Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1871.djvu/707

 MONET, "VTEIGHTS, AND MEASURES.

67I

travelled over 50,281 miles, of which total 40,586 miles was'done by boats and 'runners;' 5,460 miles by carts and on horseback, and 4,235 miles by railways.

It is stated in the last official report made by the Government director of the Indian railway companies that 10,000 miles, in addi- tion to nearly 5,000 which were either open or in course of construc- tion at the commencement of 1869, will provide necessary commu- nication through all the chief provinces ; and that b}^ an annual expenditure of 3,750,000/. about 300 miles could be opened every year, supposing the cost to be 12,000/. per mile, so that thus, in about 30 years, all the requirements of India would be met, ' without either extraordinary taxation, inconvenient pressure on the public revenues, or objectionable increase of the liabilities of the State.'

Money, Weights, and Measures.

The money, weights, and measures of India, and the British equivalents, are : —

Monet.

The Mohur of Bengal, average rate of exchange

,, Mohur of Bombay ,,

,. Rupee of Bombay „ „

„ Rupee of Madras of 15 Silver Rupees „

„ Star Pagoda of Madras „

,, Madras or Company's Rupee of 16 Annas or 192 Pice

„ Sicca Rupee: 16- loths of Company's Rupee.

In 1835 the Government remodelled the currency of India, establishing a more uniform system, in conformity with which accounts are mostly kept at present in Rupees, reckoned of the value of 2 shillings, subdivided into Annas, worth l| pence, of Pice, of £ of a penny. Silver is the only legal tender and standard of value.

£

i.

d.

1

13

H

1

10

1}

1

9

n

1

9

2|

7

4

1

10J

1

111

Weights and Measuees.

The Maund of Bengal, of 40 seers ,, „ Bombay.

,, ,, Madras.

„ Candy, of 20 maunds „ Tola .... „ Guz of Bengal

2'0o4 lbs. avoirdupois.

28 lbs.

25 lbs.

24-3 bushels.

180 gr.

36 inches.

Besides the above, there are a very large number of weights and measures of purely local value, the abolition of which, and'consoli- dation into one uniform standard, has been for some years under the consideration of the Government.