The Press. — London, England, 1853-06-04 00:00:00

JUNE 4, 1833. degree of D.C.L. Lord DEnav hats recom mended thirty-one. So that even in point of mere numbers Lord DERBY is far within the limit permitted to himself by the Duke Of WELLINGTON. If we look to the claims of the individuals respectively recommended, we find the balance still more in favour of Lord DERBY . * list. To institute personal eompa risons is quite beside our present objeet. which is merely to neutralise. by a few plain facts, at ridiculous, but nut the less pernicious. calumny. Subjoined are the two lists—the Duke of WEL LINGTON'S, of seventy-six vandidates, and Lord DERIIT's, of thirty-ono : THE DUKE WELLtNGToN's Liss. Baron Dedel. 'omit Matousherirn. Inike of Wireknelt, lrnke of Newcastle, K.I. Marquis of Salisbury. Marquis of Bute. Earl of Wine Mises and Not• tingham. I arl of Wamick, K.T. k.arl Debowery. arl of Ross t .C.ll. arl of Wilton. arl &whitlow. arl of Falmouth. l o rd 11111 V ilk Charles Henry Somerset. I.ord Fitzroy Somerset, Lord Francis Egerton. Viscount Strangford, ti.C.B. Lord Burghersh. Pile John Vaughan. Sir James Allan Park. Sir James Searlett. Earl of Clauwilliam. Lord Norreys. Viscount Mahon. Viscount Encombe. I.ard Arthur Hill. Lord Munson. Lord liagot. Lord Rodney. lord Montagu. Lord Teiginuouth. Lord Lyndhurst. Lord Stuart de Hothesay. Lord Wyuford. Lord Templernore. tienerat Sabloneuti. Hou. Thomas Parker. Charles Arbuthnot. Henry Pierrepont. Henry t ioullourn. Sir It. Hussey Vivian, Nut. Hon. George Klee Trevor. Hon. M.S. Elithinstone. Hun. Frainvis Spencer. Earl of Dartmouth. Vieount Cole. LieutAieneral Sir henry lane, 6.C.11. Sir John I t,.burn, Bart, Sir Chas. Morgan, Bart. Sir Chas. Knightlev, Bart. Sir John D. Paul, lint. Sir Astley Cooper, Bart. Colonel Sir William (haunt, Sir Charles Wetherell. Wm. Fr. bowntles Stone. Alexander Baring. James Buller East. Tl as Edwa►d Foley. Charles Ross. Charles Yorke. Wm. Ralph Catiwright. Thomaa Colonel Alexander Pereeval. I.ieutenant•Colonel Thomas Nloody. llartholotnew Frere. John Honing. Evelyn Shirley. Charles Scott Murray. William Burge. Joint Of ibson James Lewis Knight. William Stevens. John ltutwrt flume. it iehartl Jenkins. 11avill Wilkie. Edward Blow. THE EARL OF DE] 3larqiiis of Chandus. Marquis of Woodford. Narl of Hardwick... Earl of Eglinton. Earl of Mobuesbury. Lord Colchester. Lord Itedesdale. Lord Stanley, M.P. Lord St. I.conard's. Major-General Sir E. Cost. I.ieutensuit•General Rcevt'. Sir E. L. Itulwer. liart., M.P. Sir Archibald Alison. Mart. Sir Roderick Murchison. Philip Posey, Esq. Profersor Avtouu. Right Hun. R. Disraeli. M.P. Right lion. S. H. Walpole, N'S LIST, 1853. Right Hun. J. W. Henley, M.l'. Right Hon. Joseph Napier, M.P. Dr. Forbes Winslow. David Forbes. Eq. Right Rev. C. Wordsworth, Bishop of St. Andrew's, Scotland. Right Hon. T. B. Macaulay, M.P. His Grace the Duke of Richmond. Right Hon. Sir J. S. raking ton, M.P. Major General Sir 11. Smith, Bart. The Bishop of Ohio. G. A. Hamilton, Esq., M.P. Samuel Warren, Esq. A very cursory examination is sufficient to show the folly as well as the injustice of the charge insinuated rather than preferred against Lord Maar. The assailants of the noble earl's list have not only provoked this refuta tion on the mere question of numbers ; they have also rendered comparisons in a sense inevitable, by the juxtaposition of the two lists. These every reader can institute for himself. It is enough to say, that in point of intellec tual fitness for the honour, the gentlemen de signated by Lord DERBY possess the superiority in about the same proportion that in mere numbers was enjoyed by those included in the list of his predecessor. DECIMAL COINAGE. A CommirrEE of the House of Commons is now investigating the ►subject of coinage re form ; and it is hardly doubtful that their in_ quiry will eventuate in a recommendation of the system which all men of science, and all traders, have, for the last quarter of a century, united in approving—we mean a uniform decimal coinage, of which the present pound sterling shall be taken as the numerical basis Theory and practice arc hero at one. The THE PRESS. merchant and banker calculate the saving of clerical labour which would ensue on the change as fully equal to one-fourth orone third of what is now performed ; the arithme tician