Date:  Wed, 4 Oct 1995 13:42:41 +0100

From:  "C.A. Hoornstra" <cah012[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]STUDENTS.STIR.AC.UK>

Subject: Re: metric or ...



On Tue, 3 Oct 1995, Anton Sherwood wrote:



> > ... what do you call the system of measurement that

> > americans use (i.e., the non-metric system). it seems to me i've

> > heard "english", but this isn't in my dictionaries. ...

>

> "customary"

>

> >

It's called the Imperial System.



But, the American gallon is different from the British gallon. (There are

other measurements that also differ, like the ton - but I'm not sure of

them all.)



Actually, the Imperial System is still more familiar than the metric

system is to some Brits. The UK has finally (within the last week) been

forced to discard the Imperial System and make a complete shift to the metric

system in order to be "compatible" with the EC. Many people (mostly the

older generations) feel that it will be a difficult task. For example,

although their speed limits are written using kph, the distances between

the cities, etc. have traditionally been measured in miles. Many butchers

and green grocers have had to buy new equipment and/or put up conversion

tables for themselves as well as their customers. It's just a matter of

getting used to, I suppose.