Home1810 Edition

MEASLES

Volume 13 · 8,441 words · 1810 Edition

a cutaneous disease attended with a fever, in which there is an appearance of eruptions that do not tend to a suppuration. See Medicine Index.

**Measure of an angle**, is an arch described from the vertex in any place between its legs. Hence angles are distinguished by the ratio of the arches, described from the vertex between the legs to the peripheries. Angles then are distinguished by those arches; and the arches are distinguished by their ratio to the periphery. Thus an angle is said to be so many degrees as there are in the said arch.

**Measure of a solid**, is a cube whose side is an inch, a foot, or a yard, or any other determinate length. In geometry it is a cubic perch, divided into cubic feet, digits, &c.

**Measure of velocity**, in Mechanic, is the space passed over by a moving body in a given time. To measure a velocity, therefore, the space must be divided into as many equal parts as the time is conceived to be divided into; the quantity of space answering to such a part of time is the measure of the velocity.

**Measure, in Geometry**, denotes any quantity assumed as one, or unity, to which the ratio of the other homogeneous or similar quantities is expressed.

**Measure**, in a legal and commercial sense, denotes a certain quantity or proportion of any thing bought, sold, valued, or the like.

It is necessary, for the convenience of commerce, that an uniformity should be observed in weights and measures, and regulated by proper standards. A foot-rule may be used as a standard for measures of length, a bushel for measures of capacity, and a pound for weights. There should be only one authentic standard of each kind, formed of the most durable materials, and kept with all possible care. A sufficient number of copies, exactly corresponding to the principal standard, may be distributed for adjusting the weights and measures that are made for common use. There are several standards of this kind both in England. If any one of the standards above mentioned be justly preserved, it will serve as a foundation for the others, by which they may be corrected if inaccurate, or restored if entirely lost. For instance, if we have a standard foot, we can easily obtain an inch, and can make a box which shall contain a cubical inch, and may serve as a standard for measures of capacity. If it be known that a pint contains 102 cubical inches, we may make a vessel five inches square, and four inches deep, which will contain a pint. If the standard is required in any other form, we may fill this vessel with water, and regulate another to contain an equal quantity. Standards for weights may be obtained from the same foundation; for if we know how many inches of water it takes to weigh a pound, we have only to measure that quantity, and the weight which balances it may be assumed as the standard of a pound.

Again, if the standard of a pound be given, the measure of an inch may be obtained from it; for we may weigh a cubical inch of water, and pour it into a regular vessel; and having noticed how far it is filled, we may make another vessel of like capacity in the form of a cube. The side of this vessel may be assumed as the standard for an inch; and standards for a foot, a pint, or a bushel, may be obtained from it. Water is the most proper substance for regulating standards; for all other bodies differ in weight from others of the same kind; whereas it is found by experience that spring and river water, rain, and melted snow, and all other kinds, have the same weight; and this uniformly holds in all countries when the water is pure, alike warm, and free from salt and minerals.

Thus, any one standard is sufficient for restoring all the rest. It may further be desired to hit on some expedient, if possible, for restoring the standards, in case that all of them should ever fall into disorder, or should be forgotten, through the length of time, and the vicissitudes of human affairs. This seems difficult, as no words can convey a precise idea of a foot-rule, or a pound weight. Measures, affixed from the dimensions of the human body, as a foot, a hand-breadth, or a pace, must nearly be the same in all ages, unless the size of the human race undergo some change; and therefore, if we know how many square feet a Roman acre contained, we may form some judgement of the nature of the law which restricted the property of a Roman citizen to seven acres; and this is sufficient to render history intelligible; but it is too inaccurate to regulate measures for commercial purposes. The same may be said of standards, deduced from the measure of a barley-corn, or the weight of a grain of wheat. If the distance of two mountains be accurately measured and recorded, the nature of the measure used will be preserved in a more permanent manner than by any standard; for if ever that measure fall into disuse, and another be substituted in its place, the distance may be measured again, and the proportion of the standards may be ascertained by comparing the new and ancient distances.

But the most accurate and unchangeable manner of establishing standards is, by comparing them with the length of pendulums. The longer a pendulum is, it vibrates the slower; and it must have one precise length measure, in order to vibrate in a second. The slightest difference in length will occasion a difference in the time; which will become abundantly sensible after a number of vibrations, and will be easily observed if the pendulum be applied to regulate the motion of a clock. The length of a pendulum which vibrates seconds in London is about 39 inches, is constantly the same at the same place, but it varies a little with the latitude of the place, being shorter as the latitude is less. Therefore, though all standards of weights and measures were lost, the length of a second pendulum might be found by repeated trials; and if the pendulum be properly divided, the just measure of an inch will be obtained; and from this all other standards may be restored. See Whitehurst on Invariable Measures.

