in geometry, denotes any quantity assumed as one, or unity, to which the ratio of the other homogeneous or similar quantities is expressed.
a legal and commercial sense, denotes a certain quantity of any thing bought, sold, valued, or the like. Measures are then various, according to the various kinds and dimensions of the things measured. Hence arise lineal, or longitudinal measures for lines or lengths; square measures for areas or surfaces; and solid or cubic measures for bodies and their capacities: all which again are very different in different countries and in different ages, and even many of them for different commodities. Whence arise other divisions of ancient and modern measures, domestic and foreign ones, dry measures, liquid measures, &c.
Long Measures, or Measures of Application. The English standard long measure for commerce, or that whereby the quantities of things are ordinarily estimated in the way of trade, is the yard, containing three English feet. Its divisions are the foot, span, palm, inch, and barley-corn; its multiples the pace, fathom, pole, furlong, and miles. The proportions these severally bear to each other, are expressed in the following table. ### English Measures of Length
| Barley-corn | Inch | Palm | Span | Foot | Cubit | Yard | Pace | Fathom | Pole | Furlong | Mile | |-------------|------|------|------|------|-------|------|------|--------|------|---------|------| | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 54 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 108 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 180 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 216 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 594 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23760 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 190080 | | | | | | | | | | | |
### Scripture Measures of Length reduced into English
| Digit | Eng. feet. | Dec. feet. | |-------|------------|------------| | 4 Palm| | 0.912 | | 12 | | 3.648 | | 3 | | 10.944 | | 24 | | 9.888 | | 6 | | 3.552 | | 96 | | 11.328 | | 24 | | 7.104 | | 8 | | 11.04 | | 144 | | | | 36 | | | | 12 | | | | 6 | | | | 1½ | | | | Ezechiels reed | | | | 192 | | | | 48 | | | | 16 | | | | 8 | | | | 2 | | | | 1½ | | | | Arabian pole | | | | 1920 | | | | 480 | | | | 160 | | | | 80 | | | | 20 | | | | 13½ | | | | 10 | | | | Schenus, or measuring line | | |
### The longer Scripture Measures
| Cubit | English Miles | Paces | Feet | |-------|---------------|-------|------| | 400 | | | | | Stadium | | | | | 2000 | | | | | 5 Sab. day's journey | | 729 | 3,000 | | 4000 | | | | | Eastern mile | | | | | 12000 | | | | | 30 | | | | | 6 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 96000 | | | | | 240 | | | | | 48 | | | | | 24 | | | | | 8 | | | | | a day's journey | | 33 | 172 | 4,000 |
Grecian ### Grecian Measures of Length reduced to English
| Measure | English | |------------------|---------| | Daetylus, digit | | | Doron, dochme | | | Lichas | | | Orthodon | | | Spithame | | | Foot | | | Cubit | | | Pygon | | | Cubit larger | | | Pace | | | Furlong | | | Mile | |
### Roman Measures of Length reduced to English
| Measure | English | |------------------|---------| | Digitus transversos | | | Uncia | | | Palmus minor | | | Pes | | | Palmipes | | | Cubitus | | | Gradus | | | Passus | | | Stadium | | | Milliare | |
### Square or Superficial Measures
English square or superficial measures, are raised from the yard of 36 inches multiplied into itself, and thus producing 1296 square inches in the square yard; the divisions of this are square feet and inches; and the multiples, poles, roods, and acres, as in the following table.
#### English Square Measures
| Inches | Feet | Yards | Paces | Poles | Rood | Acre | |--------|------|-------|-------|-------|------|------| | 144 | | | | | | | | 1296 | | | | | | | | 3600 | | | | | | | | 39204 | | | | | | | | 1568160| | | | | | | | 6272640| | | | | | |
Grecian Grecian square measures were the plethron, or acre, by some said to contain 1444, by others, 10,000 square feet; and aroura, the half of the plethron. The aroura of the Egyptians was the square 100 cubits.
Roman Square-Measure reduced to English.
