Dear All,
Another interesting reference:
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9403E0DD1E3BEE33A25754C0A9649D946197D6CF
The story from the New York Times, 1900 December 7, reads (in full):
FAVOR THE METRIC SYSTEM
Committee Reports a Bill to Introduce it in This Country.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.—The Bill of Representative Shaforth of Colorado
for the adoption of the metric system by the United States to-day was
favorably reported by unanimous vote of the House Committee on
Coinage, Weights and Measures. The Bill was changed so as to make the
system go into effect Jan. 1. 1903. Officials of the Treasury were
present to-day and expressed approval of the measure.
Mr. Shaforth stated that all the civilized nations except Great
Britain and the United States had adopted the metric system, Russia
being the last to do so a few weeks ago. The bill as reported provides:
That on and after Jan. 1. 1903 all the departments of the Government
of the United States in the transaction of all business requiring the
use of weights and measurement, except in completing the survey of
public lands, shall employ and use, only the weights and measures of
the metric system, and on and after Jan. 1. 1903, the weights and
measures of the metric system shall be the legal standard weights and
measures of the United States.
Cheers,
Pat Naughtin
Author of the forthcoming book, Metrication Leaders Guide.
PO Box 305 Belmont 3216,
Geelong, Australia
Phone: 61 3 5241 2008
Metric system consultant, writer, and speaker, Pat Naughtin, has
helped thousands of people and hundreds of companies upgrade to the
modern metric system smoothly, quickly, and so economically that they
now save thousands each year when buying, processing, or selling for
their businesses. Pat provides services and resources for many
different trades, crafts, and professions for commercial, industrial
and government metrication leaders in Asia, Europe, and in the USA.
Pat's clients include the Australian Government, Google, NASA, NIST,
and the metric associations of Canada, the UK, and the USA. See http://www.metricationmatters.com
for more metrication information, contact Pat at [email protected]
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