London:Measures

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1 foot = 1 1/3 span = 3 hands = 4 palms = 12'' [inches] = 120''' [lines] = 30.48006 cm (exact U.S. survey measure)/ regular modern equivalent: 30.48 cm.
1 mile = 8 furlongs = 320 poles = 880 fathoms = 1056 paces = 1408 ells = 1760 yards = 3520 cubits = 5280 feet = 1609.347 m (exact U.S. survey measure)/ regular modern equivalent: 1609.344
1 league = 3 miles = 4.828 km.
1 wine gallon (1706) = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 231 cubic inches, i.e. 3.785 liters
1 hogshead = 63 wine gallons = 238.455 liters
1 quarter (dry quantities, 1696) = 2 combs = 4 strickes = 8 bushels = 32 pecks = 64 gallons = 128 pottles = 256 quarts = 516 pints = 281.9 dm³
1 pound Avoirdupois = 16 ounces = 7000 grains = 453.59 g. [general use]
1 pound troy = 12 ounces = 240 pennyweight = 5760 grains = 373.24 g. [used for noble metals, and medicine]
1 tower pound = 5400 grains = 349.91 g.
1 merachant pound = 7200 grains = 466.55 g.


The wine gallon, which some sources relate to the volume occupied by eight medieval merchant pounds of wine, was at one time defined as the volume of a cylinder six inches deep and seven inches in diameter, i.e. 6·3½²·π = 230.90706 in³. It had been redefined during the reign of Queen Anne, in 1706, as 231 in³ exactly (3 × 7 × 11 in³), which is the result of the earlier definition with π approximated to 227. Although the wine gallon had been used for centuries for import duty purposes there was no legal standard of it in the Exchequer and a smaller gallon (224 in³) was actually in use, so this statute became necessary. It remains the U.S. definition today.

The original ratio between corn and wine gallon is 9¼²:6·3½² = 1369:1176, but 268.8:231 is exactly 64:55 or ca. 13:11. This approximation is still applicable, although the ratio of 1.164 115 646 slightly changed to 1.163 647 186 with current definitions (268.8025:231 = 107521:92400 ~= 1344:1165).

Alexander Justice, General Treatise &c. (1707), "A General Discourse of the Weights and Measures"

[...] By the 27th Chapter of the Magna Charta, the Weights and Measures are ordered to be the same all over England, and to be according to the King’s Standard, of Weights and Measures, kept in the Exchequer, by a special Officer of the House call’d, The Clerk, or Comptroller of the Market.

All Measures whatsoever, are either Receptive of Applicative.

The Measures of Capacity, or Receptive Measures, are again comprehended under the Denomination of Liquid, and dry Measures.|<2>

The Liquid for, Wine, Brandy, Vinegar, Cyder, Beer, Ale, and such other Goods.

The Dry, for Grains, Salt, Coals, and such like.

Applicative Measures are either,

The Yard, Ell, Cane, Aune, and other such Measures, for Linnen and Wollen Cloth, Silks, Laces, Ribbons, and other such Goods. Or,

The Inch, Foot &c. for Wood; or the longer Measures of that Nature, for Land, &c.

Not to speak of the Fractions of an English Pint, which are not worth the mentioning in a Book of Trade, the Reader may observe, That 2 Pints make a Quart, 2 Quarts a Pottle, and 2 Pottles a Gallon; which Measure contains 282 solid Inches, and holds of Rain-water 10 Pound, 3 Ounces, or a little more, Avoirdupois Weight; 8 Gallons make a Firkin of Ale, 2 Firkins make a Kilderkin, 2 Kilderkins a Barrel, and 12 Barrels a Last.

It is otherwise in measuring of Beer; for those small Measures for Ale and for Beer be the same, whereas they reckon but 8 Gallons of Ale, they count 9 of Beer to the Firkin; 2 such Firkins to the Kilderkin, and 2 Kilderkins to the Barrel. One Barrel and a half, or 3 Kilderkins, or 6 Firkins, or 54 Gallons of Beer, make Hogshead of Bear; Two Hogsheads make a Pipe or Butt, and two Pipes a Tun, consisting of 1728 Pints, weighing that many Pounds.