The integer was the jugerum or acre, which the Romans divided like the libra, or as: thus the jugerum contained
| Square Feet | Terapies | Rodus | Eng. Putes | Square Feet | |-------------|----------|-------|------------|-------------| | As | 28800 | 288 | 2 | 18250.05 | | Denx | 26400 | 264 | 2 | 18385 | | Dextans | 24000 | 240 | 2 | 17176.64 | | Dodrans | 21600 | 216 | 1 | 5142 | | Bes | 19200 | 192 | 1 | 2557.46 | | Septunx | 16800 | 168 | 1 | 19125 | | Semis | 14400 | 144 | 1 | 12503 | | Quincunx | 12000 | 120 | 1 | 5882 | | Friens | 9600 | 96 | 1 | 2648.85 | | Quadrans | 7200 | 72 | 1 | 1986.4 | | Sextans | 4800 | 48 | 1 | 1324.3 | | Uncia | 2400 | 24 | 1 | 662.1 |
Note, Actus major was 14,400 square feet, equal to a semis; clima, 3600 square feet, equal to sescuncia; and actus minus equal to a sextans.
Cubical Measures, or Measures of Capacity for Liquids.
The English measures were originally raised from troy-weight; it being enacted by several statutes, that eight pounds troy of wheat, gathered from the middle of the ear, and well dried, should weigh a gallon of wine-measure, the divisions and multiples whereof were to form the other measures; at the same time it was also ordered, that there should be but one liquid measure in the kingdom: yet custom has prevailed, and there having been introduced a new weight, viz. the avoirdupois, we have now a second standard-gallon adjusted thereto, and therefore exceeding the former in the proportion of the avoirdupois weight to troy weight. From this latter standard are raised two several measures, the one for ale, the other for beer.
The sealed gallon at Guildhall, which is the standard for wines, spirits, oils, &c. is supposed to contain 231 cubic-inches; and on this supposition the other measures raised therefrom, will contain as in the table underneath: yet, by actual experiment, made in 1688, before the lord-mayor and the commissioners of excise, this gallon was found to contain only 224 cubic inches: it was however agreed to continue the common supposed contents of 231 cubic inches; so that all computations stand on their old footing. Hence as 12 is to 231, so is 143 to 281¼ the cubic inches in the ale-gallon: but in effect the ale-quart contains 70¼ cubic inches, on which principle the ale and beer-gallon will be 282 cubic inches. The several divisions and multiples of these measures, and their proportions, are exhibited in the following tables.
English Measure of Capacity for Liquids.
Wine-Measure.
| Solid Inches | Pint | Gallon | Rundlet | Barrel | Tierce | Hoghead | Punchion | Butt | Tun | |--------------|------|--------|---------|--------|--------|---------|----------|------|-----| | | 282 | 8 | 4158 | 7276½ | 9702 | 14553 | 19279 | 29106| 58212|
Ale-Measure.
| Pints | Gallon | Firkin | Kilderkin | Barrel | Hog | |-------|--------|--------|-----------|--------|-----| | 8 | 64 | 128 | 256 | 512 | 64 |
Beer-Measure.
| Pints | Gallon | Firkin | Kilderkin | Barrel | Hog | |-------|--------|--------|-----------|--------|-----| | 8 | 72 | 144 | 288 | 576 | 72 |
Jewish Measures of Capacity for Liquids, reduced to English Wine-measure.
| Cubit | Log | Cab | Hin | Seah | Bath, or Ephah | Coron, or Chomer | |-------|-----|-----|-----|------|-----------------|------------------| | 1 | 15 | 5 | 16 | 32 | 96 | 960 | | | | | | | | | | Gall. | Pints | Solid Inches | Gall. | Pints | Solid Inches | Gall. | Pints | Solid Inches | | 0 | 0 | 0.177 | 0 | 0 | 0.211 | 0 | 0 | 0.844 | | | | | 1 | 2 | 2.533 | 2 | 4 | 5.067 | | | | | 7 | 4 | 15.2 | 75 | 5 | 7.625 | | | | | | | | | | Attic | ### Attic Measures of Capacity for Liquids, reduced to English Wine-measure.
| Measure | Gal. | Pints | Sol. inch. | Dec. | |------------------|------|-------|------------|------| | Cochliarion | 0 | 1/15 | 0.0356 | 1/2 | | Cheme | 0 | 3/8 | 0.0712 | 6 | | Myron | 0 | 1/4 | 0.089 | 1/8 | | Conche | 0 | 1/4 | 0.178 | 1/8 | | Cyathos | 0 | 1/8 | 0.356 | 1/8 | | Oxybaphon | 0 | 1/8 | 0.535 | 1/8 | | Cotyle | 0 | 1/8 | 2.141 | 1/8 | | Xestes | 0 | 1/8 | 4.283 | | | Chous | 0 | 6 | 25.698 | | | Metretes | 10 | 2 | 19.629 | |