Measures are 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.

I. Long Measures, or Measures of Application.

1.] The English and Scotch Standards.

The English lineal standard is the yard, containing 3 English feet; equal to 3 Paris feet 1 inch and 7/8 of an inch, or 3/4 of a Paris ell. The use of this measure was established by Henry I. of England, and the standard taken from the length of his own arm. It is divided into 36 inches, and each inch is supposed equal to 3 barleycorns. When used for measuring cloth, it is divided into four quarters, and each quarter subdivided into 4 nails. The English ell is equal to a yard and a quarter, or 45 inches, and is used in measuring linens imported from Germany and the Low Countries.

The Scots ell was established by King David I. and divided into 37 inches. The standard is kept in the council chamber of Edinburgh, and being compared with the English yard, is found to measure 37 7/8 inches; and therefore the Scots inch and foot are larger than the English, in the proportion of 185 to 185; but this difference being so inconsiderable, is seldom attended to in practice. The Scots ell, though forbidden by law, is still used for measuring some coarse commodities, and is the foundation of the land measure of Scotland.

Itinerary measure is the same both in England and Scotland. The length of the chain is 4 poles, or 22 yards; 80 chains make a mile. The old Scots computed miles were generally about a mile and a half each.

The reel for yarn is 2 7/8 yards, or 10 quarters, in circuit; 120 threads make a cut, 12 cuts make a half or hank, and 4 hanks make a spindle.

2.] The French standard was formerly the aune or ell, containing 3 Paris feet 7 inches 8 lines, or 1 yard 7/8 English; the Paris foot royal exceeding the English by 6/8 parts, as in one of the following tables. This The French, however, have also formed an entirely new system of weights and measures, according to the following table.

| Proportions of the meafures of each species to its principal meafure or unity. | First part of the name which indicates the proportion to the principal meafure or unity. | Length. | Capacity. | Weight. | Agrarian. | For firewood. | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 10,000 | Myria | Metre. | Litre. | Gramme. | Are. | Stere. | | 1,000 | Kilo | | 100 | Hecto | | 10 | Deca | | 1 | | | 0.1 | Deci | | 0.01 | Centi | | 0.001 | Milli |

Proportion of the principal meafures between themselves and the length of the meridian.

| Proportion of the principal meafures between themselves and the length of the meridian. | A decimetre cube. | Weight of a centimetre cube of distilled water. | 100 square metres. | One cubic metre. | |---|---|---|---|---| | 10,000,000th part of the distance from the pole to the equator. |

Value of the principal meafures in the ancient French meafures.

| Value of the principal meafures in the ancient French meafures. | 3 feet 11 lines and ½ nearly. | 1 pint and ¼ or 1 litre and ¼ nearly. | 18 grains and 841,000 parts. | Two square perches des eaux et forêt. | 1 demi-voie, or ¼ of a cord des eaux et forêt. |

Value in English meafures.

| Value in English meafures. | Inches 39.383 inches, which is more than the wine, and less than the beer quart. | 22,966 grains. | 11.968 square yards. |

The English avoirdupois pound weighs troy grains 7004; whence the avoirdupois ounce, whereof 16 make a pound, is found equal to 437.75 troy grains. —And it follows that the troy pound is to the avoirdupois pound as 88 to 107 nearly; for as 88 to 107, so is 5760 to 7003.636: that the troy ounce is to the avoirdupois ounce, as 80 to 73 nearly; for as 80 to 73, so is 480 to 438. And, laftly, That the avoirdupois pound and ounce is to the Paris two marc weight and ounce, as 63 to 68 nearly; for as 63 to 68, so is 7004 to 7559.873. See Weight. The Paris foot exprefled in decimals, is equal to 1.0654 of the English foot, or contains 12.785 English inches. See Foot.

3.] The standard in Holland, Flanders, Sweden, a good part of Germany, many of what were formerly called the Hans-towns, as Danzick and Hamburg, and at Geneva, Franckfort, &c. is likewife the ell; but the ell, in all these places, differs from the Paris ell. In Holland, it contains one Paris foot eleven lines, or four-sevenths of the Paris ell. The Flanders ell contains two feet one inch five lines and half a line; or seven-twelfths of the Paris ell. The ell of Germany, Brabant, &c. is equal to that of Flanders.

