The English bishop John Wilkins was not the only one who developed a decimal-based measurement system that predates the metric system. Anders Bure, a Swedish mathematician and cartographer who lived from 1571 to 1646, developed a different decimal system that used the Swedish foot as the base unit. He tried to introduce this system of weights and measures in Sweden in the seventeenth century. Georg Stiernhielm, a Swedish civil servant, linguist and poet who lived from 1598 to 1672, later recommended this system should become the standard. This system was used between 1855 and 1889. Then Sweden changed over to the metric system on 1 January 1889.
The Swedish decimal measurement system was based on existing Swedish units of length that were redefined plus three newly created units of length for this new system. The new units were the scruple, the grain and the reef. While it was developed as a system of weights and measures, it was primarily intended for length measurements.
The units of length used in this system were:
- Scruple (Swedish name: skrupel, from Latin scrupulus, SI equivalent = 0.0296904 mm) – newly introduced in decimal system
- Grain (Swedish name: gran, from Latin granum, SI equivalent = 0.296904 mm) – newly introduced in decimal system
- New Line (Swedish name: nylinje, SI equivalent = 2.96904 mm)
- Decimal Inch (Swedish name: decimaltum, SI equivalent = 29.6904 mm)
- Foot (Swedish name: fot, SI equivalent = 296.904 mm)
- Pole (Swedish name: stång, SI equivalent = 2.96904 m)
- Reef (Swedish name: rev, SI equivalent = 29.6904 m) – newly introduced in decimal system
Like the metric system, the old Swedish decimal measurement system used a base of 10. Thus, there were 10 scruples to a grain, 10 grains to a new line, 10 new lines to a decimal inch, 10 decimal inches to a Swedish foot, 10 Swedish foot to a pole and 10 poles to a reef.
Note that the Swedish inch and foot differ from the English units that share the same names. For comparison, the English inch is exactly 25.4 mm, and the English foot is exactly 304.8 mm.
The Swedes also saw the benefits of a decimal (i.e. base 10) measurement system, so they developed a national version of such as system like the English, before the metric system was invented. The problem with using different national base 10 systems is mutual compatibility. The metric system was invented to overcome the problems with numerous mutually incompatible national and regional measurement systems. It was intended to be a single standardised measurement system for international use. Hence, the slogan used for the metric system was “for all people, for all time”.
Sources and further reading:
Metric Views 
An interesting article which helps put more flesh on the prelude to the metric system and which helps to debunk the imperial system.
As I see it, the various systems of units that eventually led to the metric system can be grouped as follows:
Zero quantities – the proposal by Simon Stevin that currency and units of measure should follow the decimal system
One quantity – all the proposed system that only addressed a single quantity concentrated on length – notably Bure’s system (proposed before 1646), Mouton’s system (1670) and Tito Livio Burattini (1675) who coined the name “metro catholico” (universal measure) from which we got the word “metre”.
Two quantities (One base and one derived) – In 1620 Edmund Gunter developed the link and chain (units of length) which were designed to measure areas.
Four quantities (Two base quantities and two derived quantities) – 1668 John Wilkins (length, area, volume and mass) and in 1790 – Thomas Jefferson ((length, area, volume and mass)).
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