TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 185 



other species of calculation, and corresponding so well with our present binary and 

 duodecimal coins, as twenty-four*. 



The correspondence of this form of decimal account with those of other countries, 

 is also a consideration of the greatest importance, were it necessary to look beyond 

 the immense benefits we should thus so easily, and with so little perceptible change 

 or inconvenience of any kind, secure at home. Our ordinary accounts would be 

 identical inform with those of France and a very large portion of Europe, but with 

 the further important advantage, that, being based on an existing coin and established 

 money of account (our old English penny), we should at once secure, and bring into 

 operation, the two moneys of account united by the strictly decimal tie, and ascer- 

 tained by extensive experience of this and other countries, to be those in amount 

 most convenient and practically useful ; whereas France, after a struggle of more 

 than half a century, and with the aid of penal enactments such as this country 

 would scarcely tolerate, has to this day been unable entirely to banish from her 

 current accounts, her old original non-decimal sou. Moreover, so very slight a 

 change as about two grains in seventy (3 per cent, only) in the amount of silver at 

 present employed in the coin representing the 24th of the pound sterling, or tenpence, 

 and our other silver coinage, or in the present French /rawc, in the double franc or 

 florin, and in the quintuple franc or dollar, both which wide-spread decimal sy- 

 stems are corresponding modifications of the French, would render the silver coinages 

 of all these leading decimal systems of the civilized world identical, and there- 

 fore international and interchangeable ; and all these principal forms of account 

 at once strictly and mutually so far corresponding, whatever the standard of value 

 and legal tender each might for a time choose to retain f. 



Having in ' An Examination of the Report and Evidence of the Committee of the 

 House of Commons, with reference to a simpler, sounder, and more comprehensive 

 mode of proceeding ' (published in 1853, 2nd and 3rd editions, with preface and 

 postscript, 1854), in 'A Comparative Statement of the Different Plans proposed of 

 Decimal Accounts and Coinage' (published last year), and in a short 'Appeal to the 

 House,' in the present, already brought under consideration as fully as in his 

 power, the various advantages and important results of this simple operation, and the 

 insurmountable difficulties and objections in the way of every other possible course 

 of proceeding, the author now only observes generally of all these other schemes, 

 that, without one single exception, they each and all necessarily involve such exten- 

 sive and serious changes in our moneys, both of account and circulation, as must of 

 themselves render simply and absolutely impracticable, proposals for reforms, — in 

 - the accomplishment of which, all experience has demonstrated that it is especially 

 and essentially necessary, " stare super antiquas viasX-" 



The author is fully convinced that the practical business habits, and steady 

 common sense of the people, render it unwise and unreasonable to attempt, and 

 altogether impracticable even if attempted, to compel them to submit, thus without 

 any good and sufficient reason, to such extensive and wanton interference with their 



* Non-decimal co!?is, it is scarcely necessary to observe, ciiculate without any inconvenience, 

 and ever must, with every decimal system of accounts that exists. 



■f The grains of pure silver at present employed in these four great coinages, where chiefly 

 in use, only differ in amount to the following extent: — 



Grains of fine Silver. 



The English tenpence contains 67'27 



The Frencti franc contains 69'43 



The United States, &c. dollar, or iive-franc piece, five times 69"11 



The Dutch, Sic. florin, or double-franc piece, twice 72'88 



As our existing coin was worn out, accurately coincident silver coins of \Qd. (the franc), 

 20rf. (the florin), 30rf. (the half-crown), and 50rf. (the dollar), with a silver 5d. and copper 

 cent (or lOth of a penny) coins — in addition to the \d., — would in all probability be per- 

 manently adopted. The vast advantages of decimals of the Irf., as contrasted with the mil, to 

 commerce, and their necessity to the poor, have been ably and unanswerably demonstrated by 

 the late Mr. Laurie, far the best informed witness, practically and scientifically acquainted 

 with figures and with business, examined in support of the pound and mil scheme ; which 

 plan, however, he publicly and at once renounced on receipt of the author's pamphlet and 

 careful examination of the scheme proposed therein. 



X Motto of the author's first pamphlet. 



