The following measures of length are also used:
3 barleycorns = 1 inch. Used by shoemakers.
4 inches = 1 hand. Used to measure the height of
horses.
6 feet = 1 fathom. Used to measure depths at sea.
3 feet = 1 pace. } Used in pacing distances.
5 paces = 1 rod. }
8 furlongs = 1 mile.
1.15 statute miles = 1 geographical, or nautical mile.
3 geographical miles = 1 league.
60 geographical miles} {of Latitude on a Meridian,
} = 1 degree {or of Longitude
69.16 statute miles } {on the Equator.
The length of a degree of latitude varies. 69.16 miles is the average
length, and is that adopted by the United States Coast Survey.
The standard unit of length is identical with the imperial yard of Great
Britain.
The standard yard, under William IV., was declared to be fixed by
dividing a pendulum which vibrates seconds in a vacuum, at the level of
the sea, at 62 degrees Fahrenheit, in the latitude of London, into
391,393 equal parts, and taking 360,000 of these parts for the yard.
The following denominations also occur: The span = 9 inches; 1 common
cubit (the distance from the elbow to the end of the middle finger) = 18
inches; 1 sacred cubit = 21.888 inches.