in Physics, a quality in natural bodies, whereby they tend downwards towards the centre of the earth. Or, weight may be defined in a less limited manner, to be a power inherent in all bodies, whereby they tend to some common point, called the centre of gravity, or, to speak more accurately, to one another: and that with a greater or less velocity, as they are more or less dense, or as the medium they pass through is more or less rare. See Mechanics.
in commerce, denotes a body of a known weight appointed to be put in the balance against other bodies whose weight is required.
The security of commerce depending, in a good measure, on the justness of weights, which are usually of lead, iron, or brass, most nations have taken care to prevent the falsification thereof, by stamping or marking them by proper officers, after being adjusted by some original standard. Thus, in England, the standard of weights is kept in the exchequer by a particular officer, called the clerk of the market.
Weights may be distinguished into the ancient and modern.
I. ANCIENT WEIGHTS.
1. Those of ancient Jews, reduced to the English troy weight, will stand as in the following table:
| Shekel | lb. oz. dwt. gr. | |--------|-----------------| | | 0 9 2 4 |
| Maneh | 2 3 6 10 7 | |--------|-----------------|
| Talent | 113 10 1 10 3 | |--------|---------------|
2. Roman weights, reduced to English troy weight, will stand as in the following table:
| Lentes | oz. dwt. gr. | |--------|-------------| | 4 Siliqua | 3 8 | | 12 3 Obolus | 9 4 | | 24 6 Scriptulum | 18 1 3 | | 72 18 6 Drachma | 2 6 2 8 | | 96 24 8 Sextula | 3 0 5 | | 144 36 12 Sicilicus | 4 13 3 | | 192 48 16 Duella | 6 1 4 | | 576 44 48 24 6 Uncia | 18 5 4 | | 6912 1728 576 288 96 Libra | 10 18 13 4 |
The Roman ounce is the English avoirdupois ounce, which they divided into seven denarii, as well as eight drachmas.
3. Attic Weights.
| English Troy Weight | |---------------------| | Drachma | | Mina | | Talent |
II. MODERN WEIGHTS.
1. English Weights.—Mr Renardson, in a paper published in the Philosophical Transactions, has proved, that at first there was but one weight in England, and that this was the avoirdupois. Troy weight was introduced in the time of Henry VII.: At present, both the troy and avoirdupois weights are used in England. Troy weight seems to have derived its name from Troyes, a town in France, where a celebrated fair was kept. It is used for weighing gold, silver, jewels, silk, and all liquors. The avoirdupois is used for weighing other things.
TABLE of Troy Weight, as used by the Goldsmiths, &c., Apothecaries.
| Grains. | Grains. | |---------|---------| | 24 Penny-weights. | 20 Scruple. 9 | | 480 20 Ounce. | 60 3 Dram. 3 | | 5760 240 12 Pound. | 480 24 8 Ounce. 3 | | 5760 288 96 12 Pound. |
The troy pound in Scotland, which by statute is to be the same as the French pound, is commonly supposed equal equal to 15 ounces and three quarters (troy English weight, or 7560 grains). But by a mean of the standards kept by the dean of guild of Edinburgh, it weighs 7599½ or 7600 grains.
**Table of Avoirdupois Weight.**
| Drams | An ounce. | |-------|-----------| | 16 | | | 256 | A pound. | | 7168 | 448 | | 28672 | 1792 | | 573440| 35840 |
| A quarter. | |------------| | 28 | | 112 | | 820 |
| A hundred. | |------------| | 4 | | 20 |
| A ton. | |--------| | 80 | | 20 |
The avoirdupois pound is equal to 7004 troy grains, the avoirdupois ounce to 437.75 grains; and it follows of consequence, that the troy pound is to the avoirdupois ounce as 88 to 107 nearly; for as 88 to 107, so is 5762 to 7003.636: that the troy ounce is to the avoirdupois ounce as 80 to 73 nearly; for as 80 to 73, so is 480 to 438. An avoirdupois pound is equal to 1 lb. 2 oz. 11 dwt. 20 gr. troy; a troy ounce is equal to 1 oz. 1.55 dr. avoirdupois; an avoirdupois dram contains 27.34375 grains; 175 troy pounds are equal to 144 avoirdupois pounds.
