BAN 



Banians, ablution. They wear at their necks a stone about 

 the size of an egg, which is perforated in the middle, 

 and has three strings drawn through it. As this 

 stone, which they call tambcran, represents their 

 great god, it procures them very high respect among 

 all the Indians. 



The name Banians is likewise applied in general 

 to all the idolaters of India, as distinguished from 

 the Mahometans, and is more particularly appropria- 

 ted to one of the four principal casts into which the 

 Indians are divided : the other three casts are the Bra- 

 mins, or priests; the Rajaputs, or men of the sword; 

 and the artists, or labourers. 



In their shaster, or statute-book, the proper Ba- 

 nians are distinguished by the name of Skuddcry, 

 which comprehends all persons engaged in traffic or 

 merchandise. Their name, in the Bramin language, 

 signifies innocent and harmless ; and nothing can be 

 mere expressive of their real character ; for they 

 would not hurt the most insignificant creature, and 

 they bear injuries with more than Christian meek- 

 ness. They are not distinguished from the other 

 Hindus by any peculiar religious tenets; but of the 

 eight general precepts delivered by Bramaw, the In- 

 dian legislator, two are supposed more immediately 

 to refer to the Banians, as they enjoin veracity and 

 honour in all their speeches and transactions, and for- 

 bid circumvention in buying or selling. 



A great proportion of the inland trade of the In- 

 dies is carried on by the Banians, particularly in the 

 peninsula on this side of the Ganges. Though ex- 

 tremely expert in commercial transactions, they are 

 equally remarkable for their honesty. Persons of 

 this cast are generally chosen as the brokers of the 

 English, Dutch, and French companies, with whose 



230 BAN 



stock and cash they are almost constantly entrusted. 

 The Banians are also bankers ; and their bills of ex- 

 change are current almost through the whole of the 

 East Indies. They have, besides, a kind of standing 

 bank, in which persons may deposit their money, 

 and lift it again when they find it convenient. 



The form of contract which they employ in their 

 bargains deserves to be described. The transaction is 

 carried on in the most profound silence, by touching 

 one another's fingers : the buyer takes off his gir- 

 dle, and spreads it on his knee ; and both parties, 

 having their hands beneath it, can, by the mere inter- 

 course of their fingers, mark, even to the lowest de- 

 nomination, the price demanded, offered, and accept- 

 ed. When the seller takes the buyer's whole hand, 

 it denotes a thousand, and as many times as he 

 squeezes it, so many thousand pagods, rupees, &c. 

 are offered every finger denotes a- hundred ; a half- 

 finger, to the second joint, fifty ; and the small end 

 of the finger, to the first joint, ten. 



Almost from childhood the Banians are accustomed 

 to trade, and to that gentleness of disposition and of 

 manners, which is characteristic of their cast. Their 

 slaves are treated with great humanity. In general, 

 they are extremely frugal ; but, when they settle 

 their children, they launch out into great extrava- 

 gance. Their women are remarkable for their chas- 

 tity ; nor do husbands allow their wives the least 

 intercourse with strangers. This restraint they jus- 

 tify by a favourite proverb : " If you bring butter 

 too near the fire, you can hardly keep it from melt- 

 ing." (,.) 



BANISTERIA, a genus of plants of the class 

 Decandria, and order Trigynia. See Botany, (tv) 



Banians 

 Banii teria. 



BANK. 



Bank. In commercial language, a bank is a repository 

 or an establishment, for the purpose of receiving 

 the money of individuals, either to keep it in se- 

 curity, or to improve it by trafficking in goods, 

 bullion, or bills of exchange; and it may be either 

 of a public, or of a private nature. A public bank 

 is generally regulated by certain laws enacted by the 

 government of the state, which constitute its charter, 

 limit its capital, and establish the rules by which it 

 is, to conduct business. A private bank, on the 

 other hand, is merely a contract among individuals, 

 for carrying on a trade in money and bills ; and the 

 responsibility of the partners is the only security of 

 those who transact with it. 



Banks are properly commercial institutions, which, 

 by affording credits, or issuing notes, as the repre- 

 >entative of money, enable merchants, with greater 

 facility, to buy and seil commodities at home or 

 abroad. The produce of one country is thus ex- 

 changed with that of another, by means of a medium 

 to which an ideal value is attached. Hence the 

 great utility of banking establishments in all com- 

 mercial countries. 



Among the ancients, the term banker implied 

 something different from its modern signification ; 

 and conveyed an idea corresponding with the profes- 



sion of an agent, broker, or money-lender. Bankers Bank, 

 were called argentarii and nummtdarii, by the Ro '- v~ 

 mans ; and they lent out the money of private per- 

 sons on interest, wrote the necessary deeds ; and as- 

 sisted in buying and selling all kinds of property. 



The first establishment of banking in a regular and Bank of 

 systematic form, took place at Venice, about the Venice, 

 middle of the 12th century; and it arose from the 

 necessities of the state. Duke Vitale Michel II. 

 being involved in expensive wars with the empire of 

 the West, and the Grecian Emperor Manuel, em- 

 barrassed the finances of the republic ; and to relieve 

 it from the pressure of its difficulties, he had recourse 

 to a forced LOAN" ; .'he contributors to which 

 were made creditors, and received interest at the rate 

 of four per cent, per annum. " The Chamber of 

 Loans" [la (.'anion dig? imprestiiii) was established 

 for the management of this fund, and regular pay- 

 ment of the interest ; which, gradually improving 

 its plan, at last formed itself into the more perfect 

 institution of the Bank of Venice. 



This celebrated bank has served as a model to al- 

 most every similar establishment in succeeding ages. 

 Its capital is 5,000,01)0 ducats, for which the re- 

 public is security. It is properly a board for depo- 

 sit, credit, and interest. By an edict of the state, 



