Random Facts about Measures The ancient Greek phalanx comprised 8,000 men, forming a square battalion, with spears crossing each other, and shields united.
The Roman legion was composed of 6,000 men, comprising 10 cohorts of600 men each, with 300 horsemen.
Cannon balls go furthest at an elevation of 30 degrees, and less asthe balls are less; the range is furthest when fired from west to eastin the direction of the earth's motion, which for the diurnal rotationon its axis, is at the rate of 1,037 miles per hour, and in its orbit,66,092 miles.
The air's resistance is such that a cannon ball of 3 lbs. weight,diameter, 2.78 ins. Moving with a velocity of 1,800 feet per second,is resisted by a force equal to 156 lbs. The velocity of a severe storm is 36 miles an hour; that of a hurricane, 80 miles an hour.
A square acre is a trifle less than 209 feet each way.
Six hundred and forty acres make a square mile.
A "hand" (employed in measuring horses' height) is four inches.
A span is 10 7/8 inches.
Six hundred pounds make a barrel of rice.
One hundred and ninety-six pounds make a barrel of flour.
Two hundred pounds make a barrel of pork.
Fifty-six pounds make a firkin of butter.
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