~Methodism, Primitive.~--The origin of the Primitive Methodist Connexion dates from 1808, and it sprung solely from the custom (introduced by Lorenzo Dow, from America, in the previous year) of holding "camp meetings," which the Wesleyan Conference decided to be "highly improper in England, even if allowable in America, and likely to be productive of considerable mischief," expelling the preachers who conducted them. A new society was the result, and the first service in this town was held in Moor Sreet, in the open air, near to the Public Office, in the summer of 1824. The first "lovefeast" took place, March 6, 1825, and the first "camp meeting," a few months later. A circuit was formed, the first minister being the Rev. T. Nelson, and in 1826, a chapel was opened in Bordesley Street, others following in due course of time, as the Primitives increased in number. The Birmingham circuit contains about 800 members, with over 2,000 Sunday School scholars, and 250 teachers.-- See "_Places of Worship_." ~Metric System.~--This, the simplest decimal system of computation yet legalised is in use in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Spain, and other parts of Europe, as well as in Chili, Peru, Mexico, &c., and by 27 and 28 Vic., cap. 117, its use has been rendered legal in this country. As our local trade with the above and other countries is increasing (unfortunately in some respects), rules for working out the metric measures into English and _vice versa_ may be useful. The unit of length is the _metre_ (equal to 39.37 inches); it is divided into tenths (decimetres), hundredths (centimetres), and thousandths (millimetres), and it is multiplied by decimals in like way into hectometres, kilometres, and myriometres. The unit of weight is the _gramme_, divided as the metre into decigrammes, centigrammes, and milligrammes; multiplied into decagrammes, hectogrammes, and kilogrammes. The unit of capacity is the _litre_, divided and multiplied like the others. 1 inch equals 2-1/2 centimetres. 1 foot equals 3 decimetres. 1 mile equals 1-3/5 kilometres. 1 cwt. equals 50.8 kilogrammes. 1 ounce (troy) equals 31 grammes. 1 pound (troy) equals 3.72 decagrammes. 1 gallon equals 4-1/2 litres. 1 quart equals 1-1/16 litres. 1 metre equals 39.37 inches. 1 hectometre equals 109-1/3 yards. 1 cubic metre equals 61,027 cubic inches. 1 kilometre equals 1,093 yards. 1 decigramme equals 1-1/2 grains. 1 gramme equals 15 grains. 1 kilogramme equals 2-1/5 pounds (avoirdupois). 1 litre equals 1-3/4 pints. To turn inches into millimetres add the figures 00 to the number of inches, divide by 4, and add the result two-fifths of the original number of inches. To turn millimetres to inches add the figure 0 and divide by 254. To make cubic inches into cubic centimetres multiply by 721 and divide by 44; cubic centimetres into cubic inches multiply by 44 and divide by 721. To turn grains into grammes, multiply the number by 648 and divide the product by 10,000.