of measures used in market places, and since then Parliament has enacted many statutes upon the subject, the present English law being incorporated in the Weights and Measures Act. In the United States the power of regulating weights and measures was vested in Congress, but as that body has not attempted to exercise its authority, except in regard to standards for the collection of customs and internal revenue, the several States have been obliged to fix their own standards and prescribe penalties for the violation of their statutory provisions on this subject. Inspectors are usually appointed with power to visit places of business where either weights or measures are used, in order to detect and prosecute violations of the law. Besides forfeiture of the false instruments, a penalty of fine or imprisonment is usually imposed upon the offender. Such laws have been held to be a legitimate exercise of the police power.
Bibliography. Clark, “Standards of Linear Measures,” School of Mines Quarterly (New York, 1893); J. Q. Adams, Report on Weights and Measures (Philadelphia, 1821); Woolhouse, Measures, Weights, and Moneys of All Nations (London, 1881); Hultsch, Griechische und Römische Metrologie (Berlin, 1862); Giessler, Journal of the Franklin Institute, vol. 126, p. 122 (Philadelphia); Böckh, Metrologische Untersuchungen über Gewichte u. s. w. des Altertums (Berlin, 1838); Chisholm, On the Science of Weighing and Measuring (London, 1877); Clarke, Weights, Measures, and Money of All Nations (New York, 1875); Kelly, Universal Cambist (London, 1835), on English weights and measures; Alexander, Universal Dictionary of Weights and Measures, Ancient and Modern (Baltimore, 1850); Cavalli, Tableaux comparatifs des mesures, poids, etc., de tous les états du monde (Paris, 1874); Harkness, “The Progress of Science as Exemplified in the Art of Weighing and Measuring,” Bulletin of the Philosophical Society of Washington (Washington, 1888); Hilliger, “Studien zu mittelalterlichen Maszen und Gewichten,” Historische Vierteljahrsschrift (Leipzig, 1900); Hultsch, “Die Gewichte des Altertums,” in the Abhandlungen d. Kön. Sächs. Gesellsch. d. Wissenschaften, vol. 18 (Leipzig, 1898); Jackson, Modern Metrology (London, 1882); Lepsius, Die Längenmasze der Alten (Berlin, 1884); Mendenhall, “Fundamental Units of Measure,” Smithsonian Report (Washington, 1893); Noel, Science of Metrology (London, 1889). See also the Proceedings of the American Metrological Society (New York) and various bulletins and circulars of United States Bureau of Standards (Washington, 1901 et seq.). See Metric System; Mile; C. G. S. System.
The following table exhibits the chief units of extension, volume, and weight in use among the leading nations of the world. Their equivalents are expressed in the English system.
Foreign Weights and Measures.
| Denomination | Where used | American equivalents |
| Almude | Portugal | 4.422 gallons. |
| Arratel or libra | Portugal | 1.011 pounds. |
| Arroba (dry) | Argentine Republic | 25.3175 pounds. |
| Arroba (dry) | Brazil | 32.38 pounds. |
| Arroba (dry) | Cuba | 25.3664 pounds. |
| Arroba (dry) | Portugal | 32.38 pounds. |
| Arroba (dry) | Spain | 25.36 pounds. |
| Arroba (dry) | Venezuela | 25.4024 pounds. |
| Arroba (liquid) | Cuba, Spain, Venezuela | 4.263 gallons. |
| Arshine | Russia | 28 inches. |
| Arshine (square) | Russia | 5.44 square feet. |
| Baril | Argentine Republic and Mexico | 20.0787 gallons. |
| Batman or tabriz | Persia | 6.49 pounds. |
| Berkovets | Russia | 361.12 pounds. |
