Form of the Chinese balances

Let me be the first to explain the construction of the Chinese balances which were in use; they were called da-Chens. In shape it resembled a steelyard [romana]; the yard or beam was made of a kind of wood which they call palma brava,[5] and in its form was like a mace for playing truck [trucos]—except the butt, which at the extremity was thicker. It had a sort of frame of copper, octagonal in shape, with its movable pointer in the middle [con su espiga en medio de movimiento], and some pendent hooks. For indicating the weights, there were certain points marked by nails, set at proportionate distances, but without any numbers or any other characters to show the weight definitely. For counterweight there was a piece of metal or of stone hanging by a cord, but without any sign or mark by which the dachen or balance could make known what was entrusted to it.[6] To this badly-constructed instrument the handling of all kinds of merchandise had been reduced, and the trade was carried on [by it] among Spaniards, Chinese, Indians, and Morenos; and through necessity they—even the superiors and prelates—employed this balance on all occasions that arose, from the earliest times of the conquest until the year 1727, when the measure that is here discussed was carried into effect. This was not because the project had not been brought forward repeatedly, and at various times, but because the difficulties which hindered it could not be obviated. But, to continue the subject, so well known was the uncertainty of those dachens that even the very Chinese, although it originated in their own country, stipulated beforehand for every transaction the balance by which [the goods] must be received or delivered; for each one of them regarded the balance which he himself used as the better reckoner. There were small ones, for weighing gold and silver; and others that were larger, for bulky goods. The weights by the smaller ones were computed in taels, each one corresponding to twenty adarmes of our Castilian weight. From the tael there was a diminution down to granos, of which six were worth one adarme; but these names were never common in our language.[7] The chief weight consisted of cates, each about twenty-two onzas; the chinanta, which was equivalent to about ten cates, and in our Castilian weight to thirteen libras and twelve onzas; the quintal, which was worth about eight chinantas, or eighty cates, and corresponded to about one hundred and ten libras of our weight; and the largest was called pico, which was reckoned at ten chinantas, or one hundred cates, and in our weight five and a half arrobas. But as this correspondence of weight to weight was prevented as people understood more thoroughly the lack of accuracy in the said balances, and the [cause for] suspicion of the way in which they were managed by the Chinese—a people of such cunning that in their own land fraud is a science, in which degrees are given—the Spaniards found themselves compelled to depend on computing the equivalent [in Castilian weight], according to the greater or less skill of each person [in reckoning]; but the ignorance of the Indians and the common people, exposed [as they were] to the insatiable greed, lack of piety, and unscrupulousness of the said Sangleys, who gained great profits from this practice, aided the subtlety of the latter.

Difficulties which arose in regard to the introduction of new weights

This fact being established, from it follows the reason of the difficulty, which is the subject (and to this end the considerations) on which argument arises. In order to suppress the use of the said dachens, it was necessary to have in reserve other weighing instruments, with which the commerce, both wholesale and retail, could be regulated. In order to establish the Castilian weights, there must be specimens of the original standards which had to be followed, according to the royal decrees, to which weights must be conformed; and a factory must be established for the number of instruments which the new order of things would require. There was an absolute lack of everything; and therefore it was necessary either to permit the use of the dachens, or to make a general prohibition of commerce in the commodities for which the said balances served. To adopt any expedient less onerous was not allowed in the commission; that the former [i.e., the use of the Chinese weights] should be continued was the very thing which he [i.e., General Villavicencio] was ordered to prevent; to deny trade to the people would be ridiculous and ineffectual. The custom was as old as the Spanish occupancy of the country; the serious danger of disturbances, [if he undertook] to regulate steelyards by guess, without observing the exactness [required by] the laws, was a new difficulty; delay [would be ir]remediable, and the general injury irreparable! Let the most discreet person, then, infer from these circumstances whether the undertaking was an arduous one, whether the least [in]advertence would be conspicuous, and [what were] the risks to his reputation for good judgment; and whether recourse to sovereign aid would be urgent for his success....

