JULY — SEPT. 1851.] 



fat India, 



199 



I would propose as a Measure of Capaciiy, a vessel to be 

 called a " Seer," but exactly equivalent to an Imperial Quart. 

 The present " seer-measure" averages a capacity of 66 J cubic 

 inches : the Quart is 69*3185. The present " seer-measure" con- 

 tains when struck, about 74 tolas of rice, or 76 of mixed grain, 

 and about 80 tolas of either when heaped : the Quart would con- 

 tain 78 tolas of Rice, or 80 of mixed grain when struck, and (with 

 a diameter of 4 inches,) about 86 tolas when heaped ; but heaped 

 measure should not be recognised by Government. I cannot but 

 think that if there exists an English Measure which corresponds 

 (taking struck content) so closely either to the Native " seer" of 

 80 tolas, or to the " seer" of 77f tolas which I have proposed, 

 that it should be adopted, whichever of the two " seers" of iceight 

 the Government may select. It is also to be added, that the Quart 

 will contain an even number of tolas (rupees) weight in water ; 

 namely, 17460 grains, or 97 tolas exactly, at a temperature of 84° 

 Fahrenheit. This may be calculated from the Table at page 212. 



The " Seer-measure" then, would be denned as a vessel con- 

 taining 97 tolas of water at a temperature of 84°, and its bulk 

 69*3185 cubic inches. A reference to the water being distilled, or 

 to the height of the Barometer, will not be necessay in practice. 

 The Barometer in the Tropics fluctuates very slightly, and a fall 

 of 1 inch, due to an elevation of about 940 feet, would only make 

 a difference of '615 grain, to be deducted from the normal 97 tolas 

 assigned to the Quart- seer. 



It would not be necessary, if the Government recognised 

 struck measure only, to define the diameters (or even the shapes) 

 of the vessels of capacity, for all that is required is that they con- 

 tain a certain number of tolas weight of water. Still for uniformity's 

 sake, and the more easy discovery of fraud, the vessels should be 

 cylindrical, and it would be desirable that the models, as well as 

 all vessels made up at the Government Stores, should have a dia- 

 meter proportionate in some simple ratio, to the depth. The dia- 

 meter the same as the depth would be the best, but those who are 

 accustomed to measuring grain and salt, assert that this would be 

 too broad to be convenient, and a diameter one half the depth too 