| Bongkal | India | 832 grains. |
| Bu | Japan | 0.1193 inch. |
| Butt (wine) | Spain | 140 gallons. |
| Candy | India (Bombay) | 529 pounds. |
| Candy | India (Madras) | 500 pounds. |
| Carga, or kin | Mexico and Salvador | 300 pounds. |
| Catty | China | 1.333⅓ (1⅓) pounds. |
| Catty | Japan | 1.31 pounds. |
| Centaro | Central America | 4.2631 gallons. |
| Centner | Bremen and Brunswick | 117.5 pounds. |
| Centner | Denmark and Norway | 110.11 pounds. |
| Centner | Prussia | 113.44 pounds. |
| Centner | Sweden | 99.7 pounds. |
| Centner | Vienna | 123.5 pounds. |
| Chetvert | Russia | 5.7748 bushels. |
| Chih | China | 14 inches. |
| Cuadra | Argentine Republic | 4.2 acres. |
| Cwt. (hundred-weight) | ||
| British | 112 pounds. | |
| Dessiatine | Russia | 2.6997 acres. |
| Dessiatine | Spain | 1.599 bushels. |
| Fanega (dry) | Central America | 1.5745 bushels. |
| Fanega (dry) | Chile | 2.575 bushels. |
| Fanega (dry) | Cuba | 1.599 bushels. |
| Fanega (dry) | Mexico | 1.54728 bushels. |
| Fanega (liquid) | Spain | 10 gallons. |
| Frail (raisins) | Spain | 50 pounds. |
| Frasco | Argentine Republic | 2.5096 quarts. |
| Frasco | Mexico | 2.5 quarts. |
| Funt | Russia | 0.9028 pound. |
| Garnice | Russian Poland | 0.88 gallon. |
| Joch | Austria-Hungary | 1.422 acres. |
| Ken | Japan | 6 feet. |
| Klafter | Russia | 216 cubic feet. |
| Koku | Japan | 4.9629 bushels. |
| Korree | Russia | 3.5 bushels. |
| Kwan | Japan | 8.28 pounds. |
| Last | Belgium and Holland | 85.134 bushels. |
| Last | England (dry malt) | 82.52 bushels. |
| Last | Germany | 2 metric tons (4,480 pounds). |
| Last | Prussia | 112.29 bushels. |
| Last | Russian Poland | 11⅜ bushels. |
| Last | Spain (salt) | 4,760 pounds. |
| Li | China | 2,115 feet. |
| Libra (pound) | Argentine Republic | 1.0127 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Central America | 1.043 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Chile | 1.014 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Cuba | 1.0161 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Mexico | 1.01465 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Peru | 1.0143 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Portugal | 1.011 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Spain | 1.0144 pounds. |
| Libra (pound) | Venezuela | 1.0161 pounds. |
| Livre (pound) | Greece | 1.1 pounds. |
| Load | England (timber) | Square, 50 cubic ft.; unhewn, 40 cubic ft.; inch planks, 600 superficial ft. |
| Marc | Bolivia | 0.507 pounds. |
| Maund | India | 8227 pounds. |
| Mil | Denmark | 4.68 miles. |
| Morgen | Prussia | 0.63 acre. |
| Oke | Egypt | 2.7225 pounds. |
| Oke | Greece | 2.84 pounds. |
| Oke | Hungary | 3.0817 pounds. |
| Oke | Turkey | 2.82838 pounds. |
| Oke | Hungary and Wallachia | 2.5 pints. |
| Oke | China, Japan, and Sumatra | 133⅓ pounds. |
| Oke | Philippine Islands | 137.9 pounds. |
| Pie | Argentine Republic | 0.9478 foot. |
| Pie | Spain | 0.91407 foot. |
| Pik | Turkey | 27.9 inches. |
| Pood | Russia | 36.112 pounds. |
| Pund (pound) | Denmark and Sweden | 1.102 pounds. |
| Quarter | Great Britain | 8.252 bushels. |
| Quarter | London (coal) | 36 bushels. |
| Quintal | Argentine Republic | 101.42 pounds. |
| Quintal | Brazil | 130.06 pounds. |
| Quintal | Castile, Mexico, Chile, and Peru | 101.41 pounds. |
| Quintal | Greece | 123.3 pounds. |
| Sagene | Russia | 7 feet. |
| Se | Japan | 0.02451 acres. |
| Seer | India | 1 pound 13 oz. |
| Shaku | Japan | 11.9305 inches. |
| Sho | Japan | 1.6 quarts. |
