1837.] Suggestions for a New Standard for Indian W eights, <$•<?. 33 

 VI. — Suggestions for a New Standard for Indian Weights and Measures. 



TO THE EDITOR OF THE MADIAS JOURNAL OF LITERATURE AND SCIENCE. 



Sir,— As the attention of Government seems to be particularly di- 

 rected to whatever may benefit commerce in India, it is probable that 

 the important advantages likely to result from an assimilation of 

 weights and measures, as well as of coinage, throughout this country,, 

 will not be disregarded much longer. 



Before standards are fixed, no trouble should be spared in consider- 

 ing the subject in all its bearings ; in order that the most convenient 

 possible may be decided on. The more, therefore, it is discussed the 

 better, and, though the following observations may contain nothy.g 

 new, or the views expressed in them may be incorrect, they may be 

 useful as likely to elicit more valuable remarks, and, on that account, 

 worthy a place in your Journal. 



I am, Sir, yours very obediently, 



B. 



The inconvenience which must follow a change, that may affect 

 every purchase throughout the country, must necessarily be consider* 

 able. But, is not the present system, which obliges every merchant* 

 every one who buys or sells, to change his calculation of weights and 

 measures, whenever he changes his residence from one country to ano- 

 ther, or, frequently, from one village to another, productive of as grear r 

 or even greater, inconvenience, than will be caused by the one change 

 resulting from the Government adopting and enforcing a new standard ? 

 Will it not eventually become necessary to adopt one, when the trade 

 of the country is in that flourishing condition, in which the rulers of 

 the country, as well as most others, wish to see it ? And is it not desir- 

 able, therefore, that it be introduced now, when with less commerce 

 there will be less inconvenience ? In England, within a very few 

 years, the measures of liquids and grain have been assimilated ; yet 

 very little has been heard of the inconvenience, even in that commer- 

 cial country ; and the advantages of the new decimal system in France 

 have, long ere this, compensated for the temporary disadvantages and 

 inconvenience that attended its introduction. 



The native unit of measure in the Tamul country is the grain of 

 paddy in the husk — 1,800 grains of this make one dldkoo, or olluch, 

 eight of which form a measure, puddi, ndri or seer : the weight of this 

 quantity of paddy being the unit of weight. Whatever difference there 

 may be in the measures in use in different villages, this is the table of 

 measure taught the children in Tamul schools with their alphabet j 

 and, it is probable, was the universal one, when the country was under 

 one Hindoo government, if it ever were so. The proportions of the 

 measures vary but little, and although the marcal or koorooni may be 