### Roman Measures of Capacity for Liquids, reduced to English Wine-measure.
| Measure | Gal. | Pints | Sol. inch. | Dec. | |------------------|------|-------|------------|------| | Ligula | 0 | 1/8 | 0.117 | 5/8 | | Cyathus | 0 | 1/8 | 0.469 | 3/8 | | Acetabulum | 0 | 1/8 | 0.704 | 1/2 | | Quartarius | 0 | 1/8 | 1.409 | | | Hemina | 0 | 1/8 | 2.818 | | | Sextarius | 0 | 1/8 | 5.636 | | | Congius | 0 | 1/8 | 4.942 | | | Urna | 3 | 4/8 | 5.33 | | | Amphora | 7 | 1 | 10.66 | | | Culeus | 143 | 3 | 11.095 | |
In the modern liquid measures of foreign nations, it is to be observed, that their several vessels for wine, vinegar, &c. have also various denominations according to their different sizes and the places wherein they are used. The woaders of Germany, for holding Rhenish and Moselle wines, are different in their gauges; some containing 14 aumes of Amsterdam measure, and others more or less. The aume is reckoned at Amsterdam for 8 steckans, or 20 verges, or for 1/8 of a ton of 2 pipes; or 4 barrels of French or Bordeaux, which 1/8 at this latter place is called tiercon, because 3 of them make a pipe or 2 barrels, and 6 the said ton. The steckan is 16 mingles, or 32 pints; and the verge is, in respect of the said Rhenish and Moselle, and some other sorts of wine, 6 mingles; but, in measuring brandy, it consists of 6½ mingles. The aume is divided into 4 anckers, and the ancker into 2 steckans, or 32 mingles. The ancker is taken sometimes for 1/8 of a ton, or 4 barrels; on which footing the Bordeaux-barrel ought to contain at Amsterdam (when the cask is made according to the just gauge) 12½ steckans, or 200 mingles wine and lees; or 12 steckans, or a 192 mingles racked wine; so that the Bourdeaux-ton of wine contains 50 steckans, or 800 mingles, wine and lees; and 48 steckans, or 768 mingles of pure wine. The barrels or poinçons of Nantes and other places on the river Loire, contain only 12 steckans Amsterdam measure. The wine-ton of Rochelle, Cognac, Charente, and the Isle of Rhé, differs very little from the ton of Bour- Bordeaux, and consequently from the barrels and pipes. A ton of wine of Chaloffe, Bayonne, and the neighbouring places, in reckoned 60 teckans, and the barrel 15; Amsterdam-measure.
The muid of Paris contains 150 quarts, or 300 pints, wine and lees; or 280 pints clear wine; of which muids 3 make a ton, and the fractions are:
- The muid | 36 fetiers - The fetier | 4 quarts - The quart | 2 pints - The pint | 2 chopins - The chopin | 2 demi-fetiers - The demi-fetier | 2 poillons
The muid is also composed of pipes, or poinçons, quarteaux, queves, and demièques; those poinçons of Paris and Orleans contain about 15 teckans Amsterdam-measure, and ought to weigh with the cask 666 lb. a little more or less. In Provence they reckon by milleroles; and the millerole of Toulon contains 66 Paris pints, or 100 pints of Amsterdam, nearly; and
At Rochelle, Cognac, the Isle of Rhé, and the country of Aunis — 27 Veertels At Nantes, and several places of Bretagne and Anjou — 29 Veertels At Bordeaux, and different parts of Guienne — 32 Verges At Amsterdam, and other cities of Holland — 30 Veertels At Hamburg and Lubeck — 30 Verges At Embden — 27 Verges
In Provence and Languedoc, brandy is sold by the quintal, the casks included; and at Bruges, in Flanders, the verges are called fetiers of 16 stops each, and the spirits is sold at so much per stop.
Olive-oil is also shipped in casks of various sizes, according to the custom of the places where it is embarked, and the convenience of stowage. In England it is sold by the ton of 256 gallons; and at Amsterdam by the ton of 717 mingles, or 1434 pints. In Provence it is sold by milleroles of 66 Paris-pints; from Spain and Portugal it is brought in pipes, or butts, of different gauges; at the first place it is sold by rovers, whereof 40 go to the butt; and at the latter place by almoudas, whereof 26 makes a pipe. Train-oil is sold in England by the ton; at Amsterdam by the barrel.
Measures of capacity for things dry. English dry or corn measures are raised from the Winchester-gallon, which contains 272 solid inches, and ought to hold of pure running water 9 pounds 13 ounces. This seems to stand on the foot of the old wine-gallon.
The Paris pint is nearly equal to the English wine-quart.