Castilian weight

The reckoning of our Castilian marco in accordance with the laws which prescribe its form originates with grains of wheat. The weight of thirty-six grains is computed as an adarme; sixteen of these make one onza, and sixteen onzas one libra; twenty-five libras make one arroba, and four arrobas the greatest weight, which is a quintal. Laying aside the declarations that wheat may not be used to supplement the established weights of metal (a custom of various ports and provinces), it appears that, with only this information, a corresponding standard could not be made in Manila, since it was deficient in that species of wheat to which the laws refer, and although there is likewise a harvest of these grains in Philipinas, and quantities of wheat are also brought hither from China—some [having grains] of larger size and less weight, and others that are small and compact—the variety in them arouses great uncertainty, for a matter so delicate. Certain it is that, whatever might be taken for the origin [of this computation], it must produce a system corresponding [to the Castilian]; and, by being made general for both buying and selling goods, it would furnish due fulfilment to the form prescribed in the respective laws. But, as that system would always be deemed more conformable to the intention of the laws the more [nearly] its ratios were identical [with those of Castilla], and when the variety of weights and measures (which, considering the laborious nature of mercantile operations and the interests at stake in them, is at times a very onerous burden) in the provinces with which trade is carried on should be reduced to a common basis: as these islands possess the trade with Nueva España, the importance which any unforeseen disagreement might indicate could not be overlooked. This consideration led to the most careful investigation of the basis to which the matter could be reduced; and, in order to find the system equivalent [to that of Castilla], various standards were adjusted to one another, from which a safe conclusion might be drawn. Accordingly, grains of lentils (which give name to the marco[8] of Aragon) were taken, and search was made for grains of wheat whose weight would correspond, with the difference of one-eighth. The same was done with grains of alberjones[9] (from which sort originated the marco of Venecia), and it was found that the weight of each one agreed with that of four grains of separated wheat. The same was done with chick-peas [garvanzos] (from which the marco of Flandes took its origin), and it was found that one of these weighed the same as thirty-six grains of wheat. As a result, through the weight of the aforesaid legumes, in the respective ratios of the marcos of Aragon, Venecia, and Flandez, and the corresponding weight of the grains of wheat, to which reference is made by our Castilian marco, sufficient basis was formed on which to make the standards [of weight]. In fact, they were made by this rule, weights of metal being made which should correspond to one, two, and three grains of wheat, and which together should weigh as much as the weight which is called a grano of silver; another of one, two, and three granos of this sort, the aggregate of which should be equivalent to the weight of one adarme; and by this [were established] the rest of the weights corresponding [to those of Castilla], as far as that one which would contain one onza, from which resulted the greater weights of libras and arrobas. Metal weights were also made equivalent to half a grain of wheat, and to one-fourth, one-eighth, one-sixteenth, and one-thirty-second of a grain, which last is the same as the eleven hundred and fifty-second part of the adarme; or, if this latter weight were divided into so many and small parts, each one of them would alike agree with the weight made for the thirty-second part of the grain of wheat.

The standard of weight kept in the repository

This careful attention to details is better set forth by a statement of the skill and delicacy [displayed] in the construction of the weighing instrument which serves as standard in this capital, and is kept in the archives in the building of the municipal cabildo; it is a work which for its elegance might be valued in any one of the principal cities of España and of the Indias. It is a small one, such as is required by the weights which it carries; it is made in the form of a cross, of rich tombac[10] and the finest gold. In the semicircle which indicates the play of the index needle, a pendent pearl serves as ornament. The scales are of the same metal, gold and tombac, and the silken threads which sustain them of silk dyed red. The whole instrument works with so rigid exactness that when the smallest weight—a thirty-second of a grain of wheat, or the eleven hundred and fifty-second part of an adarme—which is an almost imperceptible amount, is placed in either of the said scales the index of this steelyard shows the difference.

Remarkable agreement of weights

[That which had been] the physical probability of conformity of this construction [with the standard of Castilla] was rendered certain with remarkable exactness. Commission was given by the cabildo of this city that twenty-five steelyards should be sent from the kingdom of Nueva España; and, these having been brought hither at the time when the aforesaid steelyards and the weights, both large and small, were already made, [the cabildo] proceeded to make the comparison [between these and those] with judicial solemnity and the assistance of experts. This transaction having been completed with the exactness which its importance rendered urgent, the two sets of steelyards were found to agree so closely that it appeared that in those sent from Nueva España the scales were balanced by the weights made in Manila, or that these were the regular weights for the said steelyards!... This measure, be it worthy of record, began with the benefit to the common people of these islands in the suppression[11] of the da-chens, or Chinese steelyards; for the easy and continual fraud therein was computed by an official as being, in the limits of Manila alone, more than thirty thousand pesos a year—an evil so deeply rooted that few persons supposed that it could be remedied. So far did this go that the Marquès de Torre-Campo, then governor of these islands (whose prudent moderation was always honored), at the time when permission was asked from him for the publication of the proclamation by which the new usage was established and the old one prohibited, made very sententious remarks expressing his opinion that the said effort would be useless on account of the difficulties which, he inferred, would obstruct its effectiveness. But experience proved that he was mistaken; for in twenty-four hours [from that time] it would have been difficult to find any Chinese steelyard, if search had been made. It appears from the original acts—and these have been furnished to us for this relation, which in everything punctually follows and refers to them—that before reaching this last step, the publication of the prohibition of Chinese weights, the authorities caused to be made as large a number of properly regulated steelyards as the shops and guilds which use them might reasonably be expected to need. Then the Chinese were notified that the da-chens which they used should be brought forward; these were retained [by the authorities], and Castilian steelyards were given [in place of them], with printed instructions for observance by those who used them; and steelyards for the use of the public were set in various places, with trustworthy persons [in charge], who could instruct persons of little understanding. And it is generally known that, although this was a matter of so serious tendency, and included every class of persons, not the slightest disturbance arose; for all knew its importance, and in order to enjoy the convenience [of the new weights] submitted to learn the first rudiments of knowledge [about them]; and perplexity [on this point] lasted but a short time, or was not evident at all, for in matters which concern one’s interests close application makes progress, even in the dullest persons.