LS, boldly signed in black ink as secretary of state, “John Quincy Adams,” one page, 7.5 x 12.5, May 1, 1821. Retained copy of a letter to Albert Gallatin in Paris, marked at the top, “Duplicate.” In part: “I have the honor of enclosing herewith a copy of the report upon Weights and Measures submitted to both Houses of Congress…You will see by the account of Mr. Hassler’s measurement of several standard metres and toises, upon Troughton’s scale, that in the comparison between the English foot and the metre, he has come to a result intermediate between 39.37079 of Captain Kater and 39.3824 or 39.3827 of Prony and the French Academy. He finds it 39.3802. In the weight of kilogramme and the capacity of the litre I still find great uncertainty. You mention in one of your letters that by the weight of the English Sovereigns recoined at the mint in Paris…My conclusions from all this are that the kilogramme at all events falls a little short of 15440 grains troy. I hope to ascertain it with more perfect accuracy on receiving the copies of the platina metre and killogramme from France.” Matted and framed, so both sides are visible, with an engraved portrait to an overall size of 20 x 17.5. In fine condition, with some light show-through from writing on opposite side. Europe was in the midst of adopting new units of measurement based on the metric system. France, Germany and the Netherlands had all turned to similar units, which would not become one single standard until 1867. Oversized. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RR Auction COA.
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