igii] Canadian Metallic Currency 239 



Though the ratings given in this Ordinance continued to be the 

 legal basis for settlement in disputed accounts, yet in actual practice the 

 merchants of Canada, like those of the other colonies, paid just as much 

 deference to the Ordinance as suited their convenience. Murray, however, 

 took steps the following year, in 1765, by passing a further Ordinance to 

 enforce his ruling. This constituted one of the grievances of the merchants 

 against him and assisted towards his recall and the repeal of his second 

 Ordinance. The Ordinance of 1764 was not very satisfactory in sev- 

 eral respects, but there were numerous difficulties in the way of amending 

 it, not the least of which was the difference of opinion and practice be- 

 tween the merchants of Quebec and Montreal. The troubles incident 

 to the passing of the Quebec Act and the American Revolution prevented 

 any local action being taken untill 1777 when the colony of New York 

 being in rebellion and its sympathisers in Montreal in disfavour, the Que- 

 bec influence carried the day and Halifax currency became the new official 

 currency, the rating of the dollar being changed from 6s. to 5s. The 

 Ordinance is as follows: — 



Coins. ■ Weight Rate. 



dwt. grs. L s d. 

 Gold: 



The Johannes of Portugal 18 6 4 



The Moidore 6 28 1 10 



The Doubloon, or four Pistole piece 17 3 12 



The Guinea 5 8 1 3 4 



The Louis D'Or 5 3 1 2 6 



Paying two pence one farthing for every grain of gold under 

 weight. 

 Silver: 



The Spanish Dollar 5 



The British Crown 5 6 



The French Crown, or piece of six Livres tournois 5 6 



The French piece of four livres ten sols tournois 4 2 



The British shilling 1 1 



The French piece of twenty-four sols tournois 1 1 



The Pistareen 1 



The French piece of thirty-six sols tournois 1 8 



According to the intrinsic value of the silver in these respective 

 coins, the Spanish dollar being rated at 5s., the British Crown at 5s. 6d. 

 was underrated to the extent of 4d. and was therefore driven out of cir- 

 culation. The French Crown when rated at 5s. 6d. was over-rated and 

 remained in the Colony. The Pistareen, however, at one shilling was 

 more highly overvalued than any of the silver coins. The agitation for 

 a further revision of the rating began immediately after the effects of 

 the Ordinance were realized. But owing to the old difference of opin- 

 ion between Quebec and Montreal merchants, nothing was done until 

 1795, after representative Government had been introduced into the 

 Canadas and the two Provinces separated. Then a new act making 



