April— sept. 1859.] On Indian Weights and Measures. 25 



them. Practically, whether the Rupee weighs 175 grains or 180 

 grains, so long as the quantity of pure silver remains the same, 

 seems of little importance. All coins in circulation suffer wear 

 and tear and diminish in weight, and yet people in their every day 

 transactions never think of testing the weight of each piece. At 

 least it is many years before a coinage will arrive at such a stage 

 that pieces are rejected as light; and they will be light many more 

 grains than five when such is the case, the remedy allowed in the 

 weight of the present Rupee is 1J grains, so it is possible even 

 with the present coinage when it leaves the Mint that one coin 

 may be 3 grains heavier or lighter than another. The proposed 

 change is only 5 grains. In practice no difference will be observed, 

 that so accustomed are people to attach a particular value to cer- 

 tain coins in circulation.* It is only when coins are brought into 

 exchange with the coins and commodities of a foreign country that 

 any so slight a deviation (as proposed) from what has existed, 

 would be taken into account, and in this matter the proposed 

 change to a Rupee of 175 grains, of which 165 are pure silver, 

 would work in our favor. For just as a depreciated currency pro- 

 duces an adverse rate of exchange, a currency of greater fineness 

 will raise the rate. With a Rupee weighing 175 grains, cceteris 

 paribus, the par of exchange with England (calculated at the 

 usual rate 6s. per oz. of silver) would be raised from Is. 9-29625^, 

 the present par to Is. 10*29875^, (t. e.) could be raised more than 

 a penny, 



grs. dwts. dwts. 



Ex.. Gross weight. 175) i. e.) 226-2857 are pure out of 240 

 Pure Silver. . 165 j («. e.) 4*2857 better call it, 4-29 R. 



* Formerly, it is true, Rupees were distinguished by the years in 

 which they were coined, that is to say, they bore the impression of the 

 year of the reigning King of Delhi in which they were struck, and 

 after 4 or 5 years suffered a depreciation and became what are called 

 Sonat Rupees or Rupees of years. But the depreciation was more no- 

 minal than any thing else and arose from the acts of money lenders 

 more than from any intrinsic depreciation in the coin itself. The dif- 

 ferent coins usually passed current indiscriminately especially if the 

 impression of the Sonat Rupee happened to be so effaced as not to recall 

 the year in which it was struck. 

 Vol. xx. o. s. Vol. vi. n. s. 



