April — sept. 1859.] On Indian Weights and Measures. 19 



dilation from time to time by Native States ; this when we come 

 to fix the number of grains that ought to exist in the Tola unit 

 renders it difficult if not impossible to say which is the right and 

 which the wrong number of grains. 



The Rupee, as the Tola unit in many different parts of India, 

 has been reported at any number of grains from 170 to 190 and 

 upwards. 



Captain Jervi3 in his Indian Metrology says, that 187*5 grains, 

 as established by Akbar, is the true Tola weight ; the seer being 

 76-8 tolas or 14,400 grains, and the maund 3072 tolas. Probably 

 Mr. Jervis is right, we do not maintain the contrary. It may 

 be perfectly clear to those who investigate the subject that the 

 tola of 187" 5 grains is the true and ancient standard by which the 

 coinage and ponderary system of India was and ought to be regu- 

 lated ; but this is just as clear that we have now a Tola unit of 180 

 grains established by Act ; and, even if on other grounds it were de- 

 sirable to raise this to 187*5 and found a ponderary system there- 

 upon, there would still exist that same objection which Mr. Bayley 

 has taken to our present Tables of weights, viz : want of comfor- 

 mity to the imperial measure of Great Britain. 



A ponderary system calculated upon a Tola unit of 187*5 grains 

 results in most inconvenient numbers, as may be seen from the pre- 

 sent Calcutta and Madras Tables, which calculated on the same 

 principle, cannot be converted into Avoirdupois without innumera- 

 ble decimals. 



Calcutta Table. 



Equivalent 

 in Eng. lbs. 



Grains. Tolas. Chittaks. Seer. Mun. 

 187*5= 1 .. .. 

 937*5 = 5 = 1 

 150,000 — 80 — 16 — 1 

 6,000,000 = 3,200 = 640 = 40 = 1 . . 



lbs. 



2*142857 

 85*71428 &c 



