7

Dissertations on Coins, Weights, &c.

them. The Reasons why I think the Arguments from theCongius inconclusive are,

I. In general, because I think no Water Measure can beexact, and that,

1. Because different Waters have different Weights, Rain-Water differs from Spring-Water, and the Water of oneSpring from that of another.

2. Because the Weather makes an Alteration in the Weightof Water, since, according to Mr. Homberg y the same Quan-tity of Water [I suppose he means of the same Kind of Wa-ter] which in Winter weighed 474 Grains, weighed in Summeronly 470 Grains, and consequently lost something above ~ sPart of its Weight. Vide Arbuthnot, p. 82.

3. Because there is much Difficulty in filling Vessels with:Water to great Exactness ; for if the Vessel be well dried andcleansed with Bran or Flower, the Water will stand in a Crownabove the Brims, and be heavier than the Dimensions of theVessel require; but if this Water be taken off with a Strike,,it will not touch the Brims of the Vestel, and so be lighterthan the Dimensions of it require. Thus much as to theUncertainty of Water-Measure in general. I come to consider,

II. Why Arguments from this Congius , in particular, areinconclusive; and that,

r. Because it is neither rectangular nor cylindrical, butbulges out in the Belly, and therefore could never be design-ed for an exact Measure, since without a great deal os Trou-ble, Part of the Liquor in pouring it out would be left be-hind. Perhaps they made it larger than ordinary, partly toallow for this. Inconvenience, and partly to allow for the

Liquor