Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 142

126
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
MAY, 1923
Tipu went much further in puzzling posterity. He Tipu divided his coinage into sixteen categories. einployed both the Abjad API and Atithi ll to all of which, excepting one, the gold fanam, systems of the Arabs in enumerating his cyclic he gave fanciful Arabic names indicating-though
not by name-its official value. In this way he years. Họ next adopted "two systems of no
issued four gold coins of 1, 2 and 4 pagodas and menclature" for naming the months of the year,
the fanam; 7 silver of 1 and 2 rupees and of and ho also, at the end of his reign, adopted the
hall to a 32nd part of the rupee, and 6 copper of device of lettering his years from the Arabic
1 and 2 pice and of topice. Alphabet, getting, however, only as far as the first
All this, and a good deal more, together with for letters beforo he was killed at Soringapatam I much detail of the minta and coins themselves, in 1227 Mauludi = 1799 A.D. All this, as may be will be found in Mr. Henderson's valuable monoimagined, caused still further mistakes by the graph, to which is attached a good bibliography. die-sinkere. Truly a puzzling coinage.
R. C. TEMPLE.
NOTES AND QUERIES. “ FORM FOURS" OF INDIAN ORIGIN Perhaps somo ovolution of this sort was contem
The following letter, which appeared in The plated by an order issued in the Carnatic, Janu7'imes Literary Supplement of July 6th, 1922, ro. ary 4, 1783, after Coote's departure. This directed garding the "Origin of Forming Fours," is publigh- that when the line of march was to be shortened, ed here in the hope that some reador may be able the files would "double up." This, I take it, to throw more light on this interesting point
means that two files would march abroast. In 1783 THE ORIGIN OF FORMING FOURS.
this was only an occasional formation ; but in 1790 Sir.-In his recent "Life of Cooto," Colonel I find, "The line will move off four-deep from the Wylly alludes to an interesting point in the evolu- left." This looks as if the line fell in two-deep, tion of tactics. At p. 198 he notices Coote's intro. then formed four-deep. and turned into fou cluction of the two-deep formation at Madras in Again, in the same year, the Army was to "march December, 1780. He ornits, however, to observe in double files formed from the centre of comper that within a month Coote was ordering his men nies." In 1791 " the whole marches off ...in one to fall in three-deep (G.O., Camp near Karanguli,
column from the left, the files doubled as usual." January 22, 1781). His original order for the
Does this mark the beginnings of our familiar two-deep formation was reposted, July 1, 1782, and
column of fours January 4, 1783. But Fullarton says it remained
H. DOD WELL. the common custom to draw up Sepoys threecleep; and this is confirmed by a Madras order of NOTES FROM OLD FAOTORY RECORDS. July 28, 1785, mentioning distinctive clothing for
43. Laying out Boundaries, 1691. the front, contre, and rear raaks. In 1787, how 161 June 1694. President and Council of Fort ever, an order direots the regulations of the British St. George to Governor of Fort St, David. Sundo Army to be followod by all troops save that the Ballogee [Sundar BAIAJI) woo hear is reduced to sen will fall in two-doop "as at present."
great want and lives within your bounds. He was Under correction, I suggest that there was evi.
once ordered a monthly allowance in consideration dently a good deal of hesitation about definitely
of his service in lying out of your bounds by the adopting the two-doop formation, and that this
Random Shott, wherein he was kind and may be was due to the fact that no convenient maroh
an usefull man if you can keep him true to your formation had been invented. The custom was
interest. Unless you know any good Roason to As Fullarton says--to march by files, and, when the men were only two denp, this made an unduly
the contrary you may employ him as Surveigher prolonged line of march. This perhaps explains
of the bounds and fields and Vebear (wazir, the tendency to revert to the three-doop line.
overseer) of planting. Whereby you may make Fullarton suggests BS & remedy a march-formation A considerable emprovement by planting treen in five columns in the form of a quincunx. But propper for growing in the moore barran placer that had the disadvantage of being possible only and you may allow Sando Ballageo monthly in the most open country. The roal solution was payment as you shall find he deserves not exceedfound-as most of us know by personal experi
ing 8 Pagodos Per Month.-(Letters from Fort St. onco-by doubling the files, either by the process
George, Vol. 22.) of forming fours or by some clumsier method.
R. C. TEMPLE 1 The term "random" originally meant the full range of a gun, its modern meaning of haphazard coming later. Therefore the services held worthy of reward consisted in good shooting at the boundary, hy which the utmost limit possible in favour of the company was secured.