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historical drama , " with great equestrian effects "" Garibaldi . " For none could more deftly than the adapter of " Still Waters Run Deep , " and " The Contested Election , " have plastered out the matter of three newspaper columns ( that might have been ) entitled "A Sketch of Garibaldi" into four acts of moderate length and fair interest . Not the most practised of the dramatists , who are vulgarly supposed to concoct trans-pontine dramas arid spectacles for the modest guerdon of two pounds per act could more amiably than he have contrived hiatus for the Master of the Horse , the machinist , and the comic varlet to fill ad libitum . And not the most respectable of respectabilities , having done so much good on the
nil alienum principle , and yet blushing to find it fame , could more modestly than Mr . Taylor have ignored his own presence on the scene of his new triumph and declined the ovation that twice two thousand . sable hands were anxious to award him . But—badinage apart—the re-opening of Astleys is , from old associations , ever a pleasant affair , and on Monday it was more pleasant than usual . The subject of Mr . Taylor ' drama is a taking one—worth a heap of money by itself ; his treatment of it is Tayloresque , that is artistic ; the ancillary horsemanship is of course excellent ; while the scenery , and the tableaux especially , are far above the average . Our readers would riot thank
us for a sketch of the plot ; but we may mention that the" Storm of the Roman Bastion , " the " Moonlight View of Rome , " " The Pine Wood on the Adriatic , " and " The Combat on the Stelvio Pass , " are . all spirited and successful , both as regards pictorial effect and stage management . Mr . J . W . Eoriis , an actor new to the London boards , who enacted Garibaldi , has quality in him that will , with industry , make him a position . Of Miss .. 'Kate Carson , who played Anita ( wife of Garibaldi ) , we may fairly say the satne . The comic element is abundantly supplied by Mr . George iSelmore , who , as Procbpib , a nigger servant , is both elastic and genuinely facetious ; and last , not least ; Mr . R . Phillips ,
as John Beard , a traveller in the hide and' tallow line , who quits peaceful commerce for the society of the partizan chief and the excitement of " potting " Austriaris , makes himself , by his intelligent management of his part , an object of especial interest . He is , as Mr . Taylor no doubt intended , just the very wandering Englishman with whom . we have more than once been made familiar on the stages of the BoulerarJ ; an eccentric laughing-stock in piping times of peace and quiet , but endowed , amidst arduous affairs , with a self-possessed heroic spirit , the constant acknowledgment of which upon their stage is one of the few yet charming compliments paid to our nationality by our fire-eating neighbours .
But the horses ; we had all but forgotten the horses , the real principals at Astlev ' s , and -as indispensable in the " original historical drama of Garibaldi" as the Hamlet in the late Mr . Shakespear ' s play of that name . The dear creatures—bless their sof t faces , sleek white coats , pretty arched necks , and eager intelligent eyes—prance and curvet about as charmingly to us as they used some thirty years ago . What rugged scarps they climb : what a
fragile bridge they scamper across ; what a commotion t ] b \ ey create , when they all but jump over the gaslights and among the band in the " Stampedo of wild steeds from the Corral , " and how imposingly they bear themselves in the escalade of the St . Pancrazio breach , and in the cavalry affair of the Valtelline 1 Those who would know how with what eminent success these dumb artists get through their business must go and freshen up their memories as we did .
Signou Polettis legerdemain and Conjuring Entertainments , known as the " Soirees Mysterieuses , " were commenced for a season on Monday . A fashionable company honoured the Italian Wizard , who , as Wlljalba Frikell is the Prince of ' Palmers" ( i , e ., sleight-of-hand' professors ) , is the chief of the mechanical enchanters . We have not space for an enumeration of the tricks performed , which were elaborate in their way , and caused the greatest surprise and merriment .
