224 KEPORT — 1872. 



into tliat here proposed, two florins being equal (nearly) to tlie second uait, tlie dor, 

 and twenty to the largest, the arch. 



The system here advocated will be seen to be much better suited for lai'ga 

 accounts than is that of the Americans (which is thought by them destined to 

 replace all others), yet so near au approach to it as to make it very easy for them 

 to convert theirs into it : it would also be a much easier change for France than 

 the adoption of her system would be for us. 



Many countries have now in use coins nearly agreeing with some here proposed ; 

 indeed there is a remarkable series of coins very near in value to the proposed 

 dor, 4?. This approximation, though of no use for international purposes, which 

 would require exact agreement, would avoid any great disturbance in the internal 

 commerce of each country — the new coins agreeing so nearly with the old that one 

 ■would be commonly accepted as equivalent to the other, as our bronze pennies are 

 taken as of the same value as the copper coins which they have replaced, although 

 intrinsically worth less. 



On Polygaimj as affecting Pojiulatlon. Bg Hyde Clarke, F.S.S. 



By the investigation of new facts obtained from the lives of the Turkish Sultans, 

 and the kings and princes of Europe, it was proved that polygamous individuals 

 do not produce a lai-ger permanent progeny than the monogamous, and that popu- 

 lation is not increased by the union of one man with a large number of women, 

 but limited by the law of fecundity in man. Although the total number of births, 

 the offspring of one man, maybe large, and cases were cited of above one hundred, 

 the progeny surviving in his lifetime or perpetuated afterwards in no case exceeds 

 that of a man married to one woman at a time or successively. It was further 

 suggested that an element in the perpetuation of polj'gamous issue is intermarriage 

 with the offspring of the monogamous. 



Suggestions for improving and extending our National Accounts ; being a 

 continuation of Mr. FeUows's Paper read at the Edinburgh Meeting, " On 

 a proposed Doomsday Boole, cfv."' Bg Frank P. Fellows, F.S.S. 



This paper commenced by assuming that the previous suggestions of the author 

 <' On a proposed Doomsday Book, giving the Value of Governmental Property as a 

 basis for a sound system of Accounts," would be endorsed by the present Meeting, 

 and that it was not therefore necessary again to discuss tjieni. This the author 

 assumed because the Statistical and Economic Section of the British Association 

 had at Edinburgh, after the reading of that paper, unanimously passed the follow- 

 ing resolution, which, as it also stated the groundwork of that paper-, was given 

 here, as forming the text or commencement of the paper about to be read. The 

 resolution was as follows : — 



" That this meeting having heard Mr. Frank P. Fellows's paper on a proposed 

 Doomsday Book, giving the value of national Government property as a basis of a 

 sound system of national finance and accounts, desires to urge upon the Go-\-ern- 

 ment the great importance of the subject, and would strongly recommend that 

 measures be taken to inquire into and report upon the question. The Meeting 

 desires further to express its opinion that each Government department should 

 have, like railway or other public companies, a capital and a current account, 

 without which it deems it impracticable to have a reliable system of finance and 

 accounts, and would suggest that a scheme of accounts should be introduced by 

 which a unity may be established between the Parliamentary finance and depart- 

 mental expense or other accounts, in order that the various sums voted by the 

 House of Commons may be traced to their ultimate appropriation in statistical 

 results, and so that greater control may be obtained over the national expenditure, 

 and that the President (Lord Neaves) be requested to communicate this resolution 

 to the Government authorities." 



This was moved by Sir John Bowring, F.R.S., and was seconded by Mr. H. W, 

 Freeland, late M.P. for Chichester, andVas carried unanimously. 



