[TheForge] A little metrology humor - YAK

[Mike Linn]

IN THE BEGINNING was created the Imperial Ton = 2240 pounds (lbs.) = 20
Hundredweight (cwt) i.e. 1 cwt = 112 lbs.

AND YEA, when the Pilgrim Fathers landed on Plymouth Rock, they said

VERILY: One Hundredweight should be one hundred pounds and one Ton should be
2000 lbs.

THUS WAS CREATED the US Ton.

BUT SORELY DISPLEASED were the merchants and traders when they became aware
that the colonials were making 10% on the side.

THUS IT CAME TO PASS that the British traders did declare that their
galleons would, in future, also use measures of 2000 lbs, and declared that
this measure should be named the Short Ton.

MANY MOONS PASSED, and the tribes of Europe did send their high priests to
council one with the other, whereupon they begat the EEC (EU).

THE TRIBES OF THE CONTINENT did pour scorn upon the Ton and the Short Ton,
and being more in number than the Britons did ordain that all nations should
obey The New Commandment: Thou shalt worship the Tonne which equates to 1000
kilograms (kg).

THIS DID SORELY DISPLEASE THE BRITONS, since this new measure did contain
2205 lbs., but it came to pass that more tribes came to join the EEC and the
Britons were obliged to pay homage to the Tonne.

THE EEC DID COMMAND that tablets of stone be carved, on which was writ:
1 IMPERIAL TON = 2240 lbs.
1 SHORT TON=1 US TON = 2000 lbs.
1 TONNE = 1000 kg = 2205 lbs.

THUS WAS THE CONFUSION CREATED.



             Mike Linn
         Artist Blacksmith
           & Metrologist
           Lake View, AL
        AFC Webmaster
  www.afc.abana-chapter.net

The Metrologist's Lament
After all those years of training and work of vast import
I find my patience slowly draining with each request for a weather report !