Chapter XXX: Appendix: No. 2

MEXICAN COINS.

1 onza--gold, = 16 dollars.
1 peso--silver, = 1 dollar.
1 real--silver, = 12-1/2 cents.
1 medio real--silver, = 6-1/4 cents.
1 quartillo--copper, = 3-1/8 cents.
1 tlaco--copper, = 1-9/16 cents.

MEASURES.

1 foot = 0.928 feet English.
1 vara (three feet Mexican) = 2.784 feet English = 2 feet 9.3141 inches English.
1 legua (26.63 to 1 meridian) = 5000 varas = 2.636 miles English.

WEIGHTS.

1 onza--(8 ochavos) = 1 ounce.
1 marco--(8 onzas) = 1/2 pound.
1 libra--(2 marcos) = 1 pound.
1 arroba--(25 libras) = 25 pounds.
1 quintal--(4 arrobas) = 100 pounds.
1 carga--(3 quintals) = 300 pounds.
1 fanega--(140 pounds) = 2 bushels nearly.
1 almuer--(almuerza) = 1/12 of a fanega.
1 frasco = 5 pints nearly.[71]

TABLE OF LAND MEASURES ADOPTED IN THE MEXICAN REPUBLIC.

Key to column A, Names of Measures, below.

A: Names of measures.
B: Sitio de ganado mayor,
C: Criadero de ganado mayor,
D: Sitio de ganado _menor_,
E: Criadero de ganado _menor_,
F: Caballeria de tierra,
G: Media cabelleria,
H: Cuarto cabelleria or suerte de tierra,
I: Fanega de sembradura de maiz,
J: Solar para casa,
K: Fundo legal para pueblos,

Length of
Figures of the fig. Breadth Areas in Areas in
A measures. in varas. in varas. sq. varas. Cabellerias.

B Square 5,000 5,000 25,000,000 41.023
C Square 2,500 2,500 6,250,000 10.255
D Square 3,333-1/3 3,333-1/3 11,111,111-1/9 18.232
E Square 1,666-2/3 1,666-2/3 2,777,777-7/9 4.558
F { Right angled }
{ parallelogram } 1,104 552 609,408 1
G Square 552 552 304,704 1/2
H { Right angled }
{ parallelogram } 552 276 152,352 1/4
I { Right angled }
{ parallelogram } 376 184 56,784 1/12
J Square 50 50 2,500 0.004
K Square 1,200 1,200 1,440,000 2.036

The Mexican _Vara_ is the unit of all measure of length, the pattern and size of which are taken from the _Castilian Vara of the Mark of Burgos_, which is the legal vara used in the Republic. Fifty Mexican varas make a measure called _Cordel_, used in measuring lands.

The legal _league_ contains 900 _cordels_, or 5000 _varas_. The league is divided into halves and quarters--this being the only division made of it. Anciently the Mexican league was divided into three miles, the mile into a thousand paces of Solomon, and one of these paces into five-thirds of a Mexican vara--consequently the league had 3000 paces of Solomon. This division is recognized in legal affairs, though it has been long in disuse. The _mark_ was equivalent to two varas and seven-eighths, that is, 8 marks contained 22 varas, and was used in land measure.

See Appendix No. 9 to Captain Halleck's Report on Californian affairs,--pages 119 and 145 of Executive Document No. 17, 31st Congress, 1st Session.