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JULY, 1928)
CURRENCY AND COINAGE AMONG THE BURMESE
129
In the neighbouring State of Manipur, West of Burma, the coinage of the country was entirely in bell-metal, which is thus described by R. Brown 61 (Statistical Account of the Native State of Manipur, 1874, p. 89 ):-" The only coin proper to the country is of bell metal, and small in size, weighing only about sixteen grains. This is coined by the Raja as required, goods or money being taken in exchange. The metal is obtained chiefly from Burma, und consists of old gongs, etc.; some of it is also procured from the British provinces. The procese of coining is very primitive. The metal is first cast in little pellets; these are then softened by fire and placed on an anvil. One blow of the hammer flattens the pellet into an irregularly round figure. A punch with the word 'sri' cut on it is then driven on it by another blow, which completes the process. The market value of the sel, as it is called, varies. When rupees are plenty, then sel is cheap ; when scarce, the opposite. The present value of the coin is 428 to one British or Burmese rupee, and its usual variation is said to be from 420 to 450. There is no evidence whatever of there having been at any time & gold coinage in existence; but it is stated that Chaurjit Singh, about 1815, coined silver of a square form and of the same value and weight as the British rupee. The British and Burmese rupee, both representing the same value, circulate freely; also the smaller silver coins, as four-anne and two-anna pieces. About seven years ago (1867] an attempt was made by the then political agent to introduce copper coinage, and a large quantity was supplied by Government. The experiment totally failed, as the women in the bazars positively refused to have anything to do with it, and the coin had to be returned. The bell-metal coins, in conjunction with rupees and smaller silver coins, are amply sufficient for the wants of the country. Besides coin, bartering articles in the bazar is quite common."
To the East of Burma, in the Shan Country, Watson during his journey (Journal of the Salween Surveying E.cpedition, 1865, p. 10) remarked that "a quantity of lead ore, rich in silver, is found in this neighbourhood. I visited the buildings where ore is smelted. From information obtained on the spot, I ascertained that from 2 to 3 tickals of silver were paid for one basket (about a bushel) of the ore, and that the value of the yield of silver from that quantity was from 3 to 4 tickals. The ore is first smelted in large furnaces, and the lead and silver mixed. That (which) runs out through a funnel at the bottom of the furnace is placed in another furnace in which there is live charcoal, several inches thick. I did not Bee the metal placed in this furnace, but I was told that about thirty viss had been put in about an hour previously. On looking into the second furnace, a small white speck was visible on the surface of the red-hot charcoal. This gradually enlarged, and I saw & flat piece of silver weighing 10 tickals taken out of the furnace with a long iron spoon. This after a little difficulty I purchased for Rs. 15. The information I obtained regarding the working of the mines and the amount of revenue that the Government obtained therefrom was so contradictory, that I am unable to give an opinion on these points."
Fedden, in the same Journal, p. 39, reported as follows: “Kyouktat is a large town or rather overgrown village, and one of the most populous in the (Shan] States. Here there are some smelting works of argentiferous galena that occurs in the limestones and calcareous deposits of this district, but it was impossible to ascertain from the natives the precise localities where it was got. The ore is purchased by the smelter at the rate of two to three-and-a-half tickals of silver (bau) per basket measure (about a bushel) of ore, uncleaned, often containing a good deal of rubbish apparently. It must be rich, however, in silver, or this metal could not be extracted by the simple and rude method practised.
“The larger lumps being broken up, the ore is first put into a small cupola or blastfurnace, together with charcoal and a proportion of broken slag. These cupolas are of clay and built upon the ground two-and-a-half or three feet in height, and fourteen to sixteen inches in diameter. Women are employed standing on raised platforms to pump the blast,
61 I havo also gono deeply into this coinage, ante, vol. XXVII, pp. 169 ff., 177.
