[MACFARLANB] METALLIC CURRENCY OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE 53 



most fitting to inaugurate the new departure by striking a new coin of 

 this value in pure nickel, and by coining the fractions of the rupee below 

 ten cents in valu3 also of this metal. The copper token coins now in 

 circulation in India representing one thirty second, one sixty fourth, a 

 one hundred and twenty-eighth, and a one hundred and ninety-second 

 of a rupee, and called respectively double pice, pice, half pice and pie, 

 with the exception of the last named, also fit decimally into the system 

 now advocated. The value of the pie would probably have to be 

 increased so as to make it equal to one-tenth of an anna, in which case 

 the half-pie would become the' smallest coin in the British Empire and 

 equal to the mill in the list of essentially Imperial coins above given. 

 These changes ''would cause the Indian coins to represent the values in 

 Imperial cents given in the following list: — 



SILVER PIECES. 



cents. 



Rupee 32. 



Half-rupee 16. 



NICKEL PIECES. 



Quarter rupee 8. 



One eighth rupee 4. 



Anna 2. 



Double-pice 1. 



BRONZE PIECES. 



Pice 0.5 



Half-pice 0.25 



Pie 0.2 



Half-pie 0.1 



In view of the possibility that action may at any moment be taken 

 by the Governments of Australia and India and changes made in their 

 respective currencies it is urged that the Dominion Government should 

 consider the advisability of making such representations to them as 

 would cause them to take into consideration the proposals contained in 

 this memorandum. It is also suggested that the authorities of the Eoyal 

 Mint be consulted and requested to prepare a set of models of the coins 

 of the new system, so that this could be laid before His Majesty as well 

 as the representatives of the Governments above mentioned. It would 

 also be advisable to place a set of these coins on exhibition in the Imperial 

 Institute, London, so that the public might become acquainted with them 

 and form their opinions as to the advantage of adopting them in a system 

 of Imperial metallic currency. 



Ottawa, 23rd February, 1906. 



