COSS, the itinerary measure- of India, of which the precise value has been much disputed, chiefly on account of the difficulties which attend the determination of the exact length of the gnz or yard. The Ayin-i-Akbari lays down dis tinctly that the coss consists of 100 cords (tunab), each cord of 50 guz; also of 400 poles (bans), each of 121 guz ; either of which will give to the coss the length of 5000 guz. The distances in English yards between the old minars or eoss pillars may be con sidered to afford the correctest means we have of ascertaining the true standard, viz. :— By Road. Direct.
Octagonal minar to Nurelah in Dehli, . 4513 4989 Minar between Nurelah and Shapurgurhi, 4554 4401 Minar opposite Alipur, . . . . 4532 4379 Miner opposite Siruspur, . . . 4579 4573 Ruins of Minar opposite to Shalimar, . 4610 4591 length of the coss, 2 miles 4 furlongs 158 yards. It is important to observe that the length of the Bailee guz, deduced from the measurements, is 32.818 inches, showing how very nearly correct is the length of 33 inches assunied by the British Government. The Chinese lih is the distance which can be attained by a man's voice exerted in a plain surface ; and the same may be remarked of the oriental meel, as well as the European mile and league. The two farmer evidently derive
their names from the Roman milliare, and the difference of their value in different places proves that the mere name was borrowed, without any reference to its etymological signification. Coss is an Indian word ; the equivalent word in Persian is Kuroli, the same as the Sanskrit Korosa, of which four go to the yojan. Malcolm says the coss is in general estimated at forty-two to the degree ; but its length differs in almost every province of India. It may be computed as never under a mile and a half, and never (except in that intro duced by the mandate of the late Tipu Sultan in Mysore) niore than two miles. In Gujerat they estimate the coss by the lowing of kine (gao), which in a still day may be heard at the distance of a mile and a quarter. Thus twelve coss is bara gao.—Elliot, Supp. ; Malcolm's Central India, i. p. 20. See Ilahee Guz.