Home › Moneys of the World › Measures and Weights: Chinese
Measures and Weights: Chinese
The fathom of 4 cubits, or 8 spans, = 61½ feet; 20 fathoms = 1 sen; and 100 sen = 1 yuta. The sen is also a square measure of 20 fathoms to the side. Gold and silver are weighed by small weights having the same denominations as the coins. The ordinary measure is the catty = 225 lbs. avoirdupois, being double the Chinese catty. The pecul contains 50 catties, and is thus equal to the Chinese. In weighing rice and salt a large measure is used, consisting of 22 peculs to the former and 25 to the latter; rice is also measured by the basket, 100 of which are equivalent to the large measure above mentioned.
SINGAPORE.
In this British settlement in the Straits of Malacca, accounts are stated in Spanish dollars divided into 100 cents; also in rupees, annas, and pice, as in INDIA. Bills are commonly drawn on London at 6 months' sight; and on Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, Batavia, and Canton, at 30 days' sight. The covid, cloth measure, = 18 Imp. inches. The gantang of 2 bamboos, by which liquids, grain, and fruit, are sometimes sold, = 114 English gallon, or 1.04 Imp. gallon. The common weight is the Chinese pecul of 100 catties, or 1600 taels, = 1334/3 lbs. avoirdupois. Salt, rice (from Siam and the Malayan Archipelago), and sago are sold by the koyan of 40 peculs. Bengal rice and corn are sold by the bag containing 2 Bengal maunds, or 164 lbs. avoirdupois. Piece goods are sold by the corge or score. The gold and silver weight is the buncal, which weighs 2 dollars, or 832 troy grains. British measures and weights are generally employed in the sale of European commodities.
SPAIN.
Since 1871, the unit of account has been the silver peseta of 100 centesimos, or 4 reals, of the same value as the French franc.
Formerly money was reckoned in reals of 34 maravedis vellon or 100 centavos; and 100 reals = 1 duro or hard dollar. The real vellon, a very common coin, is valued at 2½d. sterling. The duro is valued at 4s. The French 5 franc piece is reckoned at 19 reals. The gold coins still consist of doubloons and pistoles. I In exchanges, the penny is divided into 100 cents; 100 reals equal £1; and the dollar equal 48 pence.
The ancient connection of Spain with the American mining districts led to numerous regulations, which have influenced the monetary transactions of Spain and America; and doubloons and dollars still constitute the principal forms in which gold and silver circulate as bullion.
Coins: In gold: the quadruple pistole, or doubloon of 8 escudos d'oro, = 320 reals vellon, or 16 hard dollars; the doubloon of 4 escudos = 160 reals vellon; the common doubloon or pistole = 80 reals vellon; the escudo d'oro = 40 reals vellon; the coronilla or gold dollar = 20 reals vellon. In silver; the hard dollar = 20 reals vellon; the half-dollar or escudo vellon = 10 reals vellon; also the 14 dollar, or Mexican peseta : the dollar, or Provincial peseta; the dollar, or real of Mexican plate; the dollar, or real Provincial plate; the dollar, or half-real of Mexican plate; and the dollar, or real vellon. In copper; double quartos of 8 maravedis vellon; quartos; ochavos, or new maravedis of plate; maravedis of vellon. The weight of the doubloon of 8 escudos or quadruple pistole is 417.70 troy grains; its contents in pure gold 365.49 troy grains; and its value when of full weight, £3, 4s. 84d.; the weight of the hard dollar, 417.70 troy grains; its contents in pure silver, 374.19 troy grains; and its full valne 4s. 21/½d. But the more general values of these coins, as deduced from assays, are £3, 4s. Id., and 4s. 2d. respectively. In 1848, new regulations were introduced under which a gold piece of 100 reals vellon, called the doubloon of Isabella, was issued. weighing 8.336 grammes, 1 fine = 25 fr. 84 c., or 20s. 6d. sterling.
In 1848 also the French metrical system was adopted, and made obligatory in 1861; but the following is the proper Spanish system :-
The (Burgos) foot of 12 pulgados or 16 dedos = 11.128 Imp. inches; the vara, or Castile ell, of 3 feet, or 4 palmos, = 33.38 Imp. inches; and 100 varas = 92.73 Imp. yards; the codo, for measuring timber and masts, is ds of the vara, or 2 feet, and consists of 8 palmos de Ribeira: the estada, braza, toesa, or fathom, is 6 feet; the cuerda is 33 palmos de vara, or 99 palmos de Ribeira; the estadale is 12 feet. The Castilian or juridical league of 5000 varas = 4637 Imp. yards; the Spanish league of 8000 varas = 7418 Imp. yards; the marine league is 24th of a degree.
