558 On the Refinage of undent andard Silver. [June, 



The East India Company's new rupee is by law composed of 1 1 parts 

 by weight of pure silver and 1 of copper. A pound of this alloy is 

 divided into 12 ounces, each ounce into 20 penny weights. In the 

 receipt of bullion tendered at the mints, the alloy of ll-12ths is 

 taken as standard, and according to the number of half penny weights 

 of pure silver, above or below eleven ounces, or 220 dwts. the bullion 

 is on assay reported better or worse than standard. The composition 

 of a few of the most remarkable varieties of bullion and coin received 

 at the Calcutta mint will illustrate this statement. 

 1 ft of Dwts. of 



contains — Fine silver — Alloy . 



Standard Silver, 220 



Silver Coin of Great Britain, 222 



New Dutch Guilders, 226 



Old Sicca Rupees, 235 



Sycee silver of best quality, .... 23 6£ 

 Silver ingots from mint refinery,. 240 



Spanish Dollars, 215£ 



Five Franc pieces, 216 



Nanashaye Rupees of Jaloun, . . 202 

 Debmohree Rs. of Assam, .... 130 



These few instances are sufficient to exemplify the practical range of 

 proportion in the silver and alloy of the bullion usually presented. By 

 the mint rules a charge for refinage is levied on all such bullion, which 

 is alloyed to a greater extent than 26^- parts or penny weights in 240. 

 technically 6^- " worse" than standard. 



In alloys however of silver and copper only, it is generally found that 

 however large the proportion of copper, the bullion does not require 

 refinage for coinage purposes, if mixed with the requisite quantity of 

 pure silver, or superior silver alloyed with copper only. Thus Dollars 

 and Five Franc pieces may be used for alligation without risk of render- 

 2 ng the resulting ingots unmanageable in the subsequent stages of 

 coinage. But if the bullion, whether worse or better than standard 

 contains lead, tin, brass or sulphur in a larger proportion than two 

 dwts. in the pound, it affords ingots which generally prove brittle in 

 the course of manipulation, or give a mixture of uncertain fineness 

 and unfit to be coined, To illustrate this I may mention that I have fre- 





Assay Report. 



•Alloy-, 



20 



Standard. 



18 



2 Dwts. Better, 



14 



6 Br. 



5 



15 Br. 



H 



16£ Br. 







20 Br. Pure, 



24J 



A\ Worse. 



24 



4 Wo. 



38 



18 Wo. 



110 



90 Wo. 



