The Express.
London, England, 1853-05-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING. MAY 17, 1853.

PROPOSED DECIMAL comit;E.

The following memorial to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer is favour of a proposed *Wens of decimal coin-
no, eat recently forwordrii by the 111aucheater Commercial
Avoiciatiou:—

------, .
That it has been satisfactorily demonstrated by many
scientific and practical persons, that very great advantage
would accrue to the commercial community from the adop-
tion of a decimal system of coinage (particularly in cases
where calculations are made by way of per centages and
gel); and that the necessary change from the smaller
description of coins, bow in circulation throughout the
Laded Kingdom, to those required for the proposed deci- I
mad st stem, might be effected with the greatest facility.
That the first step towards the introduction of a decimal
coinage has been taken by the issue of the florin, or •' one-
tenth of a pound sterling." That no change would be re-
quired in the number or value of the silver coins now most
commonly in circulation, although it might be found dol.
table, in ceder to avoid confusion, to withdraw all pieces of
greater value than the florin, which would then become the
"second coin of account." That all shillings and sixpences
might continue to circulate, as half and quarter florins re-
spectively, and all newly coned silver should be issued with
its value, as " one florin," " half florin," or "(punter florin, '
stamped legibly thereon. That the nature and amount of
the change required in the copper money of the realm is
inrithificant, being not greater than four percent. in actual
value. That by the division of the florin into one hundred
parts, called cents., the present threefold denomination of
coins of account might be retained, and the difficulty
attending the introduction of one-tenth of a florin, es a
fourth coin of account, might be avoided. That every
amoun►written in pounds, florins, or cents., might then be
treated as a simple number of pounds sterling, of florins,
or of cents., without any other reduction thin that required
by the removal of the decimal points. That every combi-
nation of cents. from the florin down to one cent., equal to
one farthing, could be made in copper, by the emplojment
of only two copper coins, and every combination and pay-
ment of five, ten, fiftten, twenty, &c., theme. could he
effected in silver by the coinage of one new piece, equal to
fifteen cents., value about Std., and the withdrawal
of the present pieces of fourpence and threepence,
greater facility and more accurate subdivision tot
payments being thus accomplished by means of •
smaller number of pieces than arise now in use.
That the present time of peace and commercial activity, of
vastly increased intercourse with all parts of the world,
especially with the United States, and with France, where
the decimal system already prevails, and when attention is
generally directed to the subject of the currency form the
discoveries of gold in California and Australia, offers as
good an opportunity es can fairly be expected for the execu-
tion of this design, now too long delayed. That the adop-
tion of a decimal coinage would, when introduced, form the
first and most necessary step in a aeries of laws for the
regulation and simplification of our measures of capacity,
weight, and length; the former of which especially require
early attention, on account of the abuses now notoriously
prevalent which call lot dly for the interposition of the
legislature. That your memorialists believe, that by judici-
ous management in the introduction of the proposed new
system, very little inconvenience need be indicted upon the
moss of the people during the transition from one system to
••ether, and that the same might be accomplished
with little loss or cost to the nation, and ab-
solutely without any injury whatever to individuals.
That for these reasons your memorialiats pray that the early
and earnest attention of government may be directed to this
subject; and they would undertake to co-operate heartily
with the legislature in promoting the successful working of
an improvement, small perhaps in appearance, but fraught,
as your memorialists believe, with important benefits to the
general trade and commerce of the country. And your me-
morialists will ever pray.