No. 663.
Mr. Beardsley to Mr. Fish.
Agency
and Consulate-General of the United States in
Egypt,
Cairo,
September 1, 1875. (Received September
27.)
No. 355.]
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that the
Egyptian government has decided to adopt the metrical system of weights
and measures in place of the Egyptian. This change will take place on
the 1st of next January, and it will be a great benefit to commerce. I
inclose herewith translations of two notes on this subject, one signed
by Cherif Pasha and the other by the Khedive.
I am, &c.,
[Inclosure 1 in No.
355.—Translation.]
Cherif Pasha to
the Khedive.
Alexandria, July 20,
1875.
My Lord: According to the order of your
Highness, and in conforming myself to your noble and generous ideas
in regard to all that concerns the development and progress of this
country, I have the honor to submit to your Highness the work
elaborated in this ministry of commerce, in relation to the new
system of weights and measures to be introduced into Egypt.
The system which seems to be the most proper to he adopted is the
metrical system. It is the only convenient system for the reason
that it is used by the greatest number of European states having
commercial and industrial relations with Egypt.
[Page 1351]
With its adoption there will be a great uniformity in the transaction
of business.
It will mark, by the facilities which must necessarily result from
its use in commercial affairs, an increased action in our relations
with Europe.
It will remedy in an efficacious manner present embarrassments, and
radically suppress innumerable difficulties which result from the
multiplicity of weights and measures, and which, until now, have
been one of the most serious obstacles to the extension of
affairs.
The Khedive, in decreeing a measure of this importance, and in
ordering, as your Highness has so happily and practically done, that
the administrations of state and of your Daira shall put it in
application in the beginning of next year, will realize a new work
of progress. It is evident that in all the branches of industry and
commerce the traders who are in business relation with the various
administrations will see themselves obliged to make use of the new
system, which in this manner becoming familiar to the public mind
will facilitate its general application throughout all the country
without shock or great difficulties.
In presenting to your Highness the inclosed report and the annexed
documents, I believe that I have obtained the object which your
Highness did me the honor to indicate to me.
I have the honor to be, Highness, &c.,
[Inclosure 2 in No 355 No.
355.—Translation.]
The Khedive to
Cherif Pasha.
Alexandria,
Palace
Ras-el-Tin,
August 1, 1875.
My Dear Minister: I have read with much
interest the report which you have addressed to me relative to the
utility of adopting in Egypt the metrical system, which is used
to-day in nearly all of the European states in all commercial and
industrial transactions.
I am convinced, with you, that the introduction of this system will
mark an ascensional movement in our relations with Europe. It will
also remedy difficulties and contestations which result from the
present system and which are obstacles to the extension of
commercial relations.
The introduction of this system into Egypt must be effected in such a
manner that its application shall not be accompanied by any violent
shock or difficulty. To this end, as you suggest, the
administrations of the state, and those of my Daira will adopt it on
the 1st of January next. In this way the merchants in all the
branches of commerce and of industry, who are in business relations
with these administrations, will be obliged to make use of the new
system, which in this manner will gradually become familiar to the
public.
I have consequently given orders to the ministers of the interior, of
war, and of finances, and to my Daira, to apply the metrical system
from the 1st January, 1876.
I have to request you to arrange with these administrations in regard
to the quality of material necessary for this object, and I
authorize you to order it.
Accept, my dear minister, my sentiments of sincere friendship.
Your affectionate,