4.] The Italian meafure is the branchio, brace, or fathom. This obtains in the states of Modena, Venice, Florence, Lucca, Milan, Mantua, Bologna, &c. but is of different lengths. At Venice, it contains one Paris foot eleven inches three lines, or eight fifteenths of the Paris ell. At Bologna, Modena, and Mantua, the brace is the fame as at Venice. At Lucca it contains one Paris foot nine inches ten lines, or half a Paris ell. At Florence, it contains one foot nine inches four lines, or forty-nine hundredths of a Paris ell. At Milan, the brace for measuring of silks is one Paris foot seven inches four lines, or four-ninths of a Paris ell; that for woollen cloths is the same with the ell of Holland. Laftly, at Bergama, the brace is one foot seven inches six lines, or five-ninths of a Paris ell. The ufual meafure at Naples, however, is the canna, containing fix feet ten inches and two lines, or one Paris ell and fifteen seventeenths.

5.] The Spanish meafure is the vara or yard, in fome places called the barra; containing leventeen twenty-fourths of the Paris ell. But the meafure in Castile and Valencia is the pan, span, or palm; which is ufed, together with the canna, at Genoa. In Aragon, the vara is equal to a Paris ell and a half, or five feet five inches fix lines.

6.] The Portuguese meafure is the cavedos, containing two feet eleven lines, or four-sevenths of a Paris ell; and the vara, an hundred and fix whereof make an hundred Paris ells.

7.] The Piedmontese meafure is the ras, containing one Measure one Paris foot nine inches ten lines, or half a Paris ell. In Sicily, their measure is the canna, the same with that of Naples.

8.] The Maccovy measures are the cubit, equal to one Paris foot four inches two lines; and the arcin, two whereof are equal to three cubits.

9.] The Turkish and Levant measures are the picq, containing two feet two inches and two lines, or three-fifths of the Paris ell. The Chinese measure, the cobre; ten whereof are equal to three Paris ells. In Persia, and some parts of the Indies, the gueze, whereof there are two kinds; the royal gueze, called also the gueze monkoffer, containing two Paris feet ten inches eleven lines, or four fifths of the Paris ell; and the shorter gueze, called simply gueze, only two thirds of the former. At Goa and Ormuz, the measure is the vara, the same with that of the Portuguese, having been introduced by them. In Pegg, and some other parts of the Indies, the cando or candi, equal to the ell of Venice. At Goa, and other parts, they use a larger cando, equal to seventeen Dutch ells; exceeding that of Babel and Balfora by \( \frac{7}{6} \) per cent, and the vara by \( \frac{6}{5} \). In Siam, they use the ken, short of three Paris feet by one inch. The ken contains two sok, the sok two keubs, the keub twelve niou or inches, the niou to be equal to eight grains of rice, i.e. to about nine lines. At Cambodia, they use the hafter; in Japan, the tatam; and the span on some of the coasts of Guinea.

### Tables of Long Measure.

#### 1. English.

| Barley-corn | Inch | Palm | Span | Foot | Cubit | Yard | Pace | Fathom | Pole | Furlong | Mile | |-------------|------|------|------|------|-------|------|------|--------|------|----------|-----| | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 27 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 36 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 54 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 108 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 180 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 216 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 594 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 23760| | | | | | | | | | | | | 190080| | | | | | | | | | |

#### 2. Scripture Measures reduced into English.

| Digit | Palm | Span | Cubit | Fathom | Ezekiel's reed | Arabian pole | Schœnus, or measuring line | |-------|------|------|-------|--------|---------------|--------------|---------------------------| | | 4 | | | | | | | | | 12 | | | | | | | | | 24 | | | | | | | | | 96 | | | | | | | | | 144 | | | | | | | | | 192 | | | | | | | | | 1920 | | | | | | |

Eng. feet. Inch Dec.

0.912

0.3648

0.10944

1.9888

7.3552

10.11328

14.7104

145.1104 ### 3. The Scripture Itinerary Measures

| Cubit | Eng. Miles | Paces | Feet | |-------|------------|-------|------| | 400 | 145 | 46 | | | 2000 | 729 | 3000 | | | 4000 | 403 | 1000 | | | 12000 | 153 | 3000 | | | 96000 | 172 | 4000 | |

### 4. Grecian

| Dactylus, digit | Paces | Feet | Dec. | |-----------------|-------|------|-----| | Doron, dochme | | | | | Lichas | | | | | Orthodon | | | | | Spithame | | | | | Foot | | | | | Cubit | | | | | Pygon | | | | | Cubit larger | | | | | Pace | | | | | Furlong | | | | | Mile | | | |

### 5. Roman

| Digitus transversus | Paces | Feet | Dec. | |--------------------|-------|------|-----| | Uncia | | | | | Palmus minor | | | | | Pes | | | | | Palmipes | | | | | Cubitus | | | | | Gradus | | | | | Pallus | | | | | Stadium | | | | | Milliare | | | |

