66 MEMOIR OF ALFRED SMEE. [CHAP. VII. 



The penny, however, cannot possibly bear any relation to decimal 

 coinage, and we cannot afford to neglect the consideration of this coin, as 

 probably more than 2000 tons, and possibly as much as 6000 tons of copper, 

 are in circulation over the country. 



To meet this difficulty a set of small copper coins should be issued, 

 called the mite, half-mite, and quarter-mite, the mite bearing the value of 

 the i of a mil. A penny would be equal to four mils and one mite, the 

 halfpenny to two mils and half a mite, and the farthing to one mil and a 

 quarter-mite. 



By the conversion of our present money into mites, the untaught coiild 

 always tangibly satisfy themselves of their mutual relations, and they 

 would find that, by dividing the number of mites by six, the result would 

 represent decimal coins. 



This mode of dealing with the question, which is applicable to weights 

 and measures, as well as money, has been forced upon my mind upon 

 psychological grounds, based upon the properties of matter on the one hand, 

 and on the powers of the mind on the other. In support of it, I would 

 refer to the statement of Mr. Bidder, the great mental calculator, who tells 

 us that he satisfied himself of the properties of numbers through the 

 medium of the senses, as he made the multiplication table for himself, by 

 grouping sets of objects and counting them, thus demonstrating to his 

 own mind, that the multiplication table was an absolute fact of universal 

 application. I remain, Sir, 



Your obedient servant, 

 7, FINSBURY CIRCUS, ALFRED SMEE. 



June 10th, 1856. 



RELATION BETWEEN DECIMAL COINS AND WEIGHTS AND MEASURES. 



SIR, The serious objections which exist against the adaptation of 

 decimal coins to our currency again must be pleaded as a reason for 

 my addressing the Journal, to point out the practical manner by which 

 they may be probably introduced with least injury, and be rendered suffi- 

 ciently attractive for the mass of people to desire their adoption. 



In my last letter I recommended for practical use the additional issue 

 of the -j^ of a florin, and the y^ of a florin, with the superaddition, for 

 adjustment, of little coins of the value of the -J- of the -j^ of a florin, the 

 T T 2- and the -^ of the same, to be called respectively mites, half -mites, and 

 quarter-mites. 



Without unnecessarily occupying space in your Journal with abstract 

 views on this question, which I have fully considered in my 'Sources 'of 

 Physical Science,' I have here to propose that the new coins be brought 

 into relation with our weights and measures, so that, tens of centuries 

 hence, upon the discovery of these coins, a near approximation may be 

 obtained of the standards of value, length, weight, and capacity used in 

 our times. 



The decat or ^ of a florin might represent also the j 1 ^ of a pound of 

 avoirdupois, the ^fa of a foot, the ^ of the -fa of the weight of an imperial 

 gallon of water, and the -fa of the -^ of the bulk of an imperial pint. 



To accomplish this object the decat must weigh 700 grains, be the 

 T a o of a foot in diameter, and the metal must either have a specific gravity 