The butts or pipes from Cadiz, Malaga, Alicant, Benecarlo, Saloe, and Mataro, and from the Canaries, from Lisbon, Oporto, and Fayal, are very different in their gauges, though in affreightments they are all reckoned two to the ton.
Vinegar is measured in the same manner as wine; but the measures for brandies are different: these spirits from France, Spain, Portugal, &c. are generally shipped in large casks called pipes, butts, and pieces, according to the places from whence they are reported, &c. In France, brandy is shipped in casks called pieces at Bordeaux; and pipes at Rochelle, Cognac, the isle of Rhé, and other neighbouring places, which contain some more and some less, even from 60 to 90 Amsterdam-verges or veertels, according to the capacity of the vessels, and the places they come from, which being reduced into barrels will stand as follows, viz.
| Solid inches | Pint | Gallon | Peck | Bushel | Quarter | |--------------|------|--------|------|--------|---------| | 33.6 | 8 | | | | | | 268.8 | 8 | | | | | | 537.6 | 16 | | | | | | 2150.4 | 64 | | | | | | 17203.2 | 512 | | | | |
Scripture Measures of Capacity, for things dry, reduced to English Corn-measure.
| Gachal | Cab | Gomor | Seah | Ephs | Letech | Chomer, or coron | |--------|-----|-------|------|------|--------|------------------| | | | | | | | |
This table shows the conversion of ancient measures to English corn-measure. Attic Measures of Capacity for things dry, reduced to English Corn measure.
| Measure | Pint | Gal. | Sol. inch. | Dec. | |---------------|------|------|------------|------| | Cochliarion | | | | 0.276 | | Cyathos | | | | 2.763 | | Oxybaphon | | | | 4.144 | | Cotyle | | | | 16.579| | Xefes | | | | 33.158| | Choenix | | | | 15.705| | Medimnos | | | | 3.501 |
Roman Measures of Capacity for things dry; reduced to English Corn-measure.
| Measure | Pint | Gal. | Sol. inch. | Dec. | |---------------|------|------|------------|------| | Ligula | | | | 0.01 | | Cyathus | | | | 0.04 | | Acetabulum | | | | 0.06 | | Hemina | | | | 0.24 | | Sextarius | | | | 0.48 | | Semimodius | | | | 3.84 | | Modius | | | | 7.68 |
In the several parts of Europe, salt, which is a more staple and current commodity than any other, is bought and sold by different measures, according to the several places of its dispatch; at Amsterdam it is sold by the cent of 404 measures or scheppeis, which cent is reckoned to be 7 lafts or 14 tons, and the last is to weigh 4000lb., the 7 lafts making 28000lb., called the cent of salt, which also contains 208 sacks; though some of this commodity is much heavier than others. In the cities of France, salt is sold by the muid, whose size varies according to the different places of its manufacture and dispatch. At Paris this measure is reckoned to contain 12 setiers, or 48 minots, which minot is also divided into other measures. The cent of salt from Marans, Brouage, Sude, and the isle of Rhé, contain 28 stricken muds, and each mud 24 boifeaux, which yields at Amsterdam 11½ lafts, or 23 tons, more or less. In Copenhagen the said cent renders only 9½ lafts, the last being reckoned here equal to 18 tons, and 50 lafts to correspond with 52 of Coningsberg, at which place the cent produces about 10 lafts, or 40,000lb. At Riga the said cent yields the same measure as at Coningsberg; and about 6½ lafts of Riga make the great cent of Amsterdam. The said French cent produces at Dantzig from 11½ to 12 lafts, of which lafts from 7½ to 7¾ make likewise the great cent of Amsterdam. At Stettin in Pomerania, the French cent yielded 10 lafts, making 40,000 measure and weight of the said place. In Portugal it is bought by the muid, of which four make a laft, and seven the cent of Amsterdam. At Almat and Ivica it is sold by the modin, which weighs from 27½ to 2800cwt. English. A TABLE, representing the Conformity which the Long Measures of the principal kind, by the Sieur Jean Larue Merchant at Lyons, in his Treatise dedicated to England or London in the Front, as the Sieur Larue has done Paris for the use
The ells of Amsterdam, Haerlem, Leyden, the Hague, Rotterdam, and other cities of Holland, as well as the ell of Nuremberg, are equal among themselves. They are also comprehended under the ell of Amsterdam, as that of Olnburgh is under that of France and England, and the end of Bern and Basil under that of Hamburgh, Frankfort, and Leipzic.
