1893.] E. Thurston — History of the East India Company Coinage. 81 
“ The Surat rupee was also adopted as the currency of the Bombay 
Presidency under the treaty with the Nawab of Surat, who retained 
the privilege of coining ; but in 1800 its pure contents were found to 
have sunk to 164-79 grains, when, to prevent further depreciation, the 
Government assumed charge of the mint, and the rupee was then fixed 
at the later valuation of 164' 7 grains pure. 
“ The Delhi rupee struck at the Fathgarh mint by the Vizier 
of Oudh, in like manner, gradually diminished to 165’2 grains pure, 
when, by cession of the Duab to the English, it was there arrested, and 
by a Regulation of 1806, was assumed as the standard currency of the 
Western Provinces. It was afterwards introduced into the Benares 
Provinces, where, (that mint having come earlier into our possession), 
the depreciation of the rupee has not reached the same extent : pure 
contents 169'2. 
“ The Arcot rupee in 1788, according to the assay tables, still 
retained 170 grains of pure silver. When adopted, however, as the 
standard rupee of the Madras Presidency, it had fallen to 165 grains, 
and there of course it has since remained. 
“ The alteration of the standard to ^ of alloy in 1818 did not 
affect the proportion of pure metal, but the facility of equalising the 
three coins (Bombay, Madras, Farrukhabad) had been observed both 
in England and India ; and, when the Sagar mint was established in 
1825, it was ordered to coin new Farrukhabad rupees of 180 grains 
weight, the same as the standard of Madras, or containing 165 grains 
pure. The Bombay mint was ordered to assimilate its coin to the same 
in 1829. The Benares rupee alone continued to coin Farrukhabads of 
180-234 grains until its abolition in 1829 ; and the Calcutta mint has 
since coined them of the same weight, although a good opportunity 
was afforded by the promulgation of the new system in Bombay to have 
effected a simultaneous reform here.” 
In the letter under notice Mr. Prinsep recommended (and Govern- 
ment saw the expediency of adopting the recommendation) 1 that : — 
I. The weight of the Farrukhabad rupee struck at the Calcutta 
mint be 180 grains troy instead of 180'234 grains ; and that the weight 
of the Calcutta sikka rupee be 192 grains instead of 19F916, correspond- 
ing alterations being made in the half and quarter rupee. 
II. The sikka weight (contra-distinguished to the sikka rupee) be 
equalised with the weight of the Farrukhabad rupee. 
In October, 1833, Mr. Prinsep recommended that the armorial 
bearings impressed on both the Bombay and 
Calcutta. Madras copper coins, should be immediately 
1 Reg. VII, 1893. See Thurston, op. cit. 
J. I. 11 
