WEIGHAGE, mer. law. In the English law it is a duty or toll1 paid for weighing merchandise; it is called tronage, for weighing wool at the king's beam, or pesage, for weighing other avoirdupois goods. 2 Chit. Com: Law, 16.
WEIGHT. A quality in natural bodies, by which they tend towards the centre of the earth.
2. Under the article Measure, it is said that by the constitution congress possesses the power to fix the standard of weights and measures, and that this power has not been exercised.
3. The weights now generally used in the United States, are the same as those of England; they are of two kinds:
1. AVOIRDUPOIS WEIGHT.1st. Used in almost all commercial transactions, and in the comwon dealings of life.27 1/3 1/2 grains = 1 dram16 drams = 1 ounce16 ounces = 1 pound, 28 pounds = 1 quarter, 4 quarters = 1 hundred weight, 20 hundred weight = 1 ton.2d. Used for meat and fish.8 pounds = 1 stone3d. Used in the wool trade.Cwt. qr. lb.7 pounds = 1 clove214 pounds = 1 stone = 0 0 142 stones = 1 tod = 0 1 06 1/2 tods = 1 wey = 1 2 142 weys = 1 sack = 3 1 012 sacks = 1 last = 39 0 04th. Used for butter and cheese.8 pounds = 1 clove56 pounds = 1 firkin.2. TROY WEIGHT.24 grams = 1 pennyweight20 pennyweights = 1 ounce12 ounces = 1 pound. 4. These are the denominations3 of troy weight, when used for weighing gold, silver and precious stones, except diamonds. Troy weight is also used by apo|thecaries in compounding medicines; and by them the ounce is pided into eight drams, and the drain into three scruples4, so that the latter is equal to twenty grains. For scientific purposes, the grain only is used, and sets of weights are constructed in decimal progression, from 10,000 grains downward to one|hundredth of a grain. The caret5, used for weighing diamonds, is three and one|sixth grains. 5. A short account of the French weights and measures is given under the article Measure.