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The following distinguished fashionables have honoured the St . James ' s Theatre with their presence during the past week : — -Duke of Richmond and Duchess of Richmond , Marquis of Olanricarde , Earl of Cardigan , Lord Chesterfield , Lord Tenterden , Lord Ernest Bruce , Lord Conyers , Earl of Shelburne , Lord W . Lennox , Lord Dunkellin , Lord H . Lennox , Viscpunt GUfden , Baron Brunnow , Baronea 9 Brunnow , Baron Rothschild , Sir 11 . Otway , lir Kt . Pe Vooux , Sir Charles Taylor , Sir B . T . Phillips , Sir G . Annytago , the Austrian Ambassador , Colonel Tyrrwhit , Colonel Doyle , Colonel Adonis , Colonel Carlton , Admiral Collier , Major g ^^ orpe . Colonel White , Captain Baring , Mr . pwpgjJMr . Habhouse , Lady Chantrey , Lady Joco ^
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UNIFORM WEIGHTS AND MEASURES . PHILOSOPHICAL and Speculative men have long dreamed of one uniform system of weights and measures to be used by all the people of the globe , just as they have dreamed of all men using one language . In . the Millenium which is yet to come , we are all to speak with one tongue , measure with one yard , and weigh with one pound , and make all buying and selling with one coin . This is a very pretty philosophic dream , and who shall say that it is never to be realised ? All men do speak , do buy and sell , do use money , and why
should they not use the same weights and measures and the same language ? Almost everywhere the hand , the foot , the arm , tie outstretched arms have served as the standards of linear measure . Everywhere space is identical in all its minute and in its largest portions : everywhere' some portion of it , more or less definite , is adopted as a standard of measure : everywhere it is susceptible of the most precise and determinate definition : everywhere and at all times the use of a precise portion of it , or a just measure , is admitted to be right , and conducive ^ to welfare ; and why ; then , should not men everywhere adopt the same precise and determinate portion of space as the standard ?
So it is with weig hts and monies . The interests , the senses of mankind are , everywhere and at all times , similarly affected by the external world s however much their ignorance and their passions may add to or detract from its teaching : and it is not unreasonable to suppose that all may , in time , come to use one language . and one system of weights and measures . This implies that some one system and some one tongue are the best for all ; and to find out this best system as to weights and measures , and promote the use of it , is the object of the International Association , which last week met in Bradford .
At present mankind riot only use different weights , measures , and monies , as they live under different Governments , but , in many instances , they use diii'ereut measures , ¦ weights , and monies under the same Government . In one market of England they measure corn by the bushel , in another by the 1 b . or centner * In one market a stone is 14 lbs ., in another a different number . Even our monies are not uniform throughout , though we have one standard , for by law we establish or permit one species of paper money in England and a different species in Scotland and
Ireland . The Government , which pretends to make us all alike , cannot even compel the exclusive use of one instrument of exchange . To introduce a uniform system of weights and measures into every part of the empire , first ascertaining the best system , has been the object of two or three Parliamentary and Government investigations ; while the object of the International Association is to make such a best system common to all nations . In general the Association has adopted , unreservedly , the decimal systems ,. and hopes to attain its object by making it complete and
universal . The public too , so far as it has taken an active interest in the matter , sit least all that part of it which claims to be scientific and requires improvement , goes with the Association , and has long demanded a reform in weights , measures , an < f monies on the decimal principle . By coining florins—or the tenth part of a pound—the Government conceded the principle , aad not many months ago the decimal principle seemed likely to over * flow the land . Urged by its advocates , the Government appointed a commission , of which Lord Overstone and Lord Mbntoagle were members , to inquire into
the subject and into the means , it was understood , of introducing the decimal system into use . There was a general belief that its superiority ; was clearly « fctablished , and that the commission would ascertain the best means of carrying it into effect . Some two months ago the Commission made a report , and its conclusion that " a decimal coinage cannot bo regarded as a Well assured or demonstrated improvement on our 5 resent coinage y but must be considered of very oubtfu } value , accompanied beyond all question by many serious transactional difficulties . The Government , therefore , is not likely to carry out the decimal system , and the conclusion , understood to be chiefly due to Lord Overstone . has lowered
