Tael

Tael (Malay tail, tahil, weight, probably connected with Hind. tola, weight), the name current in European usage for the Chinese Jiang or ounce, the Jiang of fine uncoined silver being the monetary unit throughout the Chinese empire. The tad is not a coin, the only silver currency, apart from imported dollars, being the ingots of silver known as "sycee"; the only other native currency is the copper "cash." As a money of account the tael is divided into to mace (tsien), too conderin or candereen (fun), too() li. The value varies with the price of silver. The "Haikwan tad," i.e. the custom-house tael, that in which duties are paid to the Imperial Maritime Customs, is a weight of 5 8 -77 grains Troy, the value of which varies; thus it was reckoned at 3s. god. in 1905, 3S. 32d. in 1906, 3s. 3d. in 1907, and 2s. 8d. in 1 9 08 (see CHINA: §§ Finance).