Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/513

 MONEY, WEIGHTS, AND MEASURES.

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varied with the value of the piastre. In 1861, the piastre Avas valued at ^-g of 1/. sterling, and consequently the 'purse' at Al. Since that time the value of the piastre has risen to 2*1664f/., and conse- quently the pui-se to 4/. 10s. sterling. The Turkish gold currency is of the standard of '91 GO. The golden Medjidie ought to "weigh 24/ drachmes, or 111*368 grains, to contain 102*0129 grains of fine gold, and therefore to be worth 18s. 0*648^. In practice, however, it is found that its average weight, when new, is only 11 1*109 grains, its contents in fine gold 101*7758 grains, and its value conse- quently. — at the English Mint price of 4/. 4s. ll^d. per oz. for fine gold, or 0*00884943/. per grain— would be 18s. 0*169c?. The Medjidie piastre, or the 100th part of a Medjidie, would at this rate be worth 2*1664, and the English sovereign 110*77 piastres.

The present monetary system of Turkey, was established in the reign of the late Sultan Abdul-Medjid, on which account the name of Medjidie is frequently given to the Lira, the unit of the system.

Weights and Measures.

The Oke, of 400 drams.

,, Al in I'd ....

,, Killow .... 44 Okes = 1 Cantar or Kiiital 39*44 Okes .... 180 Okes = 1 Tcheki.

1 Kilo = 20 Okes. 816 Kilos .... The Andaze (cloth measure)

,, Archin (land measure)

„ Donuin (laud measure)

2*8326 lbs avoirdupois.

1*151 imperial gallon.

0*9120 imperial bushel.

125 lb. avoirdupois.

1 cwt.

511*380 pounds.

- 36 imperial quarter.

100 imperial quarters.

27 inches.

30 inches.

40 square paces.

The killow is the chief measure for grain, the lower measures being definite weights rather than measures. By the law of 17th November, 1841, the killow of Constantinople was made the only legal killow of the whole empire, and the killow of Smyrna and that of Salonica were abolished. Two killows of Smyrna, or one of Salonica, were equal to three of Constantinople nearly. 100 killows are equal to 12*128 British imperial quarters, or 35*266 hectolitres.

Statistical and other Books of Reference concerning Turkey and Tributary States.

1. Official Publications.

Salname 1287. Official Almanac for the Turkish Empire. 8. Constanti- nople, 1870.

Eisale-Nameh. Turkish Almanac for 1287 Hedjra. 12. Constantinople, 1870.

La Turquie a l'Exposition Universelle de 1867. Par S. E. Salaheddin-bey, commissaire imperial ottoman. Paris, 1867.