40 Pollums = 1 Viss = 120 Tolas = 3·0857 lbs. avoir.
3 Viss = 1 Maund = 960 Tolas = 24·6857 lbs. avoir.
This "Table" was sanctioned for Madras by the Government of India, and is, as will be seen on comparison, entirely different, with the exception of the tola unit, from the Weights adopted for Calcutta.
The above remarks are* made with the view of dissipating the illusion that a Metrical system has already been defined by law, and is actually in use to a considerable extent. The universal introduction therefore of the Calcutta Table, although easier than that of any other, would still not be quite so simple a matter as some persons have been led to expect. In the Madras Presidency it certainly would be difficult to get rid of the present Native systems of Weights, which in general correspond with the Table promulgated by the Government of that Presidency.
It will be observed that the Madras Government Table does not acknowledge the "seer" weight at all; but still a seer weight of 80 tolas, known as the "pucka" seer is met with all over India. It is not much in use in Southern India, where the "seer" of 24 tolas, called the "cutcha" seer, is more common.[1] There are also "seers," both in Madras and Bombay, of 84 Rupees weight. Still, a seer of 80 tolas could no doubt be more easily introduced throughout India than any other weight.
The Calcutta Official "mun" or maund, is 8227lbs. avoir., and is not known in any part of the Madras Presidency, except at the Government Salt Depôts, and in the Coast trade of grain to the port of Madras. The Madras maund is 251bs; the Bombay maund is 281bs.; and the Surat maund in use on the Western Coast is 3113lbs.
- ↑ The original unit of Weight in Southern India, seems to have been the gold coin called by the English, a "pagoda." It is now uncurrent, but was about 5212 grains weight. 80 pagodas weight is, according to the Native Tables, a "seer" (cutcha) of 24 rupees weight. This corresponded with the average weight of the old Native rupees of 175 grains; but since the introduction of the "Company's rupee" of 180 grains, the "pagoda weight" is 54 grains generally. The same confusion formerly existed in Bengal, between a Sicca weight of 17923 grains, and a Sicca rupee of 192 grains.