### 6. Proportion 6. Proportion of several Long Measures to each other, by M. Picard.

The Rhinland or Leyden foot (12 whereof make the Rhinland perch) supposed - 696 The English foot - 675½ The Paris foot - 720 The Amsterdam foot, from that of Leyden, by Snellius - 629 The Danish foot (two whereof make the Danish ell) - 701¾ The Swedish foot - 658½ The Brufels foot - 609½ The Dantzick foot, from Hevelius's Selenographia - 636 The Lyons foot, by M. Auzout - 757½ The Bologna foot, by the same - 843 The braccio of Florence, by the same, and Father Marseenne - 1290

The palm of the architects at Rome, according to the observations of Messrs Picard and Auzout - 494½ The Roman foot in the Capitol, examined by Messrs Picard and Auzout - 653 or 653½ The same from the Greek foot - 652 From the vineyard Mattei - 657½ From the palm - 658½ From the pavement of the Pantheon, supposed to contain 10 Roman feet - 653 From a slip of marble in the same pavement, supposed to contain three Roman feet - 650 From the pyramid of Cestius, supposed to contain 95 Roman feet - 653½ From the diameters of the columns in the arch of Septimius Severus - 653½ From a slip of porphyry in the pavement of the Pantheon - 653½ See on this subject Phil. Trans. vol. iv. art. 69. p. 774.

7. Proportions of the Long Measures of several nations to the English foot, taken from Messrs Greaves, Auzout, Picard, and Eichenhmid. See Foot.

The English standard foot being divided into 1000 equal parts, the other measures will have the proportions to it, which follow.

| Measure | Feet | Inches | |--------------------------|------|--------| | English foot | 1000 | 12 | | Paris foot | 1068 | 12.816 | | Venetian foot | 1161 | 13.944 | | Rhinland foot | 1033 | 12.396 | | Straburgh foot | 952 | 14.424 | | Norimberg foot | 1000 | 12 | | Dantzick foot | 944 | 11.328 | | Danish foot | 1042 | 12.504 | | Swedish foot | 977½ | 11.733 | | Derahor cubit of Cairo | 1824 | 12.888 | | Persian arith | 3197 | 38.364 | | Greater Turkish pike | 2200 | 26.4 |

Feet. Inches. Measure. Lefter Turkish pike - 2131 23.572 Braccio at Florence - 1913 22.956 Braccio for woollen at Sienna - 1242 14.924 Braccio for linen at Sienna - 1974 23.688 Canna at Naples - 6882 82.56 Vera at Almario and Gibraltar - 2760 33.12 Palmo di Archetti at Rome - 732 87.84 Canna di Archetti - 7320 87.84 Palmo di braccio di mercantia - 695½ 83.46 Genoa palm - 815 9.78 Bolognian foot - 1250 15 Antwerp ell - 2283 27.396 Amsterdam ell - 2268 27.216 Leyden ell - 2260 27.12 Paris draper's ell - 3929 47.148 Paris mercer's ell - 3937 47.244

8. Different Itinerary Measures.

A French league is about 2½ English miles A German mile - 4 ditto A Dutch mile - 3½ ditto An Italian mile - 3½ ditto A Spanish league - 3½ ditto A Russian verst - ¼ ditto.

II. Square, Superficial, or Land Measure.

1. English square 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 of poles, rods, and acres. Because the length of a pole is 5½ yards, the square of the same contains 30½ square yards. A square mile contains 640 square acres. In measuring fens and woodlands, 18 feet are generally allowed to the pole, and 21 feet in forest lands.

A hide of land, frequently mentioned in the earlier part of the English history, contained about 100 arable acres; and 5 hides were esteemed a knight's fee. At the time of the Norman conquest, there were 243,600 hides in England.

2. Scotch square or land measure is regulated by the Scotch ell: 36 square ells = 1 fall, 40 falls = 1 rood, 4 roods = 1 acre.—The proportion between the Scotch and English acre, supposing the feet in both measures alike, is as 1360 to 1089; or nearly as 5 to 4. If the difference of the feet be regarded, the proportion is as 10,000 to 7869. The length of the chain for measuring land in Scotland is 24 ells, or 74 feet.—A husband-land contains 6 acres of stock and scythe land, that is, of land that may be tilled with a plough or mown with a scythe; 13 acres of arable land make one ox-gang; and four ox-gangs make a pound-land of old extent.

3. French square measures are regulated by 12 square lines in the inch square; 12 inches in the foot, 22 feet in the perch, and 100 perches in the arpent or acre. TABLES OF SQUARE MEASURE.

1. ENGLISH.

| Inches | Feet | Yards | Paces | Poles | Rood | Acre | |--------|------|-------|-------|-------|------|------| | | | | | | | | | 144 | | | | | | | | 1296 | | | | | | | | 3600 | | | | | | | | 39204 | | | | | | | | 156816 | | | | | | | | 6272640| | | | | | |

2. 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.

