Discussion on “the Myriawatt” (Stott and O´neill), Boston, Mass., June 26, 1912, and New York, February 27, 1913. (see proceedings for July, 1912)

H. G. Stott: A great deal of criticism has been made on this paper, which was presented at the convention held in Boston last June. The greater part of this criticism, I think, is entirely due to a misconception. The misconception is that we are endeavoring to introduce a new unit. A little careful consideration of the paper would show that that conception is entirely wrong. All that was attempted to be done was to get in the thin end of the wedge, as it were, of the metric system into our measurements of mechanical power. We all know how we suffer at the present time from the numerous illogical and irrational units which are used in calculations on thermodynamics and mechanical units of power. For example, we have the boiler h.p., which was originally meant to mean that the boiler could evaporate 30 lb. of water from a temperature of 100 deg. to steam at 70 lb. Now latterly it has been modified to mean the amount of heat required to evaporate 34.5 lb. of water at a temperature of 212 deg. fahr. This is purely arbitrary, and has no scientific or rational basis.