Technikatörténeti szemle 10. (1978)

A MÉRÉS ÉS A MÉRTÉKEK AZ EMBER MŰVELŐDÉSÉBEN című konferencián Budapesten, 1976. április 27–30-án elhangzott előadások II. - Valtchev, A.–Atanasova, P.: A XIX. sz. közepén Bulgáriában használt mértékrendszerek változásai

goods. Corn and fluids were measured by medre, 1 medre = 10.256 1, but for must especially used the ancient unit feduz. Its size is not known. The official Turkish measuring system in the middle of the nineteenth century is based on various rules. There were several systems to measure length. As a base for one of them was used the so called mason's or architectonic arshin with subdivisions according to the duodecimal system, i.e. 1 mason's arshin = 24 fingers = 288 lines = 3456 points The subdivisions of the purchaser's or as it is also known bazaar arshin were: 1 purchaser's arshin = 8 roups — 16 grechs Similar were the subdivisions of the elbow, but their sizes expressed in the decimal system were different from those of the previous system: 1 elbow = 8 roups = 16 grechs To measure surface, the following units ere used: 1 square architectonic arshin = 576 sguare fingers = 82,944 square lines 1 square purchaser's arshin = 64 square roups = 256 square grechs 1 square elbow = 64 square roups = 256 square grechs 1 ouvrat = 1,600 architectonic arshins To measure volume, the following units were used: 1 cubic architectonic arshin = 13,824 cubic fingers = 23,887,872 cubic lines 1 Istambul kilo = 4 shiniks = 8 boxes For measuring weight a basic and enduring unit was the oka: 1 oka = 400 drams = 6,400 krats For more weighty goods the units were the kantar and chekia: 1 kantar = 44 okas = 100 loudres = 17,600 drams 1 chekia = 4 kantars = 176 okas and for most weighty goods was introduced another unit, the ton: 1 ton as 17 kantars = 31 okas = 182 loudres Such a diversity of measuring units at that time exists not only in our country. In France, for example, it causes isolation, in trade respect, even between provinces. For that reason, in 1790 the Constituent Assembly by a decree instructed the Academy of Sciences to prepare unified system of measuring units. In order to standardize the measuring units in the state, Turkey issued variety of regulations, orders, vezir's instructions etc. Thus, in the Regulation of measuring units, issued in March 1865, different units for weight, volume and length to be used in the regions, were refered. To avoid confusions, from March 1865 on, it was decreed that wheat and grain would be measured by an Istambul kilo, equal to 20 okas. Another units, a shinik or on oka, could also be utilized. 1 shinik = 1/2 Istambul kilo = 10 okas. The use of all other units (kilo, krina, box) wasbanned. The arshin was established official unit to measure length. Those who fail to use the new units would be fined. In official documents, such as tariffs of the Danube ships, price lists of sale—trade of goods on the Danube river, only the official units were given. 3. A special group comprised the foreign measuring units that were used on concrete occasions or when there were no alternative local arrangements. Thus, merchants made use of some typical to the neighbouring countries (Greece, the near East and Europe) measuring units. This group, however, had no substantial importance. 4. Without loosing their importance till the fifties, even till the eighties of the last century, all mentioned methods were enriched by another measuring system.