The Work of the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures concerning Electromagnetic Units and Measurements

The purpose of this paper is to survey the basic background of electric measurements, including definition of the base units, and description of the base standards from which most electromagnetic measurements are derived. The international center which deals with these matters is the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), with its Comité International des Poids et Mesures (CIPM) and its consultative committees, under the authority of the Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures (CGPM) composed of representatives of the 40 nations participating in the Meter Convention, a treaty signed in 1875.