3. 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 | Samples | English rods | Square feet | |-------------|---------|--------------|-------------| | As | 288 | 2 | 18 | | Deunx | 264 | 2 | 10 | | Dextans | 240 | 2 | 2 | | Dodrans | 216 | 1 | 34 | | Bes | 192 | 1 | 25 | | Septunx | 168 | 1 | 17 | | Semis | 144 | 1 | 9 | | Quincunx | 120 | 1 | 1 | | Triens | 96 | 0 | 32 | | Quadrans | 72 | 0 | 24 | | Sextans | 48 | 0 | 16 | | Uncia | 24 | 0 | 8 |

Note. Actus major was 14,400 square feet, equal to a semis; ethra, 3600 square feet, equal to sescuncia; and actus minimus equal to a sextans.

III. CUBICAL MEASURES, OR MEASURES OF CAPACITY, FOR LIQUIDS.

1. 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 measure, 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 supposition contents of 231 cubic inches: so that all computations stand on their old footing. Hence, as 12 is to 231, so is 14½ to 281½ the cubic inches in the ale gallon: but in effect the ale quart contains 70½ 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 tables underneath.

The barrel for ale in London is 32 gallons, and the barrel for beer 36 gallons. In all other places of England, the barrel, both for ale and beer, is 34 gallons.

2. Scotch liquid measure is founded on the pint. The Scotch pint was formerly regulated by a standard jug of calf metal, the custody of which was committed to the borough of Stirling. This jug was supposed to contain 105 cubic inches; and though, after several careful trials, it has been found to contain only about 103½ inches; yet, in compliance with established custom, founded on that opinion, the pint flours are still regulated to contain 105 inches, and the customary ale measures are about ¼ above that standard. It was enacted by James I. of Scotland, that the pint should contain 41 ounces troy weight of the clear water of Tay, and by James VI. that it should contain 55 Scots troy ounces of the clear water of Leith. This affords another method of regulating the pint, and also acquires the ancient standard of the troy weight. As the water of Tay and Leith are alike, the troy weight must have been to the Scots troy weight as 55 to 41; and therefore the pound troy must have contained about 21½ ounces Scots troy.

4 gills = 1 muttonkin. 2 muttonkins = 1 chopin. 2 chopins = 1 pint. 2 pints = 1 quart. 4 quarts = 1 gallon.

The Scotch quart contains 210 inches; and is, therefore, about ¼ less than the English wine gallon, and about ¼ less than the ale gallon.

3. As to the 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 wooders of Germany, for holding Rheinish 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 fleckans, or 20 verges, or for ½ of a tun of 2 pipes, or 4 barrels, of French or Bordeaux, which ½ at this latter place is called tierce, because... because 3 of them make a pipe or 2 barrels, and 6 the said tun. The fleckan is fifteen 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 ankers, and the ancker into 2 fleckans, or 32 mingles. The ancker is taken sometimes for ¼ of a tun, or 4 barrels; on which footing the Bourdeaux barrel ought to contain at Amsterdam (when the cask is made according to the jut gauge) 12½ fleckans, or 200 mingles, wine and less; or 12 fleckans, or 192 mingles, racked wine; so that the Bourdeaux tun of wine contains 50 fleckans, or 800 mingles, wine and lees; and 48 fleckans, or 768 mingles, of pure wine. The barrels or poinçons of Nantes and other places on the river Loire, contain only 12 fleckans, Amsterdam measure. The wine tun of Rochelle, Cognac, Charente, and the isle of Rhé, differs very little from the tun of Bourdeaux, and consequently from the barrels and pipes. A tun of wine of Chaloffe, Bayonne, and the neighbouring places, is reckoned 60 fleckans, 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 tun, and the fractions are,

| The muid | 36 setiers | |----------|-----------| | The fetier | 4 quarts | | The quart | 2 pints | | The pint | 2 chopins | | The chopin | 2 demi-setiers | | The demi-fetier | 2 poillons |

The muid is also composed of pipes or poinçons, quarteaux, queues, and demiqueves; those poinçons of Paris and Orleans contain about 15 fleckans 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 the Paris pint is nearly equal to the English wine quart (A).

The butts or pipes from Cadiz, Malaga, Alicante, Renecarlo, S. Ioe, 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 tun.

Vinegar is measured in the same manner as wine; but the measures for brandies are different: the 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 imported, &c. In France, brandy is shipped in casks called pieces at Bourdeaux, 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.

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 Bourdeaux, and different parts of Guienne, 32 Verges At Amsterdam, and other cities of Holland, 30 Veertels At Hamburgh and Lubeck, 30 Verges At Emelden, 27 Verges

In Provence and Languedoc, brandy is sold by the quintal, the casks included; and at Bruges in Flanders, the verges are called fêliers of 16 flops each, and the spirits is sold at so much per flop.