| A | 100 Yards of Scotland, England, and Ireland | |---|------------------------------------------| | B | 100 Ells of France and England | | C | 100 Ells of Holland or Amsterdam | | D | 100 Ells of Antwerp and Brussel | | E | 100 Ells of Hamburgh, Frankfort, &c. | | F | 100 Ells of Breiflaw in Silezia | | G | 100 Ells of Dantzieck | | H | 100 Ells of Bergen and Drontheim | | I | 100 Ells of Sweden or Stockholm | | K | 100 Ells of St Gall for linen | | L | 100 Ells of St Gall for cloth | | M | 100 Ells of Geneva | | N | 100 Canes of Marseilles and Montpelier | | O | 100 Canes of Toulouse and Upper Languedoc| | P | 100 Canes of Genoa of 9 palmos | | Q | 100 Canes of Rome | | R | 100 Vares of Castile and Biscay | | S | 100 Vares of Cadiz and Andalusia | | T | 100 Vares of Portugal or Lisbon | | V | 100 Covedos of Portugal or Lisbon | | W | 100 Braffes of Venice | | X | 100 Braffes of Bergamo, &c. | | Y | 100 Braffes of Florence, Leghorn, &c. | | Z | 100 Braffes of Milan |
N.B. By means of this Table, the reader may please to observe, that 100 ells of Paris and of England
By the common rule of three, or proportion A TABLE, representing the Conformity which the Long Measures of the principal Trading Cities of Europe have with each other, published in 1747, as the most authentic of its kind, by the Sieur Jean Larue Merchant at Lyons, in his Treatise dedicated to the Count de Maurepas; with the difference only of transposing one of the Columns, in order to place England or London in the Front, as the Sieur Larue has done Paris for the use of the French nation more particularly.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | V | W | X | Y | Z | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Yards | Els of France | Els of England | Els of Amsterdam | Els of Hamburg | Els of Berlin | Els of Stockholm | Els of Copenhagen | Els of St Gall | Els of Rome | Els of Milan | Els of Venice | Els of Genoa | Els of Livorno | Els of Naples | Els of Palermo | Els of Messina | Els of Malta | Els of Gibraltar | Els of Lisbon | Els of Cadiz | Els of Seville | Els of Cordova | Els of Malaga | Els of Cadiz |
N.B. By means of this Table, the reader may please to observe, that 100 els of Paris and of England make 1351 of Holland; and in like manner you will find how the measures of other places in the Table correspond with each other. By the common rule of three, or proportion, you will easily make your computations for any quantity required. Measure for Wood. See Cord of Wood.
Measure for Horses, is the hand, which by statute contains four inches.
Measure, among botanists. In describing the parts of plants, Tournefort introduced a geometrical scale, which many of his followers have retained. They measured every part of the plant; and the essence of the description consisted in an accurate mensuration of the whole.
As the parts of plants, however, are liable to variation in no circumstance so much as that of dimension, Linnaeus very rarely admits any other mensuration than that arising from the respective length and breadth of the parts compared together. In cases that require actual mensuration, the same author recommends, in lieu of Tournefort's artificial scale, the following natural scale of the human body, which he thinks is much more convenient, and equally accurate.
The scale in question consists of 11 degrees, which are as follows: 1. A hair's-breadth, or the diameter of a hair, (capillus.) 2. A line, (linea), the breadth of the crescent or white appearance at the root of the finger, (not thumb), measured from the skin towards the body of the nail; a line is equal to 12 hair-breadths, and is the 12th part of a Parisian inch. 3. A nail, (unguis), the length of a finger-nail; equal to six lines, or half a Parisian inch. 4. A thumb, (pollex), the length of the first or outermost joint of the thumb; equal to a Parisian inch. 5. A palmus, (palmaris), the breadth of the palm, exclusive of the thumb; equal to three Parisian inches. 6. A span, (spitbamana), the distance between the extremity of the thumb and that of the first finger when extended; equal to seven Parisian inches. 7. A great span, (dodrana), the distance between the extremity of the thumb, and that of the little finger, when extended; equal to nine inches. 8. A foot, (pes), measuring from the elbow to the basis of the thumb; equal to 12 Parisian inches. 9. A cubit, (cubitum), from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger; equal to 17 inches. 10. An arm-length, (brachium), from the arm-tip to the extremity of the middle-finger; equal to 24 Parisian inches, or two feet. 11. A fathom, (orgya), the measure of the human stature; the distance between the extremities of the two middle fingers, when the arms are extended; equal, where greatest, to six feet.
Bar, in music. See Time.