| RefNo | MS/957/118 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Letter from James Yates, Lauderdale House, Highgate, to Edward Kater |
| Creator | Yates; James (1789-1871); British Unitarian minister and scholar |
| Date | 2 April 1864 |
| Description | Having spent much of his time promoting the metric system of weights and measures in Britain, he hopes for Kater's assistance. William Ewart's bill is advancing in Parliament and it states that the platinum metre at the Royal Society which has the word 'metre' engraved upon it should be the standard linear measure. He wishes to trace the history of the metre, for which he has examined sources including the minutes of the Royal Society. These show it was made at Paris at the request of the Commissioners of Weights and Measures for England, to determine its length in English inches, work entrusted to Kater's father. The results of his experiments were published in the Philosophical Transactions. Yates comments on the lack of evidence for the metre's provenance and asks if Kater has any records from his father, or from the Royal Commission. The tradition is that [Francois Jean] Arago brought the platinum metre to London and he thinks it may assume a position of importance in becoming a standard. In a postscript, Yates notes the death of his brother. |
| Extent | 4p. |
| Format | Manuscript |
| PhysicalDescription | Ink on paper |
| Dimensions | 208x132mm. |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA6082 | Yates; James (1789 - 1871) | 1789 - 1871 |