Olive oil is also shipped in casks of various sizes, according to the custom of the places where it is embarked, and the conveniency of stowage. In England it is sold by the tun of 236 gallons; and at Amsterdam by the tun 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 roves, where 40 go to the butt; and at the latter place by almoudas, whereof 26 make a pipe. Train oil is sold in England by the tun, at Amsterdam by the barrel.

### Tables of Liquid Measure.

#### 1. English.

| Solid inches | Pint | Gallon | |--------------|------|--------| | 28½ | 8 | 8 |

| Wine. | |-------| | 231 | 8 | Gallon | | 415 | 14 | 18 | | 727 | 25 | 31½ | | 970 | 33 | 42 | | 1455 | 50 | 63 | | 1927 | 67 | 84 | | 2010 | 100 | 126 | | 582 | 2016 | 252 |

#### 2. Jewish

| Pints [Ale.] | Pints [Beer.] | |--------------|---------------| | 8 | 8 | | 64 | 72 | | 128 | 144 | | 256 | 288 | | 512 | 576 |

(a) These are the old measures of France, the account of which, for the sake of comparison, is here retained. ### 2. Jewish reduced to English Wine Measure.

| Measure | Gall. | Pints | Solid inches | |------------------|-------|-------|--------------| | Caph | | | | | Log | | | | | Cab | | | | | Hin | | | | | Seah | | | | | Bath, or Ephah | | | | | Coron, or Chomer | | | |

### 3. Attic reduced to English Wine Measure.

| Measure | Gal. | Pints | Sol. inch. | Dec. | |------------------|------|-------|------------|------| | Cochliarion | | | | | | Cheme | | | | | | Mystrone | | | | | | Conche | | | | | | Cyathos | | | | | | Oxybaphon | | | | | | Cotyle | | | | | | Xeltes | | | | | | Chous | | | | | | Metretes | | | | |

### 4. Roman reduced to English Wine Measure.

| Measure | Gal. | Pints | Sol. inch. | Dec. | |------------------|------|-------|------------|------| | Ligula | | | | | | Cyathus | | | | | | Acetabulum | | | | | | Quartarius | | | | | | Hemina | | | | | | Sextarius | | | | | | Congius | | | | | | Urna | | | | | | Amphora | | | | | | Culeus | | | | |

IV. Measures IV. Measures of Capacity for things Dry.

1.] English dry or corn measure. The standard for measuring corn, salt, coals, and other dry goods, in England, is the Winchester gallon, which contains 27\(\frac{1}{3}\) cubic inches. The bushel contains 8 gallons, or 2178 inches. A cylindrical vessel, 18\(\frac{1}{3}\) inches diameter, and 8 inches deep, is appointed to be used as a bushel in levying the malt tax. A vessel of these dimensions is rather less than the Winchester bushel of 8 gallons, for it contains only 2150 inches; though probably there was no difference intended. The denominations of dry measure commonly used, are given in the first of the subjoined tables. Four quarters corn make a chaldron, 5 quarters make a wey or load, and 10 quarters make a ton. In measuring tea coal, 5 pecks make a bushel, 9 bushels make a quarter or watt, 4 quarters make a chaldron, and 21 chaldrons make a score.

- 40 feet hewn timber make a load. - 50 feet unhewn timber make a load. - 32 gallons make a herring barrel. - 42 gallons make a salmon barrel. - 1 cwt. gunpowder makes a barrel. - 256 lbs. soap make a barrel. - 10 dozen candles make a barrel. - 12 barrels make a last.

2.] Scotch dry measure. There was formerly only one measure of capacity in Scotland; and some commodities were heaped, others flanked, or measured exactly to the capacity of the standard. The method of heaping was afterwards forbidden as unequal, and a larger measure appointed for such commodities as that custom had been extended to.

The wheat firlot, used also for rye, peas, beans, salt, and grain seeds, contains 21 pints 1 muttonkin, measured by the Stirling jug. The barley firlot, used also for oats, fruit, and potatoes, contains 31 pints. A different method of regulating the firlot was appointed from the dimensions of a cylindrical vessel. The diameter for both measures was fixed at 19\(\frac{1}{3}\) inches, the depth 7\(\frac{1}{3}\) inches for the wheat firlot, and 10\(\frac{1}{3}\) for the barley firlot. A standard constructed by these measures is rather less than when regulated by the pint; and as it is difficult to make vessels exactly cylindrical, the regulation by the pint has prevailed, and the other method gone into disuse.

