B4 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



member that one " Empress " equals two guineas. In Canada the nnit of 

 account would be as heretofore the dollar, and it would be easy to remem- 

 ber that one double guinea or Emperor -equals $10.00. Instead, there- 

 fore, of the principles advocated by Filelis, îlie following seem to be 

 preferable : — 



1. The units for a common Coinage should be, as preferred in different 



parts of the Empire, either the " Empress " equal to 40/ Sterling, or 

 the Dollar equal to 4/. 



2. Both of these units should be sub-divided on the decimal system. 



From this relation it is evident that if the new Branch Mint in 

 Ottawa were at once to begin coining five, two and one cent pieces, in pure 

 metallic nickel, these would ultimately find their right and useful place 

 in an Imperial Coinage on the system above described as probably tho 

 most practicable. In any case the subject deserves close and immediate 

 investigation, and that should take place before the coining presses of 

 the new Mint are ordered, or the Government of the Australian Common- 

 Avealth adopts any decided action. Much of the expert evidence before 

 the Australian Parliamentary Committee goes to shew that the 

 simultaneous coining, in a mint of ordinary capacity, of more than one 

 metal, carries with it great difficulties. In all probability it will be 

 found most convenient and profitable to devote the Ottawa Mint to the 

 manufacture of subsidiary pure nickel coins for the whole Empire. 



It will be evident that the introduction of the new coinage metal and 

 the adoption of a uniform Imperial Currency is a matter of great 

 urgency. The Commonwealth authorities are ripe for immediate action, 

 and could possibly be shewn the advantages of adopting the Canadian 

 plan. These could also be explained to other governments of the outer 

 Empire and more espcially that of India which is now considering the 

 advisability of adopting modifications in its system of coinage. 



When Sir William Mackinnon, Bart., was written to regarding the 

 decimalisation of the Australian Coinage he replied disapproving of that 

 step and added " whatever is done I think the coin of India should be 

 "assimilated to that of Great Britain. The Indian rupee contains 

 '^ exactly, or as near as possible, exactly, the same quantity of silver that 

 " our florin does, k basis is therefore established for uniformity and an 

 " arrangement of this sort might be helpful to the Government of India 

 " in re-organizing their financial system whicli they are bound to do 

 " befoi^e long." On referring to the list of essentially Imperial coins 

 given above it will be found to include the rupee, anna and pice, so that 

 the system proposed in this essay indicates certain steps towards the 

 assimilation desired. According to Mr. Probyn the anna "is only a 

 " nominal division there being no corresponding coin." It would be 



