Michael's question is something I've wanted clarification on too. A little Googling brought me to the English Weights and Measures site - "The definitive internet resource for information on Imperial weights and measures" - as well as the BWMA and a few other places I don't want to dwell on. http://home.clara.net/brianp/
Does anyone have any tales to tell about this site? The disclaimer states that the information "is supplied for entertainment only." It's obviously one of many anti-metric sites, but at least it tries to be informative. It has a "history" page which pinpoints the creation of the Imperial system of weights and measures to the weights and measures act of 1824 (5 Geo IV c 74) during the reign of George IV . http://home.clara.net/brianp/history.html This helped me understand the difference between the US "customary" system and the British system. The site has this to say about the US system: "The US measures, not surprisingly, derive from those in use in England before the revolution. Of course, this was before the French revolution (1789), when most European countries used proper systems of measurement, instead of the so-called 'metric' system. The act of 1824 which had such an impact in England was of course after the revolution, so the Americans didn't benefit from the general tidying-up that it introduced." With the loss of such a common reminder of the British Empire, no wonder some people in the UK feel an imposition against them with that country's metrication program. Although I give these traditionalists some sympathy (if only sadness for their lack of enlightenment), I despise imperialism, as did the American Revolutionaries, and feel a sense of justice to see the imperial system's imminent demise. Too bad the act of 1824 happened AFTER the revolution - I bet that if the "customary" system of weights and measures was called the Imperial system of weights and measures in America, we would have converted to the metric system as soon as possible! David Shatto Los Angeles On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:29:39 +0100 "Terry Simpson" wrote: > Michael-O wrote: > >ok ok, the Imperial System has been invented in England? > > The term 'Imperial system' is British but the units are not exclusively > British. Some of the units were common (in various versions) all over > Europe. > > Once Britain is fully metricated, our descendents will make a similar > assumption and imagine that Americans invented them. >
