184 



REPORT 1869. 



The unit of weight is the gram, which is deduced from the weight of a cubic 

 centimetre of distilled water at its maximum density. It would therefore be in 

 strict analogy with this system to take a gram of standard gold as the unit of _ the 

 measure of value ; for then, as a cubic centimetre is the volume unit, the weight 

 of its volume of water the weight unit, that weight, or a multiple of it, would be 

 the unit measure of values. This would be simple, logical, and in strict accordance 

 with the basis of the metric system, which renders the passage from linear and 

 superficial to cubic units, from cubic units to weights, so easy. The idea of weight 

 is totally different from the idea of volume, but the two are connected by the in- 

 tervention of water ; so the idea of value is totally different from the idea of weight, 

 but the two are connected by the intervention of standard gold. Then the imit of 

 work, a kilogram lifted a metre in a second, and the measure of the value of that 

 work, would be alike connected with the metric system. 



The principal commercial witnesses before the Royal Commission, and the Com- 

 missioners themselves, attach the first importance to the fact, that conti-acts to pay 

 in money should imply contracts to pay fixed weights of fine gold. Now it hap- 

 pens that the English sovereign does weigh, as it comes from the Mint, very closely 

 on 8 grams ; it may by the tolerance indeed exceed 8 grams. By simply adding 

 only a small fr-action of a grain (i grain) to the alloy, leaving the fine gold pre- 

 cisely in its present quantity, we get the sovereign theoretically, as it is practically, 

 8 grams in weight, the half-sovereign 4 grams, the half of this again 2 grams, 

 worth a crown, and consequently the gram worth half-a-crown, an old favourite. 



_ The English Mint could any day coin S-gi-am sovereigns, and all their subdivi- 

 sions down to 2 grams, without any difficulty ; and it could go a step further by 

 coining a 5-crown, that is, a,Jive-and-twentg shilling piece of 10 gi-ams ('9153 fine). 

 It will be a new guinea — a guinea amplified, beautified, and decimally divisible 

 into convenient subordinate units. The prime gold imit -nail thus be enlarged as 

 the gold in use is augmented. We should have three subordinate units ; the gram 

 {guilder) occupying the first decimal place, would be the equivalent of the half- 

 crown ; the decigram equivalent in value to the threepenny piece, and the centi- 



