Roll out the barrel
The price of crude oil dropped below $30 a barrel. Why do we measure it in barrels?
— A standard barrel for the purposes of measuring oil is 42 US gallons or 35 imperial gallons. This was the size of a ‘tierce’, a unit for measuring wine in medieval England.
— When demand for kerosene provoked an oil rush in Pennsylvania in 1859, producers were so desperate for vessels that they used all kinds of containers.
— In August 1866, however, producers met in the town of Titusville to agree on a standard measure. A 42-gallon barrel of oil weighed 300lb: just enough, it was found, for one man to manoeuvre on his own.
— The US Petroleum Producers Association adopted the 42-gallon barrel in 1872 and it has remained the standard measure ever since.
Not speaking English
David Cameron promised free English lessons for Muslim women who can’t speak English. How many people in England can’t speak English?
In the 2011 census 7.7%
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