preparations for the introduction of the metric system in the kingdom of saxony were made as part of the work of the standardization commission ("normalaichungscommission"), led by albert christian weinlig and julius ambrosius hülße. these two men envisaged a transition phase from the old units. almost simultaneously, similar efforts were being made at the level of the german confederation. a new survey was carried out in 1858, and between 1859 and 1865 a new system of milestones – the were made in the shape of station milestones ("stationssteine"), full mile, half mile, junction ("abzweig-") and border crossing stones ("grenzübergangssteine"), noting that, from 1840, 1 mile = 7.5 km. upon the full introduction of the metric system around 1900, some of these were converted to kilometer, chaussee, boundary ("flurgrenz") and roadkeeper stones ("straßenwärtersteine").