the noble ex-banker very much in the estimation of the decimal party . What can be done , or what will be done , is now very difficult to know ; hut it is quite certain that our . complicated and confused system must be gradually or otherwise amended ; and equally certain that there must continue to be an approximation amongst all people to the use of one best , and therefore common , system . . The International Association , according to M . Chevalier who came over from Paris on purpose to preside at the meeting at Bradford , is entirel y agreed that for " each sort of measure , the
subdivisions and the multiples shall be in decimal relation , with each other and with regard to the unity ; that the different sorts of measures—those of length , superficies , volume , capacity , weight , and value—shall have a common element , by which they all approach each other , and from which they ail derive by decimal relation . " The foundation of such a system is to be " the dimensions of the planet we inhabit , " or a part of these dimensions . But all the living things of this planet are naturally divisible into halves and quarters , and so it happens that the multiples of halves and quarters ^ or the duodecimal system now established amongst us is for many purposes better than the
decimal system .. If we derive the latter from our fingers , and therefore bring it into use almost everywhere , and derive the former from two sides , two legSj two feet , two wings , &c . &c , and also bring it into use almost everywhere . Nature supplies a basis for both systems . The great problem is to limit each system to its respective uses , and connect one with the other . Neither , exclusively , will serve all the purposes of business in the best manner , and all the inquiries hitherto made are only preliminary steps towards solving this problem . Till it be solved all hasty public alterations are to be deprecated : and we must wait in this , as in other cases , for complete knowledge , before we can act well .
There is the less occasion for public action , because it is in the power of every one who chooses to do as the Bank of England , the actuary of the National Debt , many insurance offices , and many merchants do , anil employ the decimal system in all his own concerns , and translate the results into the other system when he has to deal with those who use it . All arithmetical and other teachers can adopt the decimal system in teaching , only explaining the means of translating the results . So it will gradually become familiar in practice , and prepare the way for an alteration in the law . Our pence reckoning , that in which the multitude
is most interested , with all its consequences , is on the duodecimal system , our shilling and pound reckonings are on the decimal system , and Sve do not see why the multitude should have an alteration forced on them in which they are comparatively little interested . So far as larger sums and international transactions are concerned , the Government has already , as we have stated , recognised the decimal system in coining the florin and a ten-shilling piece , and as it undertakes to regulate the coinage , it may be justly required to make its gold coinage conform to the decimal system . t nnicant in lllonOA ff tllfi inCl'CaSC Of At in \ *
A nnnanz- » , present , consequuuuy n v « w wv , vc «> v , ~ . our commerce , the JSnglish pound , or sovereign , is acquiring an almost universal circulation . A law makes it alone the standard in England , but another law will not allow it to be used in India . Even these pray for it , and it is highly probable that it will become the money of India , as it is of Australia . Now the very essence of a good coinage is , that it should bo equal multiples and divisions of some definite weight . A sovereign is pretty nearly the fourth part of an ouncp , anU were it exactly the fourth part of an ounce ot pure aoUL properly alloyed , it would bo a reasonof
able coin . It contains , however 113-001 grams fine gold , and 123274 grains of standard gold , so that it is 8-999 grains less than one guartor of an ounce of pure gold , and 3-274 grains more tliim one quarter of an ounce of standard gold . 'I'hougu we are accustomed to it , there can be « ° doubt that it is about as incongruous a coin as ever was kept in circulation in a cmbBcq country . It is a ohanco and fVaud-begotton com , derived from successive reductions in the poun « of silver b y cheating sovereigns . It is neither a duodecimal nor a decimal part of any usually known quantity . It is an arbitrary unit . It gives the community endless trouble to asoortam tue bullion relations of the coin—which determine iw
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1184 THE LEADER [ No ., SOCK- Otar . 22 ; I 85 fl .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 22, 1859, page 1184, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2317/page/20/
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