One round muhur of 11 máshahs buys one tólah of gold of 10 bán; or one tólah, 2 surkhs of 9¾ bán; or 1 tólah, 4 s. of 8½ bán; or 1 tólah 6 s. of 9¼ bán; or 1 tólah, 1 máshah of 9 bán; and similarly, according to the same proportion, the decrease of one bán increases the quantity of gold which a muhur can buy, by one máshah.
The merchant buys for 100 La'l i Jalálí muhurs 130 t. 2 m. 05/8d; s. of Hun gold of 8¼ báns. Of this quantity 22 t. 9 m. 7½ s. burn away in melting, and mix with the khák i khaláç, so that 107 t. 4 m. 11/8b; s. of pure gold remain, which are coined into 105 muhurs, leaving a remainder of nearly half a tólah of gold, the value of which is 4 rupees. From the khák i khaláç are recovered 2 t. 11 m. 4 s. of gold, and 11 t. 11 m. 4½ s. of silver, the value of both of which is 35 rupees, 12½ tangahs,* so that altogether the abovementioned quantity of Hun gold yields 105 muhurs, 39 Rs., and 25 dáms.
This sum is accounted for as follows. First, 2 Rs. 18 d. 12½ j., due to the workmen according to the rates which have been explained above; secondly, 5 Rs. 8d. 8 j. for ingredients; which sum is made up of 1 R. 4 d. 1½ j. on account of articles used in refining the metal, viz., 26 d. 16½ j. dung; 4 d. 20j. salóní; 1 d. 10 j. water; 11 d. 5 j. quicksilver, and 4 Rs. 4 d. 6¼j. on account of the khák i khaláç (viz., 21 d. 7¼ j. charcoal, and 3 Rs. 22 d. 24j. lead); thirdly, 6 Rs. 37½ d., which the owners of the gold take from the merchant, as a consideration for lending him the gold; this item goes to the Díwán in case the gold belongs to the exchequer; fourthly, 100 La'l i Jalálí muhurs, which the merchant gets in exchange for the gold which he brought; fifthly, 12 Rs. 37 d. 3½ j. which the merchant takes as his profit; sixthly, 5 muhurs 12 Rs. 3½ d., which go to the exchequer.* According to this proportion, merchants make their profits.
Although gold is imported into Hindustan, it is to be found in abundance in the northern mountains of the country, as also in Tibet. Gold may also be obtained by the Salóní-process from the sands of the Ganges and Indus, and several other rivers, as most of the waters of this country are mixed with gold: however, the labour and expense greatly exceed the profit.
One Rupee buys 1 t. 0 m. 2 s. of pure silver; hence for 950 Rs. the merchant gets 969 t. 9 m. 4 s. of silver. Out of this quantity, 5 t. 0 m. 4¾ s. burn away in casting ingots. The remainder yields 1006 rupees, and a surplus of silver worth 27½ dáms. The several items are—first, 2 Rs. 22 d. 12 j., as wages for the workmen (viz., The Weighman 5 d. 7¾j., the Cháshnígír 3 d. 4¼; the Melter 6 d. 12½ j.; the Zarráb 2 Rs. 1 d. 0 j.; the Sikkachí 6 d. 12½ j.); secondly, 10 d. 15 j., on account of requisites (viz., 10 d. charcoal, and 15 j. water); thirdly, 50 Rs. 13 d. 0 j., payable to the Díwán; fourthly, 950 Rs., which the merchant gets in exchange for the silver he brought; and fifthly, 3 Rs. 21 d. 10½ j., being the profit of the merchant. If he refines the base silver at his own house, his profit will be much greater; but when he brings it to be coined, his profit cannot be so great.
Of the silver called lárí and sháhí, and the other above mentioned baser coins, one rupee buys 1 t. 0 m. 4 s., so that 950 Rupees will buy 989 t. 7 m. In the Sabbákí process, 14 t. 10 m. 1 s. burn away, being at the rate of 1½ t. per cent.; and in making the ingots, 4 t. 11 m. 3 s. are lost in the fire. The remainder yields 1012 rupees; and from the khák i k'haral 3½ Rs. are recoverable. The several items are—first, 4 Rs. 27 d. 24¾ j. on account of the wages of the workmen (viz., the Weighman 5 d. 7¾ j.; the Sabbák 2 Rs. 0 d. 19 j.; the Qurçkób 4 d. 19 j.; the Cháshnígír 3 d. 4 j.; the Melter 6 d. 12½ j.; the Zarráb 2 Rs. 1 d.; the Sikkachí 6 d. 12½ j.); secondly, 5 Rs. 24 d. 15 j. for necessaries, (viz. 5 Rs. 14 d. lead; 10 d. charcoal; and 15 j. water); thirdly, 50 Rs. 24 d., payable to the state; fourthly, 950 Rs. which the merchant receives for his silver; fifthly, 4 Rs. 29 d. his profit.* Sometimes the merchant gets the silver cheap, when his profit is much larger.
1044 dáms buy one man of copper, i. e., at the rate of 26 d. 2½ j. per sér. Out of this quantity, one sér is burnt away in melting; and as each sér yields 30 dáms, there are coined altogether 1170 dáms, from which the merchant takes his capital, and 18 d. 19½ j. as profit. 33 d. 10 j. go to the workmen; and 15 d. 8 j. for necessaries, (viz. 13 d. 8 j. for charcoal; 1 d. for water; and 1 d. for clay); 58½ d. go to the state.