If the Stirling jug contains 103\(\frac{1}{3}\) inches, the wheat firlot will contain 2160 inches; which is more than 2 per cent. larger than the legal malt bushel of England, and about 1 per cent. larger than the Winchester bushel; and the barley firlot will contain 3208 inches. The barley boll is nearly equal to fix legal malt bushels.

In Stirlingshire, 17 pecks are reckoned to the boll; in Invernessshire, 18 pecks; in Ayrshire, the boll is the same as the English quarter. And the firlots, in many places, are larger than the Linlithgow standard.

3.] French dry. are, the litron, bushel, minot, mine, septier, muid, and tun. The litron is divided into two demilitrons, and four quarter litrons, and contains 36 cubic inches of Paris. By ordonnance, the litron is to be three inches and a half high, and three inches 10 lines broad. The litron for salt is larger, and is divided into two halves, four quarters, eight demi-quartiers, and 16 muidettes. The French bushel is different in different jurisdictions. At Paris it is divided into demi-bushels; each demi-bushel into two quarts; the quart into two half quarts; and the half quart into two litrons; so that the bushel contains 16 litrons. By ordonnance the Paris bushel is to be eight inches two lines and a half high, and ten inches broad, or in diameter within-side. The minot consists of three bushels, the mine of two minots or five bushels, the septier of two mines or 12 bushels, and the muid of 12 septiers or 144 bushels. The bushel of oats is estimated double that of any other grain; so that there go 24 bushels to make the septier, and 288 to make the muid. It is divided into four picotins, the picotin containing two quarts, or four litrons. The bushel for salt is divided into two half bushels, four quarters, eight half quarters, and 16 litrons; four bushels make a minot, 16 a septier, and 192 a muid. The bushel for wood is divided into halves, quarters, and half quarters. Eight bushels make the minot, 16 a mine; 20 mines or 320 bushels, the muid. For plaster, 12 bushels make a sack, and 36 sacks a muid. For lime, three bushels make a minot, and 48 minots a muid. The minot is by ordonnance to be 11 inches 9 lines high, and 14 inches 8 lines in diameter. The minot is composed of three bushels, or 16 litrons; four minots make a septier, and 48 a muid. The French mine is no real vessel, but an estimation of several others. At Paris the mine contains six bushels, and 24 make the muid; at Rouen the mine is four bushels; and at Dieppe 18 mines make a Paris muid. The septier differs in different places: at Paris it contains two mines, or eight bushels, and 12 septiers the muid. At Rouen the septier contains two mines or 12 bushels. Twelve septiers make a muid at Rouen as well as at Paris; but 12 of the latter are equal to 14 of the former. At Toulon the septier contains a mine and a half; three of which mines make the septier of Paris. The muid or mui of Paris consists of 12 septiers; and is divided into mines, minots, bushels, &c. That for oats is double that for other grain, i.e. contains twice the number of bushels. At Orleans the muid is divided into mines, but those mines only contain two Paris septiers and a half. In some places they use the tun in lieu of the muid; particularly at Nantes, where it contains 10 septiers of 16 bushels each, and weighs between 2200 and 2250 pounds. Three of these tuns make 28 Paris septiers. At Rochelle, &c., the tun contains 42 bushels, and weighs two per cent. less than that of Nantes. At Brest it contains 20 bushels, is equal to 10 Paris septiers, and weighs about 2243 pounds. See Tun.

4.] Dutch, Swedish, Polish, Prussian, and Muscovite. In these places, they estimate their dry things on the foot of the last, last, leeb, or leech; so called according to the various pronunciations of the people who use it. In Holland, the last is equal to 19 Paris septiers, or 38 Bordeaux bushels, and weighs about 4560 pounds; the last they divide into 27 mudes, and the mude into four scheppes. In Poland, the last is 40 Bordeaux bushels, and weighs about 4800 Paris pounds. In Prussia, the last is 133 Paris septiers. In Sweden and Muscovy they measure by the great and little last; the first containing 12 barrels, and the second half as many. See Last. Measure. LAST. In Muscovy, they likewise use the chefford, which is different in various places: that of Archangel is equal to three Rouen bushels.

5.] Italian. At Venice, Leghorn, and Lucca, they estimate their dry things on the foot of the staro or itaio; the staro of Leghorn weighs 54 pounds: 112 staros and seven-eighths are equal to the Amsterdam laft. At Lucca, 119 staros make the laft of Amsterdam. The Venetian staro weighs 128 Paris pounds: the staro is divided into four quarters. Thirty-five staros and one-fifth, or 140 quarters and four-fifths, make the laft of Amsterdam. At Naples and other parts, they use the tomolo or tomalo, equal to one-third of the Paris septier. Thirty-six tomoli and a half make the carro, and a carro and a half, or 54 tomoli, make the laft of Amsterdam. At Palermo, 16 tomoli make the salma, and four mondili the tomolo. Ten salmas and three-sevenths, or 171 tomoli and three sevenths, make the laft of Amsterdam.

