1172 PERSIA
The coins in circulation, with their values calculated at exchange 11. = 50 kran, arc :-
Copper.
PHI .... 0-12d.
Shdhi = 2Pul . . . -2ld. Four Shdhis=(l Abbdsst) . 0'96d. Five Sh&hts = 10 Pul = \ Kran l'20d.
Silver.
Ten Shdhts = % Kran . 2'iOd.
One Kran =20 Shdhts . 4 80rf.
Two Kran . . . 9'60d.
Five Kran . . .2s. Q-QOd.
Copper is out of circulation. Inconsequence of an excess of coinage by a former mint-master the copper money greatly depreciated in value since 1896 and was circulating at less than its price of copper, viz. 80 to 83 copper shahis (weighing about i lb.) to one silver kran (4|rf.). The Government then decided to introduce a nickel coinage instead : great quantities of five and ten centime pieces, of same size and weight as those current in Belgium, and of the nominal value of ^ and ^ kran, were coined at Brussels and put into circulation in the autumn of 1900.
Gold coins are : £ Toman, % Toman, 1 Toman, 2, 5 and 10 Tomans, but they are not in circulation as current money, because of their ever- varying value in Kran (silver) and no coins of the higher values have been struck for some years. They are a commodity and are used for presents and hoarding. A Toman in silver is the equivalent of 10 kran (now worth 3s. id. ), but a gold Toman has a value of 22 Kran (7s. id.).
Accounts are reckoned in dinars, an imaginary coin, the ten-thousandth part of a toman of ten krans. A kran therefore = 1,000 dinars ; one shahi = 50 dinars.
The unit of weight is the miskal (71 grains), subdivided into 24 nakhods (2'96 grains) of 4 gandum ("74 grain) each. Sixteen miskals make a sir, and 5 sir make an abbassi, also called wakkeh, kervankeh. Most articles are bought and sold by a weight called batman or man. The mans most frequently in use are : —
Man-i- Tabriz =9, Abbdssis . . . = 640 Miskdls = 6 49 lbs.
Man-i-Noh Abbdssl = Q Abbdssis . . =720 „ = 7 '30 ,,
Man-i-Kohneh (the old man) . . . =1,000 ,, = 10'14 ,,
3fan-i-Shdh = 2 Tabriz Mans . . . =1,280 ,, = 12*98 „
Man-i-Rey = 4 Tabriz Mans . . . =2,560 ,, = 25"96 ,,
Man-i-Bendcr Abbdsst . . . . = 840 ,, - 8'52 ,,
Man-i-Hdshemt = 16 Mans of. . . 720 ,, =116 80 ,,
Corn, straw, coal, &c. , are sold by Kharvdr = 100 Tabriz Mans =649 '142 ,,
The unit of measure is the zar or gez ; of this standard several are in use. The most common is the one of 40 '95 inches ; another, used in Azerbaijan, equals 44 '09 inches. A farsakh theoretically = 6,000 zar of 40 "95 inches = 3*87 miles. Some calculate the farsakh at 6,000 zar of 44"09 inches=417 miles.
The measure of surface is jerib = l,000 to 1,066 square zar of 40"9f> inches = 1,294 to 1,379 square yards.
Diplomatic Representatives.
1. Of Persia in Great Britain.
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. — Mirza Daoud Khan, Miftah-es-Saltaneh, K.C.M.G. (appointed November, 1920).
Counsellor. — Mahomed Ali Khan.
First Secretary. — Fathollah Khau Noury, Monazemes-Saltaneh.
Second Secretary. — Mirza Issa Khan, Karimi, Mahamo-Saltaneh.
Secretaries. — Ebrahim Khan Gharugozlou and Abdolhossein Khan Ansari, Modired Dowleh.
Honorary Attaches. — Gholam Hossein Khan Sidri, Farides-Saltaneh, and Prince Auowshiravan Mirza Salour.
OonsuUQ*neral. — H. S. Foster.