The moneyers have a peculiar subdivision of the grain troy: thus,
\[ \begin{align*} \text{Grain} & \quad \text{Mite} \\ \text{Droit} & \quad \text{Periot} \end{align*} \]
into
\[ \begin{align*} \text{Mites.} & \quad \text{Droits.} \\ \text{Peroits.} & \quad \text{Blanks.} \end{align*} \]
The English weights are used in the United Provinces of America.
2. **French Weights.**—Different weights were formerly used in most of the different provinces of France: These, however, have undergone very material alterations since the revolution in that kingdom. See Measure. But as a knowledge of the ancient weights of that country is of importance, on account of the books in which they are used, we insert the following tables. The Paris pound contains 16 ounces, and is divided two ways.
| Grains. | |---------| | 24 | Penny-weight. | | 72 | 3 | | 376 | 24 | | 4608 | 192 | | 9216 | 384 |
| Marc. | |-------| | 64 | | 128 | | 16 |
| Pound. | |--------| | 2 |
The weights of the first division are used to weigh gold, silver, and the richer commodities; and the weights of the second division for commodities of less value.
The Paris 2 marc, or pound weight, is equal to 7560 grains troy, and the Paris ounce equal to 472.5 grains troy.
| lb. | oz. | dwt. | gr. | |-----|-----|------|-----| | 1 | 3 | 15 | 0 | | 0 | 9 | 19 | 16.5|
A grain troy = 1.2186507 of a Paris grain.
But the pound was not the same throughout France. At Lyons, e.g., the city pound was only 14 ounces; so that 100 Lyons pounds, made only 86 Paris pounds. But beside the city pound, they had another at Lyons for silk, containing 15 ounces. At Toulouse, and throughout the Upper Languedoc, the pound was 13 ounces and a half of Paris weight. At Marseilles, and throughout Provence, the pound was 13½ ounces of Paris weight. At Rouen, beside the common Paris pound and mark, they had the weight of the vicomte; which was 16 ounces, a half, and five-sixths of the Paris weight. The weights enumerated under the two articles of English and French weights are the same that are used throughout the greatest part of Europe; only under somewhat different names, divisions, and proportions.
French weights were formerly used in all the French American settlements.
3. **Dutch Weights.**—The weight used in Amsterdam and all over Holland is called Troy weight, and is exactly the same with that used at Brussels. The Dutch weights are as follows:
| Deuskens. | |-----------| | 2 | Troyken. | | 4 | Vierling. | | 16 | 8 | | 512 | 256 | | 10240 | 5120 | | 81920 | 40960 |
| Angle. | |--------| | 128 | | 32 | | 2560 | | 640 | | 20480 |
| Ounce. | |--------| | 160 | | 5120 | | 8 |
The marc is equal, according to M. Tillet, to 4620 French grains. Weight. The Amsterdam pound used in commerce is divided into 16 ounces, 32 loots, or 128 drams. This pound contains 2 marcs troy, and ought therefore to weigh only 10240 as; but it weighs 10280; so that it is a little heavier than the Troy pound of Amsterdam: 256 lb. of commerce are equal to 257 lb. Troy of Holland. Two different pounds are used by apothecaries; the one containing 2 marcs, the other only 1½. The first is called arsenic pound weight; it contains 16 ounces, the ounce 8 drams, the dram 8 scruples, the scruple 20 grains. The second is called the apothecary's pound; it is divided into 12 ounces, or 24 loots. Three arsenic pounds are equal to 4 apothecary's pounds.
The Dutch stone = 8 commercial lb. The Lisspondt, or Ll. = 15 The hundred weight = 100 The Schippondt, or Sch. lb. = 300
4. Spanish Weights.—The marc of Castile, used for weighing gold and silver, is divided as follows:
| Grains (gold weight). | |-----------------------| | 1½ Grain (silver weight). | | 12 Tomine (gold weight). | | 12½ Tomine (silver weight.) | | 37½ Adarme. | | 75 Ochava. | | 96 Castellano. | | 600 Ounce. | | 4800 Mare. |
The marc, according to Tillet, is equal to 7 oz. 4 gros, 8 grains French, which is equal to 4785 as of Holland. One hundred marcs of Castile = about 93½ marcs of Holland; 100 marcs of Holland = 107 marcs of Castile. Medicines are sold by the same marc; but it is divided differently, containing 8 ounces, 64 drachms, 192 scruples, 384 obolos, 1152 carateras, 4608 grains.
