The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-17 00:00:00

THs NEW BRONZE COINAGE.

Do bronze coinage is now largely in circulation.
At flie Mint, in Landoll, very asasidsrable quantities are
manufactured per day, and, as has been before stated,
Mtests. James Watt and Co., of She Soho Foundry, are
seconding the efforts of the metropolitan Mint. We may
meution, however, that the government have likewise
given large orders to Meows. Ralph Heaton and Suns, of
leknield.strest. The Messrs. Heaton were, some mouths
since, applied to fora tender for about 1,700 tons of coin-
age, the aggregate amount to be turned oat during the
next two yeses sad a ball being estimated at somewhat
above 3,400 toss. Messrs. Heaton applied for Certlill
modifications in the form of supply, but were in-
formed that the contract would require to be executed
accordion to the conditions specified. One of these
coodits was that the first delivery of the coin—
about tate—should take place on the 6th of November.
The te rof Marra Watt and Co. was accepted is pro
ference te that of Maws. Heaton, but Meier. it att,
although working night and day, made no delivery up to
the 6th of December, and up to the sth instant had deli.
cored only some five or six tons. In the meantime so great
was the peerun upon the Mint that the master applied to
Mears. Ffeatos for supplies to relieve it, and about ten or
eleven tared cilia have already been struck at the Icknield
Hemet Works. Yesterday vise or two tons of this amount
were ronsigeed to London. It will be borne in 'Mod that
as the 4th August, MVP. the Chancellor of the
Exchequer obtained a vote of 10,000!. to re-coin
the old copper coinage, the whole value of which
at that time was estimated at 800.000/., the aggregate
amount of coffer being 3,530 toss. la order to ascertain the
state of the old coinage, a considerable quantity was exa-
mined in the large towns, and the revolt of the investiga-
tion in London, Birmingham. sod other places, showed
that shout one-third of the whole was below its legal state,
and ought to be withdrawn. A part of it was counterfeit,
another part foreign coin, and soother part injured
and battered : and ' inscribed" according to the pe-
culiar fancy of re' ta;ri individuals, who, while " turning
an honest penny." exercised their ingenuity in defacing
it. The result was that this one-third portion required
renewal. If the whole coinage had been renewed,
the Chancellor would have required a vote of 40,000 f.
As kg is, although many misgivings were expressed after
the parliamentary vote that the new coinage would not
make is appearance " for generatium," the abominable
botch-potch of ugly copper, represented by our ancient
nenniee and halfpence, a gradually iniecumbing to the
large supplies of light, elegant, Freech-lookfmg coppers,
which government and the contractors are daily turn-
ing out. The calling in of all the old stores of " bed half-
pence," of which our own town has been proverbially pro-
lific, will occupy, it may be, some generations ; but the old
coin in other cities is rapidly being exchanged for their
bright and bandy successors. One great advantage of the
new coinage is its superior durability. '!be use of bronze
was not new to the Mint, as the metal his been tried for
coinsge io Canada and Nova Scotia, and the new issue re-
sembles the small coinage adopted is those countries.—
Bi /WO Vail Si Journal.