnish any information which may be required. the meeting being addressed by Dr. White, Dr. Leslie, The news-room has been incorporated with the Institu- Dr. Booth, Mr. Buckmaster, Mr. Pepper, &c., &c. A tion, so that members will now find, upon the morning of vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings. publication, the leading daily papers in the reading-room. WENLOCK.-The members of the Olympic class, conThe discussion class still continues in operation, and the nected with the Agricultural Reading Society, met on committee would earnestly request every member of the Wednesday morning, the 5th inst., at 9 o'clock, and proInstitution to use his or her influence in promoting this ceeded in procession to the racecourse, where the men most useful and instructive undertaking. engaged in games of quoits, leaping heights and distances, ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION.-On the 25th July foot races, &c., for which prizes varying from a few an interesting ceremonial took place at this Institution shillings to a sovereign were given. The afternoon's in the public presentation of the certificates of merit sports consisted of hurdle racing, foot racing, donkey awarded by the Society of Arts to 44 students of the racing, a jingling match, a wheelbarrow race, and climbclass formed last year for instruction in various branches ing the pole. At about five o'clock, the Rev. Mr. Hayof knowledge who had passed with success the examina- ward distributed the book prizes to the children who were tion prescribed by the Society. A meeting for the pur- successful in the industrial and intellectual competition, pose, of persons interested in the promotion of education, in which an examination had been recently held. The was held in the large lecture-room, under the presidency | books were handsomely bound and illustrated, and were of Viscount Ebrington, M.P. The noble lord was sup-mostly on useful and entertaining subjects. The presentaported by J. H. Pepper, Esq., Rev. Dr. Booth, Dr. White, tion of the books was accompanied by some seasonable Dr. Sayer, Dr. Leslie, Mr. Buckmaster, Mr. Ure, and advice to the recipients. The games having been ended, other friends of the educational movement. His lord- the procession re-formed, and, upon reaching the hall, ship opened the proceedings with an address, which he three cheers were given for Mr. W. P. Brookes, who commenced by observing that he had accepted the honour thanked them for this expression of kind feeling. He of being in the position he then occupied more for the congratulated them on the innocent recreation which purpose of showing his unabated sympathy and interest those meetings afforded to many whose lives were spent in the excellent institution within whose walls they were in toil; and on the good this class was effecting in an met, than with any hope of rendering much service to educational point of view. They were all, doubtless, the cause. Education was the subject in which he was aware that one of the questions which at present engaged more deeply interested than any other. He had only the carnest attention of some of the wisest and best of diverged into the question of sanitary reform because he our public men was the education of the people, and they had seen how often the lessons of school were neutralised must all feel that it was a most important one on account by the influences of home. At the recent meeting on of the influence it would have on the happiness and proseducation at Willis's Rooms, the results of the experiences perity of the nation. But as the term education, accordthere brought forward led them to feel how little net ing to its popular acceptation, was very commonly gain had attended the most carefully prepared and best understood as having reference exclusively to the mind, adjusted projects. But he thought, with respect to this was there not reason to fear that, whilst attending to institution, they might congratulate themselves that the those branches which were unquestionably of the highest gain was entirely net. He could not see a single draw-moment, viz., the culture of the religious, moral, and back in the good effected by such classes as they had intellectual faculties, the bodily training of the people there, attended with examinations. Lectures ought to would be entirely overlooked? Were not the children at be regarded rather as the caviare to stimulate the appetite many of our public schools already too much confined? for knowledge than the food to satisfy it. In that Insti- He thought they did not afford to the young men of their tution they had a most successful example of the working towns and villages sufficient facilities for those manly of a system of classes. The industry and perseverance exercises which helped to strengthen the dwelling place of of the students had been tested by a most severe exami- the mind, and those bodily instruments which executed nation, from which they had come out abundantly its mandates. He thought that England should not triumphant. Upwards of 400 students had attended the neglect any precaution, however humble, that might be classes during the last session, and that number was now calculated to add to the stability of her empire; and the increased to 600. Fifty-three went in for examination, bodily training of her youth was of the utmost importance. and 44 of them obtained certificates of merit, or nearly But the Wenlock Olympic class was instituted, not for 