It was as accurate as the circumstances allowed. Those two astronomers, Mechain and Delambre, used triangulation to measure the 1200 km stretch of that meridian. They used the best measuring instruments possible and even took accout of the curvature of the earth. They nearly became veritable Metric Martyrs as the Jacobin Terrorists threatened to guillotine them or hang them from a lamp post as 'Royalist spies'. Once Delambre was forced to appear before a council of Terrorists and the super-Terrorist Marat (ar real lover of the guillotine!) was presiding. This Marat said there was no need for new weights and measures, refused to give him a free pass he had requested, and then ordered him to get out at once, or he would be arrested. This would have led to the guillotine. For me they were soldiers for a cause and heroes. There was an error but that appeared later when technology improved and the measurements could be verified with it. I know that the BWMA et al denigrate what they did and make a lot of this 'inaccuracy' to 'prove' how inferior the metric system is. They even come up with the gem that the foot and the inch have hardly ever be redefined, while the meter and the kilogram have! That is also proof of the 'inferiority' of metric. Of course, they never mention the fact that the length of the meter and the mass of the kilogram as such never changed. By only telling one part of the story, they insinuate that the metric standards changed as well and are instable, as opposed to the 'standard' inch, foot, pound, gallon etc. etc.
Han ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stephen Davis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, 2002-02-23 01:39 Subject: [USMA:18353] Inacurracy of the original metre unit!! > I'm sure this topic has been discussed before but I have heard it said a few times that due to certain conditions, the original equation of the measurement from France to the North pole (or was it the South pole) for the metre was inaccurate!! > > I would be interested to know just how inaccurate!! > > Regards, > > Steve. > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >
