The palm most in use is the Roman, equal to 0.733 feet. This ancient measure differs in several countries, and at different places in the same country, but the ordinary standard is 8 inches. It is sometimes made to express 9, 10, and 11 inches. FOREIGN LINEAL MEASURE. The English foot (12 in.) compared with the foot measure of foreign nations. TABLE No. I.-CONTINUED. FOREIGN WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 100 lbs. FOREIGN compared with ENGLISH AVOIRDUPOIS. C.W. means commercial weights; L.W. large; and S.W. small. The second column of figures in English weights are fractions of a hundred-. * AVOIRDUPOIS. In England all articles are sold by avoirdupois except gold, silver, platina, diamonds, and other precious stones, and drugs when sold retail; the excepted articles, and none others, may be sold by troy weight. Avoirdupois Weight: 16 drachms 1 ounce (437) grains); 16 ounces 1 pound (7,000 grains); 14 pounds 1 stone (14 tbs.); 2 stones 1 quarter (28 lbs.); 4 quarters 1 hundred (cwt.) (112 lbs.); 20 cwt. 1 ton 2,240 lbs. NOTE.-For grain, seed, oats, tallow, and wool, see also the Report on Freights at the close of the article grain, According to the London Rates of Freight by inspection, when wheat is 1s. per quarter, beans, peas, and tares should be 1s. 14d., rye 11d., linseed 103d., barley 101d., and oats 9id.; timber 5s. 8d. per load; deals 17s. 1d. per standard hundred; clean hemp and flax 9s. 8., oats and hemp 10s. 11d., half-clean hemp 12s. 1d., codilla 14s. 64d., and wool 19s. 4ąd. per ton. TABLE No. III. (PROPOSED) SHIP-OWNERS' CENTAL SCALE OF PROPORTIONATE RATES OF FREIGHT. WHEN vessels are freighted by the ton, and no special agreement is made respecting the proportion of tonnage which each particular article shall be computed at, the following shall be the standard, the cental representing 100 lbs. avoirdupois. WHEAT. 100 quarters in bulk of 5 centals to the quarter are equal approximately to 1,000 cubic feet, and to 22 tons weight, and to 45 cubic feet per ton measurement. This practical result is arrived at from wheat in bulk stowing itself in every angle where no measurement goods can be stowed, owing also to the great pressure on the lower parts of the cargo. This applies relatively to all grain cargoes in bulk. BEANS, Peas, and Tares. To pay proportionate freight to wheat cargoes, according to weight and measurement of the port of export. BARLEY. 114 quarters of 4 centals to the quarter-equal to 21 tons weight and measurement. OATS. 125 imperial quarters of 3 centals to the quarter-equal to 16 tons of weight and measurement. FLOUR. 8 barrels of 196 lbs., equal to a ton of 50 cubic feet. That the articles, the bulk of which shall compose a ton, to equal a ton weight, shall be computed in weight as follows: COFFEE, 1,568 lbs. in casks, 1,830 in bags; Cocoa, 1,120 lbs. in casks, 1,307 in bags. PIMENTO, 952 fb. casks, 1,110 bags. FLOUR. 8 barrels of 196 lbs. each. PIG and bar IRON, saltpetre, sugar, logwood, fustic. Nicaragua wood, and all heavy dye-wood, copper ore, and all other heavy goods, 20 cwt. COTTON, COMPRESSED. 50 cubic feet to the ton. TIMBER. 50 cubic feet to the load. ASHES, POT AND PEARL. 5 casks equal to 1 ton weight, or 40 cubic feet. PROPORTIONATE RATE of freight for grain, say wheat 5s., tares, beans, and peas, 58. 6d. quarter of 500 centals. SEEDS, barley, and oats, in proportion to weight and bulk for 500 centals. SUGAR AND SALTPETRE in bags, coal, salt, copper ore, and all dead-weight, to be computed at the rate of 22 centals to the half ton; all light goods to be computed at the rate of 50 cubic feet to the ton. Commanders of ships in all foreign ports should personally ascertain the relative weight per ton, compared with the Measurement for stowage, before signing an open Charter or engaging any particular article not specified in HARRISON'S Freighters' Guide, as the Baltic and Levant scale of proportionate rates are notoriously calculated to deceive the shipowner on open charters. All ships should by statute law be furnished by the owner with cental weights and scales and calliper measure, also with an oblong scoop measure shaped to approximate the sections of a ship's form, which will give the measurement of a bushel of wheat weighing 621 lbs., making the quarter of wheat equal to 5 centals, leaving it optional to adopt 20 centals to the ton, or retain 22 centals to the old ton, which is thus increased by 10 lbs. to facilitate computations. Tithes and corn rents can easily adjust themselves to the new commercial standard, without any violation of rights or dues. The introduction of the Cental weights applied to every article of consumption it is evident would be a great boon to the public. The Cental weight of 100 lbs. will be in use in the LIVERPOOL Corn market from the 1st February, 1859. A Decimal coinage is proposed to follow. GOLD. 1 Sovereign 500 Cents, -Sovereign 250, -Sovereign 125. SILVER. Crown, 4s., stamped 100 Cents; -Crown, 2s., 50; -Crown, 1s., 25; 5 Cent pieces. COPPER. One Halfpenny 1 Cent, Farthing ditto. |