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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[JULY, 1928
generally two to each furnace. As the sulphur is driven off, the reduced metal accumu. lates at the bottom of the furnace, and is ladled or rather scraped out from below (the seoriae being removed), into moulds in the ground, where it assumes the form of massive lenticular ingots. When cool and set these ingots are removed to the refining shed, and placed in small reverberatory furnaces, with the fuel-large pieces of charcoal supported on fire-clay bars above the metal, which is thus kept in a fused state for about twenty-four hours. During this time, as the lead becomes oxidized, it is removed by gently revolving over the surface an iron rod around which the lead in the form of litharge solidifies, and as this process is continued, it accumulates in a number of coatings or layers, one upon the other. When all the lead has been thus removed, the silver residue is taken out as a button or plate on an iron ladle. The rollers of litharge have of course to be again reduced, in order to convert them into metallic lead, and there must be a considerable loss of the matal during this as well as the former process.
"The plate of silver obtained is considered pure, and is not used in this state as currency, but is sold to the silver smiths and jewellers, who alloy it with copper and lead, in various proportions.
"The smelter at Kyouktat also buys up the argentiferous and cupriferous lead residue from the silversmiths' forges, and extracts the several metals in his furnaces."
From the following interesting account by Sir John Malcolm in the Central Provinces of India (Memoir of Central India, 1823, vol. II, pp. 80, 81 and footnote) it is clear that Far Eastern methods of minting were much the same as the Indian : "There are mints at almost all the principal towns (Oojein, Indore, Bhopal, Pertaubghur, Bhilsa, Gunj Bassowda, Seronge, Kotah) in Central India....
“The right of coining is vested in no particular body, or individuals. Any banker or merchant sufficiently conversant in tho business, has merely to make application to Goy. ernment, presenting at the same time a trifling acknowledgement, engaging to produce coin of the regulated standard, and to pay the proper fees on its being assayed and permitted to pass current. Almost all the expense falls on the merchant, the Government retaining in their pay merely the following officers a superintendent, an assay-master, and an Rocountant, and some refiners. Besides their wages, these mint-officers are allowed certain perquisites, which, however, are but very trifling ....
“The banker or merchant, having obtained permission to coin, and having collected a sufficient number of silversmiths, makes such purchases of coin or other bullion as will turn out most to his advantage. These, being in general baser coins than the new one to be formed, are first brought to the Nearchee, or refiner, who, though not a permanent Government officer, has acquired, by agreeing to pay & share of his profits to the latter, & species of contract, the rates of the payment to him, and other dues, being permanently fixed at one rupee for every three hundred and fifty refined, besides supply of fluxes from Government and lead from the merchant. The mode of fining is always by cuppellation with lead: threo hundred and fifty rupees are placed at one time in the cuppel, with a certain quantity of lead, according to the standard of the silver used, which by experience he knows will suffice for bringing it to a certain degree of purity, a little higher than that required for the coin. The standard is then nicely adjusted by adding a certain quantity of baser metal. The purified mass is afterwards taken to the melter, who, putting one thousand rupees weight at a time in a large crucible on an iron ring, capable of being raised by attached chains, melts it and runs it into several small flat moulds, about six inches long, and half an inch broad, forming it thus into convenient pieces for cutting into the necessary dimensions. The melter receives for his tabour half a rupee per thousand, half of which is paid by the merchant and half by Government. The bars of silver are then delivered to the silversmiths, each of whom has a amall raised fire-place and anvil in front close to him. On one side site another with scales
