Ranjit, where did you dig up this info?  What this amounts to is that
the US jumped on the metric bandwagon in 1875, but has moved at the
speed of government to implement it.

-Sean


On Fri, 8 Oct 1999 09:56:05 +0100, Ranjit Chagar wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>Well I thought I would through by 2 cents worth in here. I used to work for
>a american company and this discussion went on and on. So I did a little
>research, the finding are quite interesting. Interpret as you will:
>
>The Metric Conversion Act of 1975, passed by congress in the same year
>provides a background to the utilisation of the metric system in the USA as
>follows (online at http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/205a.html)
>
>--------------------------------------------------------
>
>The Congress finds as follows:
>
>(1) The United States was an original signatory party to the
>1875 Treaty of the Meter (20 Stat. 709), which established the
>General Conference of Weights and Measures, the International
>Committee of Weights and Measures and the International Bureau of
>Weights and Measures.
>
>(2) Although the use of metric measurement standards in the
>United States has been authorized by law since 1866 (Act of July
>28, 1866; 14 Stat. 339), this Nation today is the only
>industrially developed nation which has not established a
>national policy of committing itself and taking steps to
>facilitate conversion to the metric system.
>
>(3) World trade is increasingly geared towards the metric
>system of measurement.
>
>(4) Industry in the United States is often at a competitive
>disadvantage when dealing in international markets because of its
>nonstandard measurement system, and is sometimes excluded when it
>is unable to deliver goods which are measured in metric terms.
>
>(5) The inherent simplicity of the metric system of measurement
>and standardization of weights and measures has led to major cost
>savings in certain industries which have converted to that
>system.
>
>(6) The Federal Government has a responsibility to develop
>procedures and techniques to assist industry, especially small
>business, as it voluntarily converts to the metric system of
>measurement.
>
>(7) The metric system of measurement can provide substantial
>advantages to the Federal Government in its own operations.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------
>
>What the above defined in essence is generally translated as  "Congress
>declared as U.S. policy that the metric system is the preferred system of
>weights and measures for trade and commerce".
>
>Amendments were made to the above act in 1988, leading to Executive Order
>12770, "Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs," issued in 1991,
>reaffirms the legislation by instructing Federal agencies to implement
>formal plans for using the metric system and to report metric progress
>annually. The order authorises the Secretary of Commerce to direct and
>co-ordinate the Federal agency metric transition and to assess progress in
>annual reports to the President. The Metric Program carries out the
>direction and co-ordination responsibilities of the Secretary of Commerce.
>
>
>From the action plan drawn up, the goals were defined as "lead and
>coordinate the metric transition activities of all federal agencies, and
>convert programs and functions within the department that relate to trade,
>industry and commerce to metric use.  Metric terms will be used in budgets,
>procurements, grants and loans, construction and other business-related
>activities of the department".
>
>So, the US government is committed to the transition to metric. As I said,
>interpret as you will.
>
>Ranjit
>
>
>
>
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