Directory_and_Chronicle_1899 — Page 433

WEIGHTS, MEASURES, MONEY.

HONGKONG AND STRAITS SETTLEMENTS

383

MONEY:-The legal tender is British or Mexican Dollars, local 50, 20, 10 and 5 cent silver pieces, to the amount of $2, bronze cents and mils in Hongkong, and one, half, and quarter cents in the Straits Settlements to the value of $1. Chopped dollars of any coinage except British, which it is illegal to deface, and subsidiary coins of the Kwangtung mint are in general use in Hongkong, while rupees and Indian Government currency notes circulate freely in the Straits. Some of the banks issue notes from one dollar upwards.

The gold value of the dollar during 1897 ranged from 28. 14d. to 18. 91d. A proposal to adopt a gold standard for the Straits Settlements is now under consideration by Government.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES :-English, Malay and Chinese in the Straits Settlements, and English and Chinese in Hongkong and the Treaty Ports of China are used.

1 Hiyaku-me or

1 Kwam-me or 1,000 Momme

100 Momme

1 Momme

or

10 Fun

1 Fun

or

10 Rin

1 Rin

or

10 Mo

1 Mo

or

10 Shi

1 Shi

1 Hiyak-kin or

100 Kin

1 Kin

or

160 Momme

JAPANESE

WEIGHTS

8.2817077001 lbs. avoir., or 0.8281707700 lbs. avoir., or 0.0082817077 lbs. avoir., or 0.0008281708 lbs. avoir., or 0.0000828171 lbs. avoir., or 0.0000082817 lbs. avoir., or 0.0000008282 lbs. avoir., or 132.5073232011 lbs. avoir., or 1.325073:320 lbs. avoir., or

3.7565217 kilogrammes

375.65217 grammes 3.756521 grammes 0.375652 grammes 0.037565 grammes

0.003756 grammes

0.000375 grammes 60.1043472 kilogrammes 601.043472 grammes

APOTHECARIES WEIGHT-1 Riyo or 4 Momme equal 0.0402583013 lbs. troy.

1 Jo make 10 Shaku 1 Shaku make 10 Sun

1 Sun make 10 Bu

1 Ri make 36 Cho 1 Cho make 60 Ken 1 Ken make 6 Shaku

DRY MEASURE

about 4 yards 5 inches English about foot 2 inches English about 1 inches English

LAND MEASURE

2.4403 English miles

= 119.305 English yards

59.653 English feet

On 1st October, 1897, Japan adopted pence sterling. The coinage is decimal.

MONEY

a gold standard, taking the yen (dollar) at 24:59

SIAMESE

MONEY

2 Solot

or 1 Att

2 Atts

or 1 Pai

2 Pais

or 1 Seek

2 Seeks

or 1 Fu'ang

2 Fu'ang

or 1 Sålü'ng

$0.0095

<

$0.019

4 Salings 4 Bäts

or 1 Bätor Tical or 1 Tämlü'ng

$0.60

$2.40

$0.038

20 Tämlü'ngs or 1 Ch'äng

$48.00

30-076

50 Ch'ängs

or 1 Hap

$0.150

100 Häps WEIGHTS

or 1 Tära

$2,400.00 $240,000.00

The standard of weight being the coin of the country, weights are designated by the same terms. A Tical weighs 236 grains troy.

The Siamese standard of weight is just double that of the Chinese, and goods are bought and sold in Bangkok more by the Chinese than the Siamese standard.

LONG MEASURE

1 Niw

12 Niws

make

2 K'ú'ps

make

1 K'ú'p 1 Sawk

inch 91 inches

19 inches

4 Säwks

make

1 Wah

20 Wahs

make

1 Sën

78 inches 130 feet

400 Sëns

make

1 Yot

9f statute miles

Note.-Timber is bought by the Yök, which is 64 Säwk in length by 1 Säwk in width or 36,864 Siamese inches, being equivalent to 169 square feet.

1 Tinan......

20 Tinans make 1 Tháng

DRY MEASURE

1 pints 25 Tänans

make 1 Sat

15 pints 100 Tángs or 80 Sat make 1 Keean (Coyan.)

A Keean is 20 Piculs; a Picul is 133} lbs. avoirdupois.