446 On the Standard Weights of England and India. [Oct. 



Bazar tnaund at Calcutta, 82 lbs. 2 oz. 2.055 dr. avoirdupois. 



. at Benares, 82 lbs. 6 oz. 5.9 



Salt maund of 82 siccas to the seer, .. 84 lbs. 203. 15.7 drs. 



Factory maund, 74 lbs. 10 oz. 10.666 



Madras candy of 20 maunds, 500 lbs. the uid. = 24 lbs. 2 oz. 



Bombay ditto of 20 ditto, 560 lbs. 28 lbs. 



The Calcutta or pakka maund is also used at the latter place, and 

 in bullion is received at the Madras and Bombay mints by the pound 

 troy, as it is in England : in purchases of native produce, bazar 

 weights are used, which vary in almost every different district : in 

 transactions with the Company's commercial agents, the factory maund 

 is employed ; in salt purchases a maund of 82 siccas to the seer ; opium 

 is sold in packages of 133 to 140 lbs. to suit the Chinese pikal 

 weight ; while again for exportation to Europe, English cwts. or lbs. 

 must be entered in the invoice, so that in one merchant's godown 

 there are generally not less than three species of weights, and it is 

 matter of experience, that continual mistakes will occur in their use, 

 unless, as is seldom the case, they are marked in very legible characters, 

 intelligible not only to Europeans, but also to the native weighmen. 

 It was not long since a case occurred in which the weights of a com- 

 mercial establishment were found to be in error eight or ten per cent. : it 

 may be very fairly supposed, that this proceeded from, the confusion 

 of the weights of different systems, although it must be acknowledged, 

 that a skilful podar would very soon perceive differences of such large 

 amount, and if he were inclined to take fraudulent advantage of them, 

 could do so without much risk of discovery. It has been at times 

 source of complaint, that the receipt and delivery weighments at 

 the custom-house are at variance ; in short, if it be desired to clear 

 away all suspicions of wilful or accidental error, and to simplify to the 

 utmost the transactions of commerce, it can only be done by adopting 

 one system of weight ; abolishing all others by common consent, and 

 establishing means of adjustment and verificationaccessible to all parties. 

 We shall now offer a few hints on the system which appears most 

 eligible from its simplicity, its connection with existing things, and its 

 ready adjustment to the standard system of Great Britain ; our reason 

 for doing so, through these pages, in the first instance, rather than in a 

 direct appeal to the proper authorities, where we have every reason to 

 know they would meet with proper consideration is, that the question 

 is one of universal interest, and, where the convenience of the public 

 is concerned, the more such a measure is canvassed, the more likely 

 will it be to have its faults and objections pointed out, and improve- 

 ments, either radical or collateral, suggested. 



