The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-05 00:00:00

our thinking, when it is borne in mind how many
and how very considerable are the objects aimed
at by the association, and upon the immediate
accomplishment of which they have already an-
nounced their intention to adventure. It is pro-
posed, for example, that this capital of 50,0001.
shall cover whatever expenditure shall be incurred
in the purchase of Mr. WYLD'S interest in the
area of Leicester-square ; in securing the model
buildings and extensive collections now on view in
the existing edifice ; in making various alterations
and additions to the present structure ; in com-
pleting the collections already made of costumes,
maps, charts, models, and books, so that the un-
dertaking when completed may constitute to all
intents and purposes a veritable Museum of Man-
kind. A noble project, surely ! A project at-
tractive alike, one might feel convinced, to the
statesman and to the merchant, to the poet and
to the philosopher, to the promoter of civilisation
and to the worshipper of Christianity! An enterprise
alluring at once to geographer, geologist,
ethnologist, botanist, hydrographer, and politician!
A scheme worthy of the age and of its advance in
the physical sciences, particularly in their appli-
cation to the industrial arts, and the facilities of
locomotion ! Besides which, an institute of this
character is peculiarly attractive to the intelligent
mass of Englishmen. As the prospectus very
justly intimates—" No people are so much inte-
rested in the acquirement and diffusion of geo-
graphicell. knowledge as those of the British Em-
pire." For reasons, of course, obvious at a glance
__..." their ships are in every part of the world ;
the raw materials for the employment of their
manufacturing population are brought from every
sea and from every land ; their manufactures are
scattered over the face of the globe ; each new
geographical discovery opens a new market for
their merchants ; and not a shore nor a coast can
be explored, from the Arctic Pole to the torrid
regions of Africa, but a new field is opened for
their enterprise, and a new impulse given to
their industry." Therefore, in truth, may it be
said that "No people are so much interested in
the acquirement and diffusion of geographical
knowledge as those of the British Empire." It
is, consequently, a matter for exultation to every
one really desirous to witness the growth of
popular education, that the admirable germ of
Mr. WYLD's project is actually on the eve of