The Force of One Pound

Abstract

DR. LODGE has some right to complain of the friendly postcard. I wanted the Poundal difficulty to be threshed out in public, and we had just been writing to each other about it, but I quite forgot that my post-card might give him the wrong notion that my general remarks referred to him. Dr. Lodge knows that the real question before us concerns the Poundal; he knows that his advocacy of it has helped to maintain that unit in its academic position, and yet he now leaves its defence to others. He professes his love for all units, and attacks the poundalists and the poundists impartially, for suggesting adherence to any system in particular. This is better than his own maintenance of the Poundal, and I hope that it presages a complete change of front. His maxims are of the best: “Urge clearness of idea and accuracy of speech on all who deal with the junior student. These should not call different things by the same name …” But what if they continue to do so? He himself often uses velocity when he only means speed.