284 



ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



[Calcutta. 



rupees, and filling up the vacancy with base metal, and their wilfully 

 diminishing the weight of the coin after coming from the mint, the currencies 

 of rupees from the different provinces are of different values. This defect 

 has introduced a custom of employing shroffs or money-changers, whose 

 business is to set a value upon these different currencies, according to every 

 circumstance, either in their favour, or their prejudice. When a sum of 

 rupees is brought to one of these shroffs, he examines them piece by piece, 

 and arranges them according to their fineness ; then by their weight ; he 

 then allows for the different legal battas upon Siccas and Sonauts ; and this 

 done, he values in gross by the rupees current what the whole are worth ; 

 so that the rupee current is the only thing fixed, by which coin is valued. 



A current rupee is reckoned at 2s., and a Sicca rupee of account com- 

 monly at 2s. 6d. 



A lac of rupees is 1,00,000; and a crore, 100 lacs, or 1,00,00,000 

 rupees; and in accounts, sums are distinguished into crores, lacs, and single 

 rupees, by marks or divisions, as in the aforegoing examples. 



Cowries, small white glossy shells, are made use of for small payments 

 in the bazar, and are generally thus reckoned : — 



4 Cowries equal to 1 Gunda 



20 Gunrtfls « 1 Pun 



4 Puns « 1 Anna 



4- Annas „ ^ 1 Cahun, which is about \ of a rupee. 



But they rise and fall according to the demand there is for them, and 

 the quantity in the market. 



Weights. — Great weights are maunds, seers, chittacks, and siccas, 

 thus divided: — 



>j Siccas are equal to .....1 Chittack. 



16 Chittacks 1 Seer. 



40 Seers • 1 Maun (I. 



There are two maunds in use here, viz. the factory maund, which is 

 74 lbs. 10 oz. 10.660 drs. avoirdupois; and the bazar maund, which is 10 

 per cent, better, and is 82 lbs. 2 oz. 2.133 drs. 



80 Sicca Weight equal to a Calcutta Bazar Seer. 



60 Ditto a Scrampore Seer. 



82 Ditto a Hughly Ditto. 



84 Ditto a Benares Mirzapore Ditto. 



96 Ditto an Allahabad anil Lucknow Ditto. 



A Calcutta Factory Seer is equal to 72 Sicca weight, I J Annas, 2 Punt, 

 10 Gundas, 3.63 Cowries. 