19-20ths of the whole. If the system of examinations, athletic exercises only, but for the encouragement of which, by the aid of the Society of Arts, honourably useful, industrial, and intellectual attainments. They and usefully followed by the universities, had been ex- had not been unmindful of these objects, but had marked tended to the middle classes, should have the effect he their estimate of the value of a common sound English believed it would, of engrafting upon the business quali- education for both sexes of the labouring classes, by the fications of Englishmen the appreciation of learning and announcement of appropriate prizes for knitting, plain literature that characterised the Germans, he thought sewing, writing, reading, spelling, arithmetic, and Bible the pre-eminence of this country would be placed on the and English history. There had also been an additional soundest basis. His lordship concluded by thanking prize this year for drawing, the encouragement of which, them for the patience with which they had received his he thought, would be of great advantage. The prizes unprepared remarks. The successful students were then distributed were small, but their utility and value would separately called forward to the platform, and cach re-be much increased if the children would read attentively ceived from the noble chairman his certificate, the presentation being accompanied by a few graceful words of congratulation. There were fourteen certificates for their books, and the young men would place their money prizes in the savings bank, and endeavour to add to the amount, from time to time, such small sums as they migh be able to spare out of their weekly earnings. Dancing Dated 20th June, 1857. then commenced under the hall, and was kept up for 1728. Benjamin Richardson, Wordsley, near Stourbridge-Improveseveral hours. Delivered on August 4th. 162. Portpatrick and Donaghadee Harbours-Copy. 170. Bill-Dulwich College (as amended by the Select Committee). 185, Rochdale Election Petition-Minutes of Evidence. 228. Army-Supplementary Estimate. 233. Metropolitan Drainage-Return. 173. Bills-Dunbar Harbour Loan (Scotland). 174. Summary Proceedings before Justices of the Peace (amended). ments in manufacturing and ornamenting articles of flint glass. Dated 22nd June, 1857. 1744. Christopher Dicran Seropyan, Newhaven, Connecticut, U.S.— A mode of preparing bank notes, bills of exchange, and other papers, to prevent counterfeiting, by photography and its kindred processes. Dated 24th June, 1857. 1764. George Ireland, Birmingham, Warwickshire-Improvements in raising weights, applicable to stamping or cutting metals and other similar purposes. Dated 1st July, 1857. 1836. George Murray, Glasgow-Improvements in machinery or ap. Army (War Medals presented by the King of Sardinia)-List 1940. Murdoch McKay and Henry Forfar Osman, 33, Essex-street, Sewage of Towns (Deodorizing and Utilizing)--Report. 221. Freight Money (Greenwich Hospital)-Return. 241. Rating of Mines-Report from the Committee. 171. Bills-Probates and Letters of Administration (Ireland) (amended). 176. 175. 177. Insurance Companies (amended in Committee and on Probates and Letters of Administration (amended in Ecclesiastical Commission (amended by the Select Delivered on August 7th. Delivered on August 8th and 10th. 186. Maidstone Election Petition-Minutes of Evidence. 243. Beverley Election Petition-Minutes of Evidence. 216. Coast Guard-Return. 225. Indian Territories Committee (1853)-Petition of the Hindoo WEEKLY LIST OF PATENTS SEALED. 368. Henry Cartwright. 377. William Thomas Walker. 385, Austin Chambers and Wil- 392. Abraham Royds and John 400. William Todd and Jacob 402. Richard Dugdale Kay. 404. John Macintosh. 419, George Gimson. 472. Jacob Green. 476. Julien Blanc. 543. John Henry Johnson, 626. William Edward Newton. 688. William Edward Newton. 1320. Charles William Siemens. 1286. Peter Armand le Comte de 1528. Dr. Hermann Bleibtreu. Fontainemoreau. 1404. Edward Alfred Cowper. PATENTS ON WHICH THE STAMP DUTY OF £50 has been Paid. August 3rd. 1947. Joseph Westwood and Ro bert Baillie. 1735. Henry Turner. August 5th. 1720. John Cunningham. 1775, John Greaves and Charles 1755. Peniston Grosvenor Greville. Michael Greaves. Journal of the Society of Arts. FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1857. MEASURES, WEIGHTS AND MONEY. The following is the substance of a pamphlet lately published by Lieut. General Sir C. W. Pasley, K.C.B., F.R.S., &c., who, it may be premised has a special claim to be listened to on this subject, as he was one of the first to draw public attention to the inconveniences of our present system, and to suggest some practical remedy. In the present paper he begins by stating that, in consequence of an order given by the Duke of Wellington, as Master-General of the Ordnance, in 1825, that practical architecture should form part of the course of instruction of the junior officers attending the Royal Engineer Establishment at Chatham, under his direction, he was induced to enter into the details of measuring and estimating buildings and other works himself, and in this inquiry he says that he soon found that the rules for measuring and estimating every description of artificers' and labourers' work were embarrassed by unnecessary and even absurd difficulties, arising partly from the complexity of our national measures and weights, and partly from the nature of our coinage, in both of which, decimal are