The arançada of vineyard land = 53777 square varas = 3. Imp. roods, 33 poles nearly; the fanegada of corn land is in general about 6000 square varas, or i Imp. acre, 10½ poles nearly; the yugada is 50 fanegadas; and the cahizada is a vague measure of land, on which a cahiz of corn may be sown. The
The cantara, or greater arroba, wine measure of 8 azumbres or 32 quartillos = 3.54 Imp. gallons; and 16 wine arrobas = 1 moyo = 56.64 Imp. gallons. The lesser arroba, oil measure, of 4 quartillos, or 100 quarterones, = 2.77 Imp. gallons. botta = 30 wine arrobas = 38½ oil arrobas = 106 Imp. gallons nearly the pipe = 27 wine arrobas = 34½ oil arrobas = 95½ Imp. gallons.
The fanega corn measure of 12 celemines, or 48 quartillos, = 1.55 Imp. bushel; and 100 fanegas = 1938 Imp. quarters; the cahiz of 12 fanegas = 180 Imp. bushels.
The pound of 2 Castilian marks, 16 ounces, 128 drachms, or 9216 grains = 7101 troy grains; the arroba of 25 lbs.= 25.36 lbs. avoirdupois; and the quintal of 4 arrobas, or 100 lbs.,= 101.44 lbs. avoirdupois.
The apothecaries' weight is the same as the above; their ounce, however, is divided into 8 drachms, 24 scruples, 48 obolos, 144 caracteres, or 576 grains. The gold and silver weight is the Castilian mark = 3550% troy grains; in weighing gold it is divided into 50 castellanos, 400 tomines, or 4800 grains; and in weighing silver into 8 ounces, 64 ochavos, 128 adarmes, 384 tomines, or 4608 grains. The fineness of gold is expressed by dividing the mark or other unit of reference into 24 carats, each of 4 grains; the fineness of silver, by dividing it into 12 dineros, each of 24 grains. nearly.
The diamond ounce of 140 carats, or 560 Castilian grains, = 431½ troy grains The preceding are the Castilian standards, which were the general or official standards of Spain. But the local variations are numerous, and sometimes perplexing, though all are falling gradually into disuse.
SWEDEN.
The general monetary unit is now the krona of 100 ore = 15. 114 d. sterling. The principal coins are in gold, 20 and 10 kroner pieces, valued at 225. 04d. and 115. 07/8d. In silver, the krone, with pieces of 50, 25, and 10 ore; also copper pieces of 5, 2, and I ore.
New Decimal System, obligatory since 1862. This is based on the old integers. Length. -The ref of 10 stanger, or 100 feet, = 29.69 metres, or 32.47 Imp. yds. Surface. The square ref of 100 sq. stanger.
Capacity. The cubic foot of 10 kannor, or 1000 cubic inches, = 26.15 litres, or 5.756 Imp. galls.; and 100 kannor = 7.20 Imp. bushels. Weight. The pound (skalpund) of 100 ort = 425.23 grammes, or 6563 troy grains. The centner of 100 lbs. = 42.52 kilogrammes, or 93.76 lbs. avoirdupois; 100 centners = I new last. The English ton is approximately reckoned 24 centners. The ell of 2 feet=23.38 Imp. inches; and 100 ells=64.94 Imp. yards; the fathom is 3, and the ruthe, 8 ells. The Swedish mile=2250 ruthes=11689 Imp. yards, or about 6 Imp. miles, 5 furlongs.
The tunnaland=2183/4 squares ruthes=1220 Imp. acre.
The kann, liquid measure, contains 2 stoops, or 8 quarters; and 100 kanns= 57.56 Imp. gallons; the anker is 15, the eimer 30, the tunna 48, the ahm 60, the oxhufvud 90, the pipe 180, and the fuder 360 kanns.
The tunna, corn measure, of 2 spann, 8 fierdingar, 32 kappar, or 56 kanns= 4.029 Imp. bushels; but as 4 kappar are allowed to every tunna of wheat, oats, rye, or barley, for good measure, the tunna of corn may be estimated at 4½ Imp. bushels; the allowance for good measure to the tunna of malt is 6 kappar, and to the tunna of salt or lime, 2 kappar; coals are sold by the tunna heaped. The commercial weight is termed victualie-wigt; and the pound or skolpund, victualie-wigt, of 2 marks, 32 lods, or 128 quentins=8848 Dutch as=6563 troy grains; also 100 pounds victualie-wigt=93.76 lbs. avoirdupois. The lispund is 20 lbs. victualie-wigt; the sten, 32 lbs; the centner, 120 lbs; the waag, 165 lbs; and the skeppund is 20 lispunds or 400 lbs. victualie-wigt.
The mark, berg-werk-wigt, or miners' weight,=7821.63 as=5801 troy grains. The mark, land-staten-wigt, or country and city weight,=7450.02 as = 5526 troy grains. The mark, jern-wigt, or stapelstad-wigt, for weighing iron and commodities in entrepôt,=7078.40, as=5250 troy grains ; and 100 marks or lbs. jern-wigt, = 75 lbs avoirdupois.
SWITZERLAND.