26 On Indian Weights and Measures. [No. 9, new series. 



175 r 



4-29 



1575 

 350 

 200 



175 X 3-39 = 178-39 equivalent weight 

 in Standard Silver. 



Standard Silver at 60 d. peroz. : or'\25d. per 

 grain 178 39 X -125 = Is. 10 29875c/. 



222) 750 75 (3-39 ' 



As regards prices the trifling alteration proposed would have no 

 effect at all probably. For as on one hand a man buying a pound 

 of sugar for a Rupee would get 200 grains less weight of sugar for 

 his Rupee than formerly, which is tantamount to a rise in prices, 

 so on the other hand the value of the Rupee, by its greater fineness, 

 being somewhat enhanced in the eyes of the foreigner would gra- 

 dually become more appreciated at home and the holder of a Ru- 

 pee would demand more than a pound of sugar in exchange for his 

 coin, which is tantamount to a fall in prices. This fall and rise 

 would destroy each other. A distant and defined date should be 

 named upon which the change was to come into effect. Other- 

 wise any sudden introduction would work as a fraud upon all cre- 

 ditors. A is debtor to B for one viss of sugar to be supplied 

 on a certain day. Eetween the contract and its execution the 

 Standard unit is reduced. A viss formerly consisted of 21,600 

 grains now only of 21,000. B is defrauded of 600 grains. 



Or, some such regulation might be passed that it was not to affect 

 existing contracts, but be only prospective ; in the interim Rupees 

 of 175 grains might be coined at once and issued for circulation, 

 the collectors being ordered to shroff their remittances to the Pre- 

 sidency so as to send down none but old Rupees. In this way, 

 though it would take some time, Rupees of 180 grains would gra- 

 dually be drawn out of circulation and Rupees of 1 75 grains be in- 

 troduced. 



Mr. Bayley lastly considers the measures of capacity. The most 

 common measure, he tells us, is the seer measure, which, when heap- 

 ed will contain a seer weight of rice or non-danium. Setting aside 

 the arbitrary and undefined kind of an idea a heaped measure 

 gives one, Government as Mr. Bayley says could not " lend a 

 sanction to it." Nevertheless in this also it would be as well 

 to diverge as little as possible from the principle of th£ 



