Page 406 - PERSIAN 2B 1883_1890_Neat

110 ADMINISTRATION REPORT OF TIIE PERSIAN GULF POLITICAL

APPENDIX A.

Note on the Weight* and Measure* employed in the Pearl Trade of the Persian Gulf
1. In paragraph 42 of an interesting paper by Captain (now Major) Durand on the pearl
fisheries of the Persian Gulf [vide Appendix A, Part II, of the Persian Gulf Administration
Report for the year 1877-78), he says: “ After a vain attempt of several days, I have had to
give up all attempts to understand these fluctuations of every sort both of weights, coins, and
valuo of pearls." The subject certainly does, on first enquiry into it, appear to bo a very
intricate one, but it is not really so, and from questions put to mo on various occasions as to
the manner in which pearls are bought and sold in the Persian Gulf, and the way in which
their value is calculated, I am led to’ believe that some further information than that extant
regarding it may bo acceptable.
2. One of the first things to bo understood in connection with the subject is the meaning
of the term "chao, ” which Major Durand evidently supposed to be a weight equal to of a
" miskal." In paragraph 41 of bis paper, it is staled that " the pearls arc bought at so much
per " chao " down to a certain size from the divers when they are sold at so much per " miskal
there are 830 " chao "in a “ miskal," and an Arab " chao " is equal to four Hindustani
“ chao." Iu paragraph 38, the approximate value per Bahrein “ chao " of various classes of
pearls is given.
In the Table A at the end of Major Durand's paper, the sizes of the holes in a nest of 24
sieves,’shown to him, which are used to separate pearls of one size from those of another, are
very carefully given, and also two tables of weights, as follows
Arab scale {for unpicled pearls)—
100 dukra=l chao=4 Bombay chaos.
330 cbao=l miskal=2 Bombay miskals.
CGhabbe=l miskal = 6 grains (English).
Bombay scale—
100 mezoor= 1 dukra.
100 dukra=lchao.
24 ratis=l miskal=6 grains.
It will be afterwards seen that these scales are somewhat mixed.
It will be also seen in the table referred to, that pearls of the size of from 8 to 10 pearls
to a u miskal" are supposed to be able or just unable to pass through the large6t-size sieve,
aud that as it is stated in the scale of weights given in the same table that there are 330
chao " in a “ miskal/* each pearl weighing I of a " miskal" is therefore supposed to equal 41 i
“ chao," and each pearl weighing -fa of a miskal to equal 33 "chao" {vide column 6 of the
Table). It is quite clear from this that, as above noted, the "chao" was supposed to be a
sub-division of thet€ miskal" viz., yj-y of a " miskaL"
3. Such, however, is not the case; it is true that a single pearl weighing one " miskal"
would be 330 " chao " value, but 330 pearls (all of the same size) weighing altogether one
“ miskal ” would altogether amount to one u chao ” value only, and a single pearl weighing k
of a " miskal ” would be roughly “ chao"value only; and a pearl weighing ^ of a
« -aiskal" would be 3,*0 " chao " value only. This I will new endeavour to explain*
4. In the purchase atid sale of pearls in the Persian Gulf and India, an abstract measure
which is a multiple of the value of the quality of a pearl (or parcel of pearls) having a fixed
ratio to the weight of the pearl is much employed; it is called a “ chao," and may perhaps be
translated in English by the word “ Caret." The value or fineness of the “ chao " or " caret
of a pearl (or parcel or pearls) depends upon its (their average) shape, colour, brilliancy, specific
gravity {viz., weight for size, which differs much), and also in very large pearls by size inde­
pendent of mere weight The valuo of a “cbao"may vary from 2 annaa to R1,000, ac­
cording to the quality of the pearl under computation and the standard of weight from whiu
the " chao " is calculated. The following are the Indian sub-divisions of the " chao " (a measure
of valuo having a ratio to weight)
16 visvasee = 1 bad fan.
256 i) = 16 „ =1 dokra.
26/00 „ = 1,600 „ =100 M =1 chao.