The Spanish commercial pound is divided into two marcs, called marcos de Tejo, each of which is equal to the marc of Castile. This pound is divided into 16 ounces, 256 adarmes, 9216 grains.
5. Weights of Portugal.—The Lisbon marc for assaying silver coin of 12 deniers, and the denier of 24 grains. The marc of Portugal for weighing gold and silver is equal, according to Tillet, to 7 ounces 3½ gros, and 34 grains French, which makes 4776 as of Holland; so that it is exactly the same with the Lisbon pound. It is divided into 8 ounces, 64 outavas, 192 scruples, 4608 grains.
The pound consists of 2 marcs, 16 ounces, or 96 outavas; the arroba of 32 lb.; the quintal of 4 arrobas, or 128 lb. 100 Oporto pounds make 87½th pounds of commerce of Amsterdam.
6. Weights of Italy.—Genoa. Two kinds of weights are used at Genoa, the peso grosso (heavy weight), and the peso sottile (light weight); the latter is used for weighing gold and silver, the former for other things. The pound of the peso sottile is equal, according to Tillet, to 1 marc, 2 ounces, 24 gros, 30 grains French. It is divided into 8 ounces, the ounce into 24 deniers, and the denier into 24 grains. The pound of the peso grosso is equal to 1 marc, 2 ounces, 3 gros, 5 grains, French. It is divided into 12 ounces:
- The cantaro = 100 lbs. peso grosso. - The rubbo = 25 lbs. - The rotolo = ¼ lb. - 100 lbs. peso grosso = 64½ lb. of commerce of Amsterdam. - 100 lbs. peso sottile = 129 marcs troy of Holland.
Rome. The Roman pound consists of 12 ounces, the ounce of 24 deniers, the denier of 24 grains. The Roman pound, according to Tillet, is equal to 1 marc, 3 ounces, ¼ gros, 14 grains, French.
Venice. The marc for weighing gold and silver contains 8 ounces, 32 quarti, 1152 carati, or 4628 grani. An hundred marcs of Venice = 97½ marcs troy of Holland, 100 marcs of Holland = 103 of Venice. In Venice they also use a peso grosso and peso sottile, 100 lbs. peso grosso = 94½ commercial lbs of Amsterdam. 100 lbs. peso sottile = 61½ ditto.
7. Swedish Weights.—The marc for weighing gold and silver is equal to 16 lbs, 64 quentins, or 4384 as. The pound of 32 lbs, used for weighing food, is equal, according to Tillet, to 1 marc, 5 ounces, 7 gros, 8 grains French, which makes 8848 as of Troy of Holland. This answers exactly to the weight of the different pounds, as fixed in Sweden, viz. 8848 as = the pound for weighing articles of food; 7821½ as = marc used in the mines; 7450½ as = marc used in towns and in the country; 7078½ as = marc used for weighing iron; 7416 as = pound used in medicine.
The skippund = 400 lbs. for weighing food. The centner = 120 lbs. The waag = 165 lbs. The sten = 32 lbs. The Swedish as = 1 as of Holland troy.
8. German Weights.—Vienna. The marc of Vienna for weighing gold and silver is divided into 16 loths, 64 quintals, or 256 deniers or pfennigs; the loth into 4 quintals, or 16 pfennigs. This marc, according to Tillet, is equal to 1 marc, 1 ounce, 1 gros, 16 grains, French, = 5831 as troy Holland. The pound of Vienna is divided into 2 marcs, or 4 viertings; the mark into 8 ounces, 16 loths, 64 quintals, or 266 pfennigs.
