Chapter BATÁRA to BATTA of B by The Hobson Jobson Dictionary

The following quotation shows battee (or batty) used at Madras in a way that also indicates the original identity of batty, ‘rice,’ and batta, ‘extra allowance’:—

1680.—“The Peons and Tarryars (see TALIAR) sent in quest of two soldiers who had deserted from the garrison returned with answer that they could not light of them, whereupon the Peons were turned out of service, but upon Verona’s intercession were taken in again, and fined each one month’s pay, and to repay the money paid them for Battee….”—Ft. St. Geo. Consn., Feb. 10. In Notes and Exts. No. iii. p. 3.

1707.—“…that they would allow Batta or subsistence money to all that should desert us.”—In Wheeler, ii. 63.

1765.—“…orders were accordingly issued…that on the 1st January, 1766, the double batta should cease….”—Caraccioli’s Clive, iv. 160.

1789.—“…batta, or as it is termed in England, bât and forage money, which is here, in the field, almost double the peace allowance.”—Munro’s Narrative, p. 97.

1799.—“He would rather live on half-pay, in a garrison that could boast of a fives court, than vegetate on full batta, where there was none.”—Life of Sir T. Munro, i. 227.

The following shows Batty used for rice in Bombay:

[1813.—Rice, or batty, is sown in June.”—Forbes, Or. Mem. 2nd ed. i. 23.]

1829.—“To the Editor of the Bengal Hurkaru.—Sir,—Is it understood that the Wives and daughters of officers on half batta are included in the order to mourn for the Queen of Wirtemberg; or will half-mourning be considered sufficient for them?”—Letter in above, dated 15th April 1829.

1857.—“They have made me a K.C.B. I may confess to you that I would much rather have got a year’s batta, because the latter would enable me to leave this country a year sooner.”—Sir Hope Grant, in Incidents of the Sepoy War.

b.—

1554.—“And gold, if of 10 mates or 24 carats, is worth 10 cruzados the tael…if of 9 mates, 9 cruzados; and according to whatever the mates may be it is valued; but moreover it has its batao, i.e. its shroffage (çarrafagem) or agio (caibo) varying with the season.”—A. Nunes, 40.

1680.—“The payment or receipt of Batta. or Vatum upon the exchange of Pollicat for Madras pagodas prohibited, both coines being of the same Matt and weight, upon pain of forfeiture of 24 pagodas for every offence together with the loss of the Batta.”—Ft. St. Geo. Consn., Feb. 10. In Notes and Exts., p. 17.

1760.—“The Nabob receives his revenues in the siccas of the current year only…and all siccas of a lower date being

esteemed, like the coin of foreign provinces, only a merchandize, are bought and sold at a certain discount called batta, which rises and falls like the price of other goods in the market….”—Ft. Wm. Cons., June 30, in Long, 216.

1810.—“…he immediately tells master that the batta, i.e. the exchange, is altered.”—Williamson, V. M. i. 203.