92 On the Ring Money of the Celte. 
These are most unexpected confirmations of the theory I had ventured to pro- 
pound, respecting the larger description of ring money ; with respect to the smaller, 
no one could have any doubt, I mean those of mere rings. 
9th of January, 1837. 
On the 28th of November, 1836, I had the honour to place before you specimens 
of certain articles of cast iron, found on board a vessel wrecked on the coast of Cork, 
so exactly similar im size and shape to those found of Celtic brass in Ireland, that it is 
quite impossible to refuse assent to the notion of their being of the same use and in- 
tent. I have since obtained the most satisfactory information on the subject, which I 
have now the pleasure of placing before the Academy. 
Although very unwilling to intrude on the time of the Academy more than is ab- 
solutely necessary to convey the information, yet, rather than not be sufficiently ex- 
plicit, I think it best to give the information in the order I received it, and then pro- 
ceed to make a few observations. 
In a letter from my friend Mr, Sainthill of Cork, dated 7th of December last, he 
says— 
“The gentleman who collected the African trading bracelet money, is named Mr. 
Abraham Abell, a Quaker, to whom I applied for particulars which he promised, and 
I have no doubt intends to give. Iam weary with waiting. I can only inform you, 
that the schooner Magnificent, the property (I believe) of Sir John Tobin of Liver- 
pool, on her voyage to Africa, was wrecked at Ballycotten Bay, about a year ago. A 
nephew of Sir John Tobin’s is working the gunpowder mills at Ballincollig, near Cork, 
for lis uncle, but since your letter | have not met him.” 
In another letter, dated the 10th of December, 1836, Mr. Sainthill says—‘‘T this 
day met Mr. Tobin of Ballincollig gunpowder mills, I spoke to him respecting the 
African money, he promised most kindly to procure me every information. He in- 
formed me that the articles are manufactured at Birmingham, and are a composition 
of brass and copper, they are called manillas, and are worn as ornaments, and pass as 
the representative of money in Africa. They send out about forty chests annually, 
and, according to the number of vessels on the coast, a greater or lesser number re- 
present a bar, which is a certain ideal standard of value, like our pound; and as our 
pound, according to the rate of exchange, say with France, for instance, would to-day 
represent twenty-four franks, to-morrow twenty-six, next day twenty-two; so the 
bar one day represents so many manillas, and to-morrow, if a dozen vessels arrived, 
so many less.”’ 
Having a slight acquaintance with Sir John Tobin, and knowing his gentlemanly 
courtesy, I wrote to request all the information he could give me on the subject, and 
I had the pleasure of receiving a most satisfactory letter in answer to my queries, of 
which the following is an extract of so much as refers to the subject :-— 