Hamburgh. The marc for assaying gold is divided into 24 carats; the carat into 12 grains. The marc for silver is divided into 16 loths, and the loth into 18 grains. These marcs consist each of 288 grains, and are therefore equal. This marc, used in Hamburgh for gold and silver, is the marc of Cologne, which is equal, according to Tillet, to 7 ounces, 5 gros, 7½ grains, French, = 4866 as troy of Holland. It is divided into 8 ounces, 16 loths, 64 quintins, 256 pfennings, 435 esches, or 65556 richt pfennings therle. The apothecary pound used in Hamburgh, and almost all Germany, is divided into 12 ounces, 96 drachms, 288 scruples, or 5760 grains; an ounce is equal to 621 as of Holland. The pound of commerce is equal, according to Tillett, to 10085 as of Holland; for half a pound is equal to 7 ounces, 7 gros, 23 grains, French. This pound is divided into 16 ounces, 32 loths, 128 quintins, or 512 pfenings.
9. Russian Weights.—The bereckowitz = 400 lbs.
The pound is divided into 32 loths, or 96 solotniks.
One hundred Russian lbs. = 166½ marcs, or 82½ lbs. of Amsterdam. One hundred lbs. of commerce of Amsterdam = 120½ lbs. of Russia.
10. Weights used in the several parts of Asia, the East Indies, China, Persia, &c.—In Turkey, at Smyrna, &c., they use the batman, or battamant, containing 7½ ocoss; the occo contains 4 chekys or pounds, each of which, according to Tillett, is equal to 1 marc 2 oz. 3 gros. 28 gr. French. The Turkish weights are divided as follows:
| Cantares, Batmans, Occos, Rotolos, Cheiks, Mescal, Drachms. | |-------------------------------------------------------------| | 1 = 7½ = 44 = 100 = 176 = 11733 = 17600 | | 1 = 6 = 13½ = 24 = 1650 = 2400 | | 1 = 2½ = 4 = 266½ = 400 | | 1 = 1½ = 117½ = 176 | | 1 = 66½ = 100 | | 1 = 1½ |
At Aleppo there are three sorts of rottos; the first 720 drachms, making about 7 pounds English, and serving to weigh cottons, galls, and other large commodities; the second is 680 drachms, used for all silks but white ones, which are weighed by the third rotto of 720 drachms. At Seyda the rotto is 620 drachms.
The other ports of the Levant, not named here, use some of these weights; particularly the occa, or occua, the rrotoli, and rotto.
The Chinese weights are, the piece for large commodities; it is divided into 100 catis or cattis, though some say into 125; the cati into 16 taels or tales, each tael equivalent to 1½ of an ounce English, or the weight of one rial and ½, and containing 12 mas or masses, and each mas 10 condims. So that the Chinese piece amounts to 137 pounds English avoirdupois, and the cati to 1 pound 8 ounces. The picol for silk containing 66 catis and ½; the bahar, bakaire, or barr, containing 300 catis.
Tonquin has also the same weights, measures, &c., as China. Japan has only one weight, viz. the cati; which, however, is different from that of China, as containing 20 taels. At Surat, Agra, and throughout the states of the Great Mogul, they use the man, or maund, whereof they have two kinds; the king's maund, or king's weight; and the maund simply; the first used for the weighing of common provisions, containing 40 seers, or serres; and each seer a just Paris pound. The common maund, used in the weighing of merchandise, consists likewise of 40 seers, but each seer is only estimated at 12 Paris ounces, or ½ of the other seer.
The maund may be looked upon as the common weight of the East Indies, though under some difference of name, or rather of pronunciation; it being called mao at Cambaya, and in other places mein and maum. The seer is properly the Indian pound; and of universal use; the like may be said of the bahar, tael, and catti, above mentioned.
The weights of Siam are the piece, containing two shams or cattis; but the Siamese catti is only half the Japanese, the latter containing 20 taels and the former only 10; though some make the Chinese catti only 16 taels, and the Siamese 8. The tael contains 4 baats, or ticals, each about a Paris ounce; the baat 4 selings or mayons; the mayon 2 fouangs; the fouang 4 payes; the paye 2 clams; the sompaye half a fouang.