intermixed with duodecimal and binary subdivisions of the discordant units, assumed for measuring and pricing workmanship and materials. In the hope of obviating these difficulties, after having paid great attention to the subject for several years, he published a small volume, in the year 1834, entitled Observations on the Expediency and Practicability of simplifying and improving the Measures, Weights, and Money used in this Country, without materially altering the present Standards; in which he proposed an entire revision and reform of the whole of these standards without exception. In 1847, Sir Charles Pasley presented a paper containing an abstract of his plan of improvement to the British Association at Oxford, which was published in the Transactions of the Sections of that year, page 43; and, in 1855, a similar paper, with improvements, was drawn up by him, and the substance of it read and discussed at the meeting of the Association at Glasgow. The present paper contains the final result of his researches and reflections on this important subject, in which he says he has taken the greatest interest for the third part of a century. I. GENERAL TABLE OF NEW LINEAL MEASURES Measures of Temperature and Air. The Centigrade Thermometer, generally used in France and other countries, having its zero at the freezing point -the only invariable point of temperature in nature-and its one hundredth degree determined by the temperature of boiling water, when the barometer stands at 24 inches of the new lineal measure, is proposed to be adopted in preference to Fahrenheit's scale. The barometer to be marked in inches and tenths of the new measure. The new standard of lineal measure to be the fathom of 6 feet, marked on a rod of brass or other metal, and made equal to 6 feet 0-91548 inch in our present measure, at the temperature of 62.6 degrees of Fahrenheit, or 17 degrees of the Centigrade Thermometer. This proportion will make the proposed mile equal to 1012-715 fathoms of our present measure, being the mean length of the minute of a degree of a terrestrial meridian, according to Mr. Airy's treatise on the figure of the earth in the Enclopaedia Metropolitana. Should more extensive surveys of meridional arcs, since made or in progress, lead to a more accurate value of the said minute, it is proposed that the necessary correction shall be effected, not by changing the standard rod, but by altering the legal temperature to a higher or lower point than 62.6 degrees of Fahrenheit. For measuring works of architecture and engineering, the foot and its decimal subdivisions will be the unit, without reference to the fathom; and all workmanship measured by lineal measure must be priced by the foot, the 10 feet, or the 100 feet, not by the yard or rod. For Itinerary measure, or land surveying, the fathom will be the unit, without reference to the foot. The mile will be the nautical or geographical mile, the only universal measure recognized by all civilized nations. The proposed new fathom and foot will differ so little from our present standards-only by one eightieth part of the latter in excess-that, supposing the two fathoms to be set up at some little distance apart, no person standing between them, and who consequently could not see both at the same time, would be able, after having looked at both, to say which of the two was the shortest. II. NEW SQUARE OR SUPERFICIAL MEASURE PROPOSED For Architectural and Mechanical Purposes. priced in future by the square foot, by the 10 square feet, All work now measured by the superficial foot to be or by the 100 square feet, and not by the square yard or rod. For Cloth Measure. Cloth to be priced by the new imperial yard, in the same manner as is now done by the present standard yard. For Land Measure. 100 cubic inches 5 tenths 7 tenths 10 tenths 10 links 100 links 1 chain of 10 fathoms. 100 chains, or 1,000 fathoms ...... 1 mile. 2 chopins 1 pint. 1 quart. 1 can. Thus the cubic foot will be divided into 10 cans, 25 quarts, 50 pints, 100 chopins, and 200 gills. The new names Can and Chopin are recommended to designate the tenth and the hundredth parts of the cubic foot res pectively, being its most important subdivisions. The latter is a Scotch as well as a French word. In measuring corn for wholesale dealings, as well as sand, lime, &c., it is proposed to use measures of one cubic foot and of five cubic feet, open at the top and bottom, to be laid upon a level floor. Two of the latter to be put together one above the other and form a 10cubic-feet measure. Beer, wine, and other liquors, to be priced and gauged, and the duties collected by the cubic foot. In retail dealings, they should be sold by the ten bottles instead of the dozen, and each bottle should contain a quart or pint. New Apothecaries' Liquid Measure Proposed. 50 minims................... 1 tenth of an imperial cubic inch. 500 minims or 10 tenths 1 cubic inch. 10 cubic inches......... 1 half-pint, or chopin. This will differ so very little from the present apothecaries' liquid measure, that no medical practitioner can hesitate in adopting it. IV. NEW MEASURES OF WEIGHT PROPOSED. 21 tenths........ 5 tenths....... 74 tenths........... ............... 1 imperial ounce. 1 imperial pound. For Retail Dealings exclusively. 1 quarter of an imperial ounce. and most clearly and unequivocally expressed in one V. NEW MONETARY SYSTEM PROPOSED. 