6.] Flemish. At Antwerp, &c. they measure by the viertel; 32 and one-half whereof make 19 Paris septiers. At Hamburgh, the schepel; 90 whereof make 19 Paris septiers.

7.] Spanish and Portuguese. At Cadiz, Bilboa, and St Sebastian, they use the fanega; 23 whereof make the Nantes or Rochelle tun, or nine Paris septiers and a half: though the Bilboa fanega is somewhat larger, infomuch that 21 fanegas make a Nantes tun. At Seville, &c. they use the anagoras, containing a little more than the Paris mine; 36 anagoras make 19 Paris septiers. At Bayonne, &c. the concha; 30 whereof are equal to nine Paris septiers and a half. At Lisbon, the alquier, a very small measure, 240 whereof make 19 Paris septiers, 60 the Lisbon muid.

TABLES of Dry Measure.

1. ENGLISH.

| Solid inches | Pint | Gallon | Peck | Bushel | Quarter | |--------------|------|--------|------|--------|---------| | 33.6 | | | | | | | 268.8 | 8 | | | | | | 537.6 | 16 | 2 | | | | | 2150.4 | 64 | 8 | 4 | | | | 17203.2 | 512 | 64 | 32 | 8 | |

2. SCRIPTURE Dry, reduced to English.

| Gachal | Cab | Gomor | Seah | Ephah | Leteh | Chomer, or coron | |--------|-----|-------|------|-------|-------|-----------------| | | | | | | | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5/8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7/8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

Sol. inch. Dec.

0.031

0.073

1.211

4.036

12.107

26.500

18.969 3. Attic Measures of Capacity for Things dry, reduced to English Corn Measure.

| Cochliarion | Peck | Gall. | Pint. | Sol. inch | |-------------|------|-------|-------|-----------| | 10 Cyathos | | | | 2.763 1/8 | | 15 1/2 Oxybaphon | | | | 4.144 1/4 | | 60 6 Cotyle | | | | 16.579 | | 120 12 Xestes | | | | 33.158 | | 180 18 12 3 Choenix | | | | 15.703 3/4 | | 8640 864 576 144 72 Medimnos | | | | 3.501 |

4. Roman Measures of Capacity for Things dry, reduced to English Corn measure.

| Ligula | Peck | Gall. | Pint. | Sol. inch | |--------|------|-------|-------|-----------| | 4 Cyathus | | | | 0.04 | | 6 1/3 Acetabulum | | | | 0.06 | | 24 6 Hemina | | | | 0.24 | | 48 12 Sextarius | | | | 0.48 | | 384 96 64 16 8 Semimodius | | | | 3.84 | | 768 192 128 32 16 Modius | | | | 7.68 |

Measure of Wood for Firing, is usually the cord four feet high, and as many broad, and eight long; this is divided into two half cords, called ways, and by the French membrures, from the pieces stuck upright to bound them; or wagons, as being supposed half a wagon load.

Measure for Horse, 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 follow: 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 palm (palma), the breadth of the palm exclusive of the thumb; equal to three Parisian inches. 6. A span (spitamma) 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 base of the thumb; equal to 12 Parisian inches. 9. A cubit (cubitus), from the elbow to the extremity of the middle finger; equal to 17 inches. 10. An arm length (brachium), from the armpit to the extremity of the middle finger; equal to 24 Parisian inches, or two feet. 11. A fathom (orgua), 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 five feet.

Measure is also used to signify the cadence and time observed in poetry, dancing, and music, to render them regular and agreeable.

The different measures or metres in poetry, are the different. Measure. different manners of ordering and combining the quantities, or the long and short syllables. Thus, hexameter, pentameter, iambic, sapphic verses, &c. consist of different measures.

In English verses, the measures are extremely various and arbitrary, every poet being at liberty to introduce any new form that he pleases. The most usual are the heroic, generally consisting of five long and five short syllables; and verses of four feet; and of three feet and a cæsura, or single syllable.

The ancients, by variously combining and transposing their quantities, made a vast variety of different measures. Of words, or rather feet of two syllables, they formed a spondee, consisting of two long syllables; a pyrrhic, of two short syllables; a trochee, of a long and a short syllable; and an iambic, of a short and a long syllable.

Of their feet of three syllables they formed a molossus, consisting of three long syllables; a tribrach, of three short syllables; a dactyl, of one long and two short syllables; and an anapest, of two short and one long syllable. The Greek poets contrived 124 different combinations or measures, under as many different names, from feet of two syllables to those of six.