Indian Antiquary Vol 57

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 23

JANUARY, 1928)
CURRENCY AND COINAGE AMONG THE BURMESE
13
characteristic of the Burmese and their ways. The subject is over and over again referred to in his Burmhan Empire, as it gave him much trouble. At p. 95 he explains how Bôdòp'aya, in Feb. 1797, examined the carriage, etc., and says: "He then examined the dies and the coins, and said that the characters on the copper were very right, but that those on the rupees were obsolete.24 The (Burmese) Viceroy told him that I had promised to get the dies altered in any manner he pleased, with which he appeared highly gratified. He then expressed a wish to see the machinery and the Viceroy told him I had been so kind as to promise to show the mode of fixing and using the machinery. Yes,' says he, 'the Resident will do that in a few days, which we should be puzzling about for months.'”
The next step in the matter is alluded to at p. 130: "About 2 p.m. the rayhoon (yêwun, custom-house officer) and Mr. Moncourtuse returned from the palace. He informed me that His Majesty had ordered the rupees to be assayed, and found that one kind was fifteen per cent. worse than pure silver and the others ten per cent., 26 and that, as it was his royal intention that none but pure silver should pass current in his dominions, he had therefore ordered the 20,000 rupees to be returned to me." As the coins were struck to pattern out of courtesy by the Governor-General, Capt. Cox very properly refused point blank to receive thera back. But while the negotiations were going on, "a gilt war boat arrived with the King's treasurer, an illigetimate son of His Majesty, who had brought with him four boxes of rupees and money to pay for the copper. I desired him to be seated, but would not permit them to deliver the boxes of silver or receive the value of the copper." Later on we come to the actual payment, which was tendered in very debased silver, and Cox's remarks26 on the steps he took to prevent his being cheated are somewhat amusing, and show that sophisticating the Burmese currency was not confined to Bayfield's my wun, as described, ante, vol. XXVI, p. 202.
The wild proceedings of the king to establish his currency are detailed by Cox at p. 310: "July 21 (1797) His Majesty immediately after his return to Amara poorah (Amarapura), issued orders fer the currency of the pice (copper money brought from Bengal, and prohibited the currency of silver and lead in the Bazaars : but established no rate at which the pice were to pass, nor had he coined any or even issued the whole of those I brought (one lack (lakh]), nor provided any medium in the room of the silver currency. Under these circumstances the people were much distressed and obliged to substitute rice 27 instead of lead for small purchases in the provision market. Privately silver still continues current, notwithstanding the prohibition, and the officers of Government winked at it to prevent stagnation of all business. This forbearance coming to the knowledge of His Majesty, he this day suspended the whoonghees (wunjis, ministers of state) from the exercise of their offices, exposed them to sun in the palace yard from ten till four o'clock with pieces of silver round their necks, and was with difficulty prevailed on by their humble submission to refrain from severer punishment. He has not, however, pardoned them and has ordered that the looto [’luttò (Hlutdaw), royal council of state shall continue shut. The two mayhoons (myowun] or governors of the fort are confined in the fire-house loaded with irons, and the former orders respecting the currency directed to be enforced with the greatest rigour. I understand he is coining rupees and pice in the palace."
Next day, the regulations, such as they were, regarding currency came to the Resident's notice. They are worth recording here as specimens of folly : “For 100 tickals weight of silver, 21 per cent standard (ywetni silver, see ante, vol. XLVIII, pp. 49 ff.] delivered into
34 The only specimons that seem to have survived are, the copper coins figured on my Plate II, Figs. 22 and 23, and my Plate V, Figs. 48 and 49, and described above.
36 "This, by-the-by, proves what excellent metallurgists they are, for one kind was in fact 17 per cent. and the other 221 per cent."-Cox's footnote.
28 Pp. 178, 179, 180, 184, 185, 186. 37 For broken rice as currency, se ante, vols. XXVI, p. 281 ; XXIX, p. 38
MAJA, P. 38