10 cents, or 100 farthings 10 florins, 100 cents, or 1,000 farthings 1 pound stg. Setting aside all the new coins proposed by him in his first publication of 1834, except the tenth of the pound, since called the florin, and the silver cent-and setting aside also his attempt to simplify the monetary system therein proposed, in the paper read to the British Association at Oxford, in 1847, which, he admits, was by no means an improvement, Sir Charles Pasley is now of opinion that the only new coin that ought to be issued is the silver cent, and that no silver coin greater than the florin should be coined in future, gradually withdrawing all the crowns and half-crowns still in circulation, as soon as florins to an equal amount can be issued from the Mint to replace them. When any sum of money of the new coinage is written in sterling money, the last figure or unit of the pound should always terminate in a point, after which the next three figures will designate florins, cents, and farthings, whether having these denominations marked over them or not; but more or less than three such figures must never be used. He is also of the opinion, now adopted by the Council of the Decimal Association, of which he is a member, that For Coins, Bullion, &c., and for Apothecaries' Weight. instead of coining new copper mils, or tithings, as he called them at first, it will be much better to declare by 10 hundredth parts of a grain... 1 tenth part. royal proclamation that the farthing shall be the tenth 10 tenth parts 1 grain. part of the cent, and the thousandth part of the pound, 1,000 grains 1 imperial ounce. or to make it so by Act of Parliament; but it does not The standard one-pound weight to be exactly one- appear to me to be necessary to withdraw any of the sixtieth part of the weight of the new cubic foot of dis- smaller silver coins, such as the threepenny and fourpenny tilled water, as ascertained by brass weights, at the tem- silver pieces, which, though not known when he first perature of 17 degrees of the centesimal thermometer, published on this subject, have been a very great conor 62-6 degrees of Fahrenheit, with the barometer stand-venience to the public, and which none of the working ing at 24 inches of the new lineal measure. By this classes ever mistake for one another, even in the dark, arrangement, 100 lbs. of the new will be charged to about nor will they confound any of them with the new silver 108 lbs. of the present avoirdupois weight. cent proposed. All goods sold now by avoirdupois weight to be priced in future by the imperial pound and its decimal multiples, the 10 lbs., the 100 lbs., and the 1,000 lbs., to the exclusion of stones, quarters, hundredweights, and tons of our present avoirdupois weight. For retail purposes the new ounce and its tenth parts to be used. The grain, being subdivided into tenths and hundredths for very delicate purposes, and its decimal multiples the 10 grains, the 100 grains, and the 1,000 grains or imperial ounce, will be used exclusively for weighing and pricing all valuable articles to which Troy weight is now applied, and to the entire exclusion also of pearl weight, diamond weight, and all the carat weights. For apothecaries' weight, to which it is also applied in preparing medical prescriptions. and which requires the use of the grain as well as of the ounce, the difference between the present and the proposed new grain and imperial ounce is not worth noticing. Barrels and casks of various denominations, as well as sieves, baskets, sacks, boxes, and other packages, now designating special quantities or weights of beer, wine, fruit, corn, and other goods, together with the various customary loads, lasts, and weys, all differing from each other, not to be used as measures or weights, without specifying the contents or the amounts of each, in cubic feet or pounds weight, as may be. If the foregoing suggestions, or any system on the same principle, for simplifying our national measures and weights, should be adopted, the fine idea generally supposed to have been intended in Magna Charta, In like This coin should be stamped with the word ONE CENT OR 10 FARTHINGS. The present sixpenny pieces need not be called in; but when more are required, let them be stamped with the words ONE HALF-SHILLING. manner, when more of the present fourpenny pieces are required, let them be stamped ONE-THIRD OF A SHILLING; and when more of the present threepenny pieces are required, let them be stamped ONE-FOURTH OF A SHILLING. To add anything more would be superfluous. VI. DIFFICULTIES URGED AS OBJECTIONS TO THE DECIMAL COINAGE PROPOSED: THEIR GROUNDLESSNESS. 1st. The great Length of Time necessary for carrying it into Effect. This difficulty has only arisen from the supposed necessity of "substituting a purely decimal money for that already in circulation, in which each silver and copper piece shall carry marked on it its decimal value, the pound being unity." But when we consider that after the first sovereigns were coined, there were no less than five gold coins in circulation-the guinea, the halfguinca, the third of a guinea, or seven-shilling piece, the sovereign, and the half-sovereign; and that at the same time there were four silver coins-the crown, the half-crown, the shilling, and the half-shilling; and three copper coins-the penny piece, the halfpenny piece, and the farthing-none of which were stamped either with Third, entitled "Ordinacio Stapularum," in the "Statutes of *See the tenth chapter of an Act of the 27th of Edward the the Realm," vol. I., page 337. |