240 MEMOIR OF AUGUSTUS DE MORGAN. 



1856. France, and more especially in the United States ? I should 

 like to have a reference to some authentic report as to the latter, 

 and indeed to anything official as regards the former ; but what 

 I chiefly want to be able to point out is an historical view of the 

 origin of the thing, the order of procedure, the course of action 

 of the Governments, the way it was met on the part of the 

 countries, and the steps by which it ultimately rooted itself. 

 I know you are as full of information as an egg is of meat. 



On receiving the answer : 



I am really sorry I have plagued you about it, but I thought 

 you would very likely have been able at once to name a work 

 which, referred to, would do the needful. Such a work I now 

 perceive is yet to be written, unless Dr. Bo wring's now forth- 

 coming one be that work. 



He has called twice on me about it. What an ardent 

 creature he is ! He seems to me as if he lived on live birds. 



Tntema- Many people who had pet schemes of their own as to 



Associa- ^ e P r P se( i coinage brought them to my husband, and 



tion. several of these had influence enough to get their plans 



considered by statesmen. These formed impediments in 



the way. The various views on the change of coinage 



were numerous, and I shall only refer further on to that 



which, though well meant, formed the greatest obstacle 



the International Association for a Decimal System in 



Weights, Measures, and Coins. 



In the year 1854 the Parliamentary Committee 

 reported in favour of the decimal plan which ha,d been 

 proposed by scientific men, and, on the issue of this 

 report, the Decimal Association was formed. Its first 

 meeting was held in July 1854. Sixteen members of 

 Council were chosen, all influential in Parliament or 

 commerce. Their number was afterwards increased by 

 seven, one of whom was Mr. De Morgan. 



The Association recommended the adoption, or reten- 

 tion, of the pound as the unit of account ; the only new 

 coins which would be required to complete the scale being 

 the cent, a silver coin ten to the florin, and the mil, a copper 