contrasts the simplicity of the decimal scale with the cumbrous and clumsy proeesses of compouitil arithmetic. The practical ditti eulties in the way of as reform are proved to lie few and easily superable ; the Chambers Of Commerce of Our great trading cities report unanimously in its favour ; nothing is to be feared except popular prejudice, and the sus picion with which in this country scientific novelties are always watched. lint ettOrt s have already been made to arouse this preju dice, and, as would Winn, not wholly without success. One Writer in a daily contemporary gravely recalls the dap; of the first I. much revolution, and discovers revolutionary pro jects lurking under a simple financial proposi thin. Another founds a long argument on the assumption that the change in question will require the melting and recasting of the whole coinage of the country. A third is fully con vinced that to alter the existing denomination of coins is only to put a profit into the pocket of the small shopkeeper, who will use the oppor tunity to enhance his prices, and cheat the poorer and more ignorant class of customers. And a fourth, with more reason, dwells upon the temporary inconvenience and confusion which must follow on any disturbance of pecuniary relations, until the people at large have come to understand and tolerate the novelty. It seems, therefore, expedient, to point out in few words what is really desired by the advocates of the new, or decimal, system. The change, however important in its ultimate results, may be so arranged as in its present operation to be almost imperceptible. The pound sterling, as already 'stated, is retained for the measure of value. This seems desira ble in every point of view. partly because the florin ( i i s th), and the shilling (Quth), fall readily into the decimal notations, but more especially because all large sums—sueli as the interest of the National Debt, the amount of taxation, the yearly income of individuals, and so forth—are now computed in pounds ; and to alter the mode of computation would be an undertaking at once very difficult, and, when accomplished. very useless. We have, then, in the pound a numerical basis which it is inexpedient to dis turb. We have in the florin a commence ment of decimal notation ; and it remains only to carry on the scale to coins of a lower value. Now, the florin, or two-shilling piece, contains ninety-six farthings ; it is, therefore, obvious that a very slight change in the value of the farthing, redwing that coin to.Mths, or Wits, of its actual value, converts it into a decimal fraction ( T h ls th) of the florin, which is nearly all that we require. Nor is it even necessary, in order to operate this change, to call in and recast the coin now in circula tion ; for the intrinsic, value of the farthing, as a piece of metal, is scarcely more than one-hall its current value us a token, the dithwence being made up by the expense of coinage. It is, therefore, quite sufficient to give a previous notice—say, for a twelvemonth—and, at the end of that time, to reduce, arbitrarily, the value of the farthing from i g th to A u th of a florin. No injustice would thus be done, for no man hoards farthings ; and the effect on commercial transactions would be wholly im perceptible. But when this step is gained we have the decimal notation complete, mad re quiring only the interposition of one new coin, worth ten fiwthings of the new denomination, or i ll a th of a florin. Call this coin a cent, and the scale runs thus : Pound 1 or 1.000 Iloriu T i o th or ir Bin Cent • T l io th or 0-010 Farthing .• - T oth or O'ool (New Scale) The shilling, as a half-florin, and the six pence, as a quarter-florin, remain in circulat . . So likewise do the half-sovereign and the crown-pieee. The half-crown ought to distil) pear, us too closely resembling the florin (which, indeed, is even now a common com plaint,, and the penny and halfpenny, us in terfering with the new denomination of farthings, though a new two-farthing and four farthing piece could easily be coined if re quired. The cent i 3 too largo for a copper coin, and almost too small for one► of silver : it has been proposed to make it of mixed metal but this is in some respects objectionable, and it will probably take its I►lace among the silver coinage. menus being found to Obviate the de tleiency of bulk which is eomplained It is not unlikely that the :Atone. of which an outline is hire given. 