It is to be observed, that these are the names of their coins as well as weights; silver and gold being commodities there sold, as other things, by their weights.
In the isle of Java, and particularly at Bantam, they use the gantam, which amounts to near 3 Dutch pounds. In Golconda, at Visapour, and Goa, they have the furlatte, containing 1 pound 14 ounces English; the mangalisi, or mangelin, for weighing diamonds and precious stones, weighing at Goa 5 grains, at Golconda, &c. ½ grains. They have also the rotole, containing 14½ ounces English; the metreloel, containing the sixth part of an ounce; the wall for piastres and ducats, containing the 73d part of a rial.
In Persia they use two kinds of batmans or mans; the one called cahi or cheray, which is the king's weight, and the other batman of Tauris. The first weighs 13 pounds 10 ounces English; the second 6½ pounds. Its divisions are the ratel, or a 16th; the derhem, or drachm, which is the 50th; the meschal, which is half the derhem; the dung, which is the sixth part of the meschal, being equivalent to 6 carat grains; and, lastly, the grain which is the fourth part of the dung. They have also the vakie, which exceeds a little our ounce; the sah-cheray, equal to the 1170th part of the derhem; and the toman, used to weigh out large payments of money without telling; its weight is that of 50 abasses.
11. Weights at Cairo in Egypt.—Almost every kind of goods has its own weight; these are regulated by the cantaren or principal weight.
| Rotels. | |------------------------------------------------| | The ordinary cantaren, or hundred weight, weighs 100 | | The cantaren of quicksilver and tin - 102 | | coffee, wine, and iron - 105 | | ivory - 100 | | almonds and other fruits - 115 | | woods for dyeing - 120 | | arsenic and other drugs - 125 | | minium and cinnabar - 130 | | gum arabic, aloes, and other aromatics - 133 |
The ratel or rotole is nearly equal to the pound of Marseilles; 108 lbs. of Marseilles are equal to 110 rotoles. The Marseilles pound consists of 13 ounces of Paris; so that the 100 lbs. of Marseilles are equal to 81 lbs. Paris, and 100 lbs. Paris = 123 lbs. of Marseilles.
We shall subjoin here Mr. Ferguson's table for comparing the English avoirdupois pound with foreign pounds:
| London pound | 1.0000 | Bruges | 1.0204 | |--------------|--------|--------|--------| | Antwerp | 1.04 | Calabria | 0.73 | | Amsterdam | 1.1111 | Calais | 0.9345 | | Abbeville | 1.0989 | Dieppe | 1.0989 | | Ancona | 0.78 | Dantzic | 0.862 | | Avignon | 0.8928 | Ferrara | 0.75 | | Bordeaux | 1.0989 | Flanders| 0.9433 | | Bologna | 0.8 | Geneva | 1.07 | | | | Genoa | | In order to show the proportion of the several weights used throughout Europe, we shall add a reduction of them to one standard, viz. the London pound.
The 100 lb. of England, Scotland, and Ireland are equal to
| Weight | Genoa, gross | Hamburg | Lisbon | Leghorn | Norimberg | Naples | Paris | Prague | Placentia | |--------|--------------|---------|--------|---------|-----------|--------|-------|--------|-----------| | | 0.7 | 1.6865 | 1.135 | 0.75 | 1.1363 | 0.71 | 1.1235| 1.2048 | 0.72 |
Rochelle | Rome | Rouen | Seville | Toulouse | Turin | Venice | Vienna | |---------|------|-------|---------|----------|-------|--------|--------| | 0.8928 | 0.7874 | 1.1089 | 0.9259 | 0.8628 | 0.82 | 1.06 | 1.23 |
pleasure, in order to point out the relative weight with greater precision.
Many attempts have been made to introduce an uniformity of weights and measures into the commercial world; but hitherto they have all failed. The accomplishment of such an undertaking would be of infinite advantage to mankind, and certainly claims the most serious attention of those who by their situation can alone bring it about. The undertaking is indeed difficult, but surely not impossible. Something of this kind has been attempted and adopted in France; and, as the method is simple, and exceedingly well adapted for calculation, it surely deserves to be imitated. See MEASURE.