4 Preface 



As regards the coinage, it matters little to the merchant 

 how we decimalise so long as we do decimalise, and to 

 the hanker so long as we leave him his sovereign intact 

 and readly recognisable without any arithmetical calcu- 

 lation. But, to the general public and the poorer classes, 

 the method by which decimalisation is accomplished must 

 be the simplest possible ; and to the latter it is of special 

 importance that the coins of low value should be retained 

 both in value and size, as far as possible as they exist at 

 present. 



The following pages will, it is hoped, satisfactorily 

 demonstrate the fulfilment of the above qualifications, 

 and show how easily, and with what few and unim- 

 portant changes, our present coinage can be placed in 

 decimal sequence, and adapted for use throughout the 

 Empire, as one, uniform, imperial, (decimal) currency. 



Some inconvenience must inevitably be felt during the 

 change ; but this would be very slight, and be limited to 

 that period only. 



The self-governing provinces excluded in the pro- 

 posed changes would (as far as the currency is con- 

 cerned), with the exception of Canada and Newfound- 

 land, where the dollar is in use, no doubt at their own 

 time follow the example of the Mother Country. 



W. W. H. 



