As a "Bloody" Brit (I cut myself shaving) I have always been puzzled by
this disparity of standards and I can think of only the following possible
explanations
1 Some sensible person thought that a pint of water should weigh a pound
(unlikely), but omitted to note that over time globalisation of trade would
result in confusion.
2 Some canny Yankee found that he could label a drum "Contains 50
Gallons" when in fact it only contained 40.
they are of course both wrong as I think that Americans just like things to
sound big. As another example take proof spirit
In the UK we use the historic standard (that dilution which when mixed with
gunpowder still allows the powder to burn or just above 57% by alcohol
volume ) I understand you use 50% alcohol.
The result is the same spirit (40% alcohol by volume) has been sold in the
UK as 70 proof and in the US as 80 proof with some Americans thinking our
spirit was weak. (well what do you expect of a Limey?)
On the Billion we eventually capituated the "American Billion" which makes
things sound bigger (10 to the power 9 or one thousand million) is almost
universally used rather than the old British Billion which is more logical
(ten to the power 12 or one million million, where a million is one
thousand thousand). For the pint/gallon we gave up and use litres and
percent alcohol seems to be the favoured measure of spirit strength.
Still a good whisky is still a good whisky!!!!
(Scotch of course and preferably export strength i.e. 83.125 British proof,
I leave you to work out what that means in your prefered units)
Dave Vodden
1992 Plus 4 4 seater (not used when owner filled with aforemensioned
spirit)
Hampshire UK
"Stuart J. Ross" <stuross@nac.net> on 21/04/99 15:20:01
Please respond to "Stuart J. Ross" <stuross@nac.net>
To: "Scott Barrie" <scott.barrie@CIMtegration.com>,
morgans@autox.team.net
cc: (bcc: Dave Vodden/Basingstoke/ECI Telecom)
Subject: Re: Specs. please?
That's because the bloody Brits were exploiting the poor Yankee colonists
back in the 18th century. But we showed 'em, didn't we! Now we drive their
Morgans and they have 20 oz pints and drink Budwiser.-----
Original Message -----
From: Scott Barrie <scott.barrie@CIMtegration.com>
To: <morgans@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 10:07 AM
Subject: Re: Specs. please?
> John wrote:
>
> >I believe an
> >Imperial pint is slightly greater than a regular one. Dunno about your
> >gear box as mine is from the Ford Family.
>
> There are those of us who would have written that: "a regular pint is
> slightly greater than a U.S. pint"...... :-)
>
> An Imperial pint is 20 ounces.
>
> Cheers
>
> Scott Barrie
> '63 Plus Four
>
>
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