II. On the construction of the imperial standard pound, and its copies of platinum; and on the comparison of the imperial standard pound with the kilogramme des archives

The Commissioners appointed in 1838 to consider the steps to be taken for the restoration of the standards of weight and measure, to replace those which were destroyed by the burning of the Houses of Parliament, found provisions for the restoration of the lost standards prescribed to them, by Sections 3 and 5 of the Act 5th George IV., whereby it is directed that, in case of the loss of the standards, the yard shall be restored by taking the length which shall bear a certain relation to the length of the pendulum, vibrating seconds of mean time, in a vacuum, at the level of the sea; and that the pound shall be restored by taking the weight which bears a certain proportion to the weight of a cubic inch of water weighed in a certain manner. The Commissioners, however, in their Report dated December 21, 1841, decline to recommend the adoption of these provisions for the following reasons: “Since the passing of the said Act it has been ascertained that several elements of reduction of the pendulum experiment therein referred to are doubtful or erroneous.