The maker of sophisticated measuring equipment, which has been tipped before in this column, warned of a 4 per cent fall in likefor-like sales.

In its 125-year existence the firm made more than 30,000 chronometers, as well as many other precision instruments, including telegraph tape machines, electric time-keeping systems and measuring equipment.

I became uncharacteristically fussy about the exact positioning of the ingredients and measuring equipment.

Nearly all states license weighmasters, weighmistresses, scale calibrators and other specialists involved in commercial measuring equipment maintenance.

However, existing methods used to characterize roughness were not reproducible by different agencies using different measuring equipment and methods.