july — sept. 1857.] for India. 



195 



ral adoption in India" of the Imperial Measures. The Madras Go- 

 vernment however in their Notification referred to in para. 20, pro- 

 mulgated a Table of Measures to be used in Government transac- 

 tions, as follows : 



1 Olluck = 12 J cubic inches. 



8 Ollucks = 1 Measure (Puddee) == 100 cubic inches. 

 8 Measures = I Marcal = 800 cubic inches. 



And this arrangement wa3 sanctioned by the Supreme Government 

 for the Madras Presidency. Though 10 years have elapsed, these 

 Measures have not been adopted by the people ; and even in the 

 Town of Madras, the Government have authorised the stamping 

 with the Government Seal, the " customary" Measure or " Puddee" 

 of 104^ cubic inches, which has been the real standard since 1802. 



In Bombay, the Government have attempted to introduce a 

 " Seer-measure" of the capacity of 57 cubic inches, but this being 

 so much smaller than the usual " Seer-measure" of that Presiden- 

 cy, the scheme has not met with success. 



Mr. James Prinsep in hia " Useful Tables" observes that 

 " India does not, properly speaking, possess Dry or Liquid Mea- 

 " sures. Where these are employed, they depend upon, and in 

 " fact represent, the " seer" or " maund" weight." This is true of 

 India generally, but in the neighbourhood of Madras, as already 

 shown, and in some of the Southern Districts, the ordinary grain 

 Measure is a "puddee," which does not represent any weight;" 

 and the " puddee" varies greatly in different localities. 



The most common grain Measure, and one which is to some 

 extent known in almost every part of India, is the " seer-measure ;" 

 this. is always understood to be a Measure which when heaped will 

 contain a " seer" weight of rice, or in some places instead of rice, 

 a mixture of the 9 most common grains, known as the nou-danium 

 measurement.* 



As only heaped measure is recognised by Native usage, it is evi- 



* The 9 grains used in the Madras Presidency, are Rice, Chenna, Cooltee 

 Pessoloo, Minamaloo, Dholl, Anamaloo, Gingely oil-seed, and Wheat. 



