Breizh Bretagne Llydaw Brittany

dimanche 23 avril 2006

St Nicolas-des-Eaux, the River Blavet

On the towpath

3 Comments:

At dimanche, avril 23, 2006 7:23:00 PM, Anonymous Anonyme said...

Has France been metric for a long time, forever? THE Metre, the length of metal used to define a metre, used to be kept in Paris.

I just looked it up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_system

"The metric system was first introduced in late 18th century France by the chemist Lavoisier to replace the disparate systems of measures then in use with a unified, natural and universal system.
...
"The proliferation of disparate measurement systems was one of the most frequent causes of disputes amongst merchants and between citizens and tax collectors. A unified country with a single currency and a countrywide market, as most European countries were becoming by the end of the 18th century, had a very strong economic incentive and was in a position to break with this situation and standardise on a measuring system. The inconsistency problem was not one of different units but one of differing sized units so instead of simply standardizing size of the existing units, the leaders of the French revolutionary governments decided that a completely new system should be adopted.

"The first official adoption of such a system occurred in France in 1791 after the French Revolution of 1789. The creators of this metric system tried to choose units that were logical and practical. The revolution gave an opportunity for drastic change with an official ideology of "pure reason". It was proposed as a considerable improvement over the inconsistent collection of customary units that existed before."
etc

 
At dimanche, avril 23, 2006 7:44:00 PM, Blogger Rhian said...

The metric system is truly a joy!
Recently I have learned that
1000 litres = 1m cubed (can't find the symbol on my keyboard) = 1 tonne = 1000 kg, based on water at 4°C.
Though I was rather puzzlzd recently when reading 'Le Petit Prince'... 'à mille milles de toute région habitée'.
Later I realised this was referring to nautical (or aeronautical) miles.

 
At dimanche, avril 23, 2006 9:29:00 PM, Blogger Rhian said...

Yes, the metric system is superb, très logique!
But I was puzzlzd recently, reading 'Le petit Prince': à mille milles de toute région habitée.
Then I realised thet this was referring to nautical (or aeronautical) miles. Which I guess have to be international, but shame the metric system was not adopted here, too.

 

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