11111 V, in the course of the present session, be submitted to NAlL meta. We heartily trust that no personal or Inu•ty prejudices will hinder the secomplish- Illenf of a reform rtwommended by every con. sideration of convenienee, and on which the mereantile community is of one mind. THE CASE 01' MR. STAFFORD. AN article. in type. on the' east of Mr. Stafford. is postponed by the presMure of topies of ur gent interest. THE CAPITAL. OF INDIA. Te Till: Eliattit OF " mg pkEsc" Sir,--I It your excelk.nt review of Campbell's India On justly expose the extravagant proposition of placing the Eastern capital at Mussourie, among the I limalayas The requisites for tut Indian seat of government allt three : (1) It should be central as regards India. (•:) it should be, at least, not unnecessarily remote bolts England. (3) It should he healthy, Rivesgible, and well sup plied with such neeessitries as wood, water, and arti cles et' fond. Now, Mils:l(s6e is *tuning in every one Of them+ requisites, except that Of health. It is situated OU the frontier ; it is as &shun. front England am any point of British India, except, perhaps, l'eshawur t It wants fuel and water for a large community, both being .carve anti the former dear ; and in winter the climate is so severe as to render residence ahnoat itnpossible. Calcutta has great faiths, without referring to con tingencies so remote as a possible change in the cur rent of the Iloogly. Its flat, marthy soil; its op pressive heat during three-fourths of the year; its remoteness front all the sanataria, or watering places, in the hills. the nearest of which is Darjeeling, at the Sikkim territory ; its immense distance (1,700 miles I from the north-western frontier, the probable seat of danger and disturbance ;—are all arguments which make strongly against it. Add to this that, in the mune+ of post, it is three weeks farther front England than Bombay ; and that it is situated on the very edge or extremity of our empire. All that can he said in its favour is, that we have there a large commercial city, a navigable river, and a forti fied post ; and that it is nearer both Madras and Bombay than any point in the nurth.west provinces would be. The same objections apply to Simla as to Mutt soorie. It is also a frontier station, and nobody could live there in winter. It is 1,100 mike distant from Caleutta, 1,000 front Bombay, and about 10401) froth' Mutlras. Agra or Delhi are central and convenient; but both their climate and the soil of the surrounding country are abominable. From May to October the prevalence of the hot winds drives out every European who is not absolutely compelled to stay. Neither of these cities would answer on that account. on the whole, without thinking that any pressing necessity exists for depriving Calcutta of its present honours, I agree with your military friend in prefer ring l'oonah to any other site. Tho climate there is excellent; the position central; the access to Bom bay easy ; and the communication with England short. A TRAVELLER. THE Dociamtv com.ran"rio.s. itEPORT. To TnE Enrron TIII ruEss." Sir,—The only notice you have hitherto taken of the dockyard committee has been hey wer to proteste setti against the titanium{ preceent which t ng of respeeting no privacy. 1 lwlieve you are taking a wise and dignified course in not discussing the facts of the case until the com mittee shall have completed their inquiries. But the atyle of their report deserves immediate attention. It is now a common thing for Parliament to send forth new trilunds, armed with extraordinary powers, which no delicacy restrains them from using. It' these inquisitors are to be endured, their impartiality must be respected. Even if they have the feelings of advocates, they should for decency wear the garb of judges. Tlw dockyard committee have made their report of very little weight by neglecting to dress it up m an impartial style. Where we expect the calm gra vity of a judge summing up his evidence, we nod figures of rhetoric and sneenng insinuations. The present Ministry contains a representative of the Times ; but 1 hope other committees will nut make its articles a model for their reports. I ant, .tc., T. IL S. --