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As a temporary relief the Bank issued a number of Tokens ; 
which did not prove equal to the exigencies ; and this has induced 
a number of persons in different towns, to form a species of 
provincial Coinage, by which means the difficulty of change has 
been materially removed. It is supposed by some that the 
remedy may ultimately prove worse than the evil; upon this 
principle many Tradesmen object to the circulation and assert 
that the proportion of Silver is much inferior to that in the current 
Coin of the Kingdom. To ascertain whether such a report is 
well founded Dr. Chichester and myself have subjected to analysis 
a portion of one of the Four Shilling Tokens issued in this City.” 
_ After describing in detail the process, he continues, ‘“ From this 
proportion the alloy is 11 per cent. of copper,” ‘‘and from this 
analysis it appears that the Bath Tokens are equal in purity to 
- Portuguese Dollars, from which they are probably made (British 
Dollars having 74, Spanish Dollars 10} per cent. of alloy). 
, Sterling Silver is worth 6s. 4d. per ounce, and one of the Bath 
Tokens weighs ro dwts. and would sell for old silver for more 
than 3s.” “The small profit the issuers may have they amply 
_ deserve for the advantages society continues to receive from 
change being thus facilitated. 
; I am, Sir, &c., 
C. WILKINSON.” 
The writer of this letter was Dr. Wilkinson, then proprietor of the 
Kingston Pump Room and Baths and a well-known Lecturer 
on Chemistry and Mineralogy, and the letter led to his being 
employed to similarly test a number of the Bristol, and some of 
he London Tokens ; the results he published at length in the 
j Journal of February 3rd, 1812. 
The Chronicle of November 28th, 1811, again refers in terms of 
“appreciation to “The Four Shilling Tokens issued by two public- 
spirited Tradesmen of the City,” and then gives a summary of 
5 . Wilkinson’s letter. One correspondent was an exceptionally 
seen opponent of the Token issues ; his letters are frequent and 
