19^ 
Weights and Measures [no. 4, new series, 
It would not coincide (except as regards the single tola) with any 
one of the Native Weights in India, and this with the attempt to 
introduce at the same time a novel system of notation, would be 
fatal. The mercantile community, and those who are desirous to 
see the Indian and English Weights assimilate to some degree, 
would of course not be satisfied with such a scale. 
Another proposition is to adopt the English Imperial Weights 
at once. The great objection to this would be the difficulty 
of introducing all over India, a We'ght so new to the people as 
a pound. It would represent neither a " seer," (pucka or cut- 
cha) a "poUum," a " chittack," or a " viss," or any definite pro- 
portions of them. Again, the question of multiples and sub-mul- 
tiples is not settled yet in England, and till this is decided, it would 
be unwise either to endeavour to enforce in India the present Eng- 
lish notation, which will probably be altered ere long, or to antici- 
pate a decimal arrangement, and introduce multiples which may 
not eventually be adopted in Great Britain. 
There is however a Ponderary system, which I venture to 
propose, as uniting the advantages of assimilation with the coin of 
the country, — assimilation (within close limits) with the best known 
of the existing Native Weights, — and assimilation with the Impe- 
rial Weights of Great Britain. 
I would propose a " seer" of 77f tolas, instead of 80. As 
far as the facility for testing doubtful weights by the coin of the 
country, this would answer as well as 80 tolas, for a quarter rupee 
is just as much a coin of defined weight (45 grains,) as a whole 
rupee, and where one can be obtained, the other can. 
This " seer" would difi'er 2| tolas weight from the one adopt- 
ed for Government transactions in Calcutta, but practically the 
" seer" Weights in India, even though professing to be 80 tolas 
weight, are seldom so much. The seer is generally said to be so 
many rupees weight, and as the rupees of former days, on which 
these seers were founded, averaged about 175 grains, (see para. 
28) the original weight would be more nearly obtained by a " seer" 
of 77J tolas. Besides, the 80 tola "seer" is not universal ; it has 
