The peso is the equivalent of the 5-franc. The 10, 5, 2-peso pieces are gold, the 1, 1, 26-peso pieces are silver. In Chili there is a premium of 6 p.c. on gold over silver, but practically the standard is silver. For exchanges the medium is a depreciated paper for which silver is also at a premium. Exchanges. Valparaiso receives from London, Paris, and Hamburg 90 days' sight 183d., 2·70 Fr., 1°48 M. per peso (paper) respectively. The standard is a double valuation at 1: 15. Exchanges. Bogota gives to London 90 days' sight 5 pesos for £1, and receives from Paris, Hamburg, at 90 days' sight 480 Fr., 4 M. per peso. Weights and Measures. Spanish. A depreciated paper currency exists for which gold is at a premium. Exchanges depend on Buenos Ayres. The standard is silver, and gold coins are commercial money. The 20, 10, 5, 2, 1-sol pieces are gold, the 1, 1⁄2, 1, 20-sol pieces are silver. The exchange medium is inconvertible paper. Exchanges. London and Paris are quoted in pence or francs per paper sol at 90 days' sight, and New York at 90 days' sight in premium p.c. on 100 dollars. Weights and Measures. Spanish. The standard is nominally gold, the peso being silver. Exchanges. As in Buenos Ayres. Weights and Measures. Spanish. BRITISH POSSESSIONS. 367 THE BRITISH COLONIES. Gibraltar. The peso duro is legal tender since 1838 in all British Colonies at 50d. stg., and the doubloon at 64s. In Gibraltar and Spain the doubloon is always taken at 16 dollars or pesos, i.e. £3. 6s. 8d., and is the chief money of payment. The weights and measures are those of Great Britain and the Old Spanish. Wine is sold by the Cadiz pipe = 18.949121 imp. gallons. Gibraltar receives from London 90 days pence per peso, and from Italy lire per peso. Between Gibraltar and Spain exchanges are quoted at a premium or discount p.c. Malta. The Sicilian dollar (Maltese pezza) is legal tender at the rate of 5 per £. It is divided into 24 scudi of 12 tari of 20 grani. Commercially the pezza is reckoned at 50d., and the scudo at 20d. = The Mint value of the pezza is 491d. £sdf are also used. The rottolo ( of a cantaro) = 11⁄2 lb. Av. .. 1 cwt. 64 rottoli. The barile of wine 9.35 imp. gallons. = The caffiso of oil = 4.375 imp. gallons. Malta receives from London 90 days' pence per pezza, but gives to Italy and Marseilles grani (100+) per lira or franc, and to Austria tari (15 +) per florin. The exchange on London is quoted at a premium p.c. on the pezza at 50d., thus the sovereign is in reality a silver coin 44 Sic. dollars. = The West Indies. Accounts are kept in dollars and cents or £ s df. The standard is silver. 1 dollar (Mexican) = 4s. 2d. 1 doubloon = 64s. The £ (a silver coin) = 44 Mex. doll. Weights and measures are those of Great Britain with the old measures of capacity. 1 old wine gallon 833109 imp. gallons. 1 Winchester bushel 9694472 imp. bushels. Exchanges on London are quoted in pence per dollar or in a premium p.c. on sterling (2 p.c. premium means £100 nominal = £102 stg.). New York is quoted in premium p.c. at the fixed par of 100 W. I. $= 100 U.S. $. British Guiana. Demerara reckons in dollars (gurds) and cents, in £sdf, or in guilders (of 20 stivers of 16 pfennige) for inland trade. Great Britain sends the silver and copper coins (including guilders and stivers) required. The exchange value of the dollar fluctuates with silver. The London exchange is quoted 90 days' sight in Spanish dollars per £100. The weights and measures for inland trade are the old Dutch; for wholesale, the English. Ceylon. The coins are the rupee of 100 cents-the standard is silver. The rupee is the Indian Government rupee. Colombo receives from London 4 and 6 mos'. sight pence per rupee, but gives to India and Mauritius. BRITISH POSSESSIONS. 369 rupees (100) per 100 rupees, and to China rupees (220+) per 100 taels. The British weights and measures are used. = 150 The Candy or bahar-496 lbs. (500 lbs. commercially). Arrack is sold in leggers of 75 or 80 veltes 160 old wine gallons. Burmah. The rupee etc. of India from the currency. = Penang. Accounts are kept in Spanish piastres of 100 cents. Exchanges on London pence per dollar, and on Calcutta rupees (220 +) per 100 dollars. The Chinese weights are used. The Penang bahar is sometimes reckoned in Malay catties, which is heavier than the Chinese. 1 bahar (Malay) = 428 lbs. The Malay picul is hence often called the large picul. Rice and salt are measured by gantongs of 520 parras. 1 gantong = 0·97973113 imp. gall. Piece goods are measured by the hasta of 18 inches or by the English yard. Singapore. Accounts are kept in dollars and cents (as in HongKong). The standard is silver. The bill stamp is per mille. |