The Wine Measures are smaller than those for Ale and Beer, to which they bear the same Proportion as 4 to 5; so that 4 Gallons of Ale or Beer, are very near 5 Gallons of Wine. And each Gallon of Wine is 231 Cubical Inches, and holds 8 Pound, 1 Ounce, and 4 Drachms, Avoirdupois Weight, of Rain-Water; 18 of these Gallons make a Runlet, 42 a Tierce, 53 a Hogshead, 84 a Punchion, 126 a Pipe, or Butt, and 252 a Tun.

One Pint of Wine weighs 1 Pound; ½ Ounce Troy; and a Tun 1700 Pound Averdupois.

Note, What we generally call a Tierce, in speaking of Wine Measure, is one third part of a Punchion, and 1/6 (?) of a Tun.

Formerly they made use of the Wine Measure for Beer, Ale, Cyder &c. But now that is forbid under severe Penalties, and none but the Winchester Measure is used. And as for Vessels, in which Beer, Ale, &c. are contain’d, there is a Statute 23 H. 8. giving Power to the Wardens of the Ministry of Coopers within|<3> the City of London. To Search and Gauge all Vessels made for Ale, Beer &c (and also for Soap) to be sold within the City, Suburbs, or two Miles thereof; and examining their Contents an Weights, and finding them right, to mark them with St. Anthony’s Cross.

And by the Statute 31 Eliz. All Brewers are forbid to sell, or put to sale, in London, the Suburbs, or within two Miles compass of the Suburbs, any Beer or Ale in Butts, Pipes, Punchions, Hogsheads, Tierces, or such other Foreign Vessels, till they be gaug’d by the Masters and Wardens of the Coopers of the City of London.

By Statute 16 and 17 Car. It is ordained that all Sea-Coals brought into the River Thames shall be sold by the Chaldron, to contain 36 Bushels heap’d, according to the Bushel seal’d for that Purpose at Guild Hall, London. And Coals sold by Weight are to be sold after the rate of 112 Pound to the Hundred, under the Penalty of Forfeiture of all the Coals, and double the value thereof, to be recovered in any Court of Records, or upon Complaint to the to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen of London, are impowered to set Rates and Prices upon Coals, to be sold by retail; allowing a competent clear Profit to the Retailer. The Statute by 7 & 8 W. 3. & C. 36. is made perpetual.

The Received Proportion in the Weights of Liquids are thus.

The Amhora of the Romans held of Rain-water or Wine, 50 Pound, of Antwerp weight; 107 5/#, of which make 112 Pound of London; so that ‘tis a little more than 5 per Cent. larger than ours.

And a Measure containing of Wine, or Rain-water, 50 Pound
Contains of River-water 53
Of Butter or Oyl, 45
Of Linseed Oyl, 39
Of Honey 35
Of Quick-Silver 850

Of Receptive Measures for dry Goods, such as Corn, and all sorts of Grains, &c, There is,

First, The Gallon, which is larger than the Wine Gallon, and smaller than the Ale Gallon, contains 272 ¼ Inches Cubical, and holds the weight of 9 Pound, 13 Ounces, 12 ½ Drachms, Avoirdupois Weight; 2 Gallons make a Peck, 4 Pecks a Bushel, 4 Bushels a Comb, or Cumock, 2 Cumocks a Quarter, Seam, or Raff;|<4> and 10 Quarters a Last; which contains 5120 Pints, and that many Pounds, Troy Weight.

This is call’d Winchester measure, and by it Salt, Lime, and Coals are measur’d; But in measuring the two latter of these Commodities, the Measures are heap’d, or else 5 strick’d Pecks are allow’d to the Bushel.

Thirty six Bushels make a Chaldron of Coals, and on Shipboard, 21 Chaldrons are allow’d to the Score.

A TABLE of Dry Receptive Measures

dm³
Quart 2 1.116
Pottle 2 4 2.231
Gallon 2 4 8 4.462
Peck 2 4 8 16 8.924
Bushel 4 8 16 32 64 35.696
Quarter 8 32 64 128 256 512 285.568
Wey 5 40 160 320 640 1280 2560 1424.84
Last 2 10 80 320 640 1280 2560 5120 2855.68


[to be continued]





Weights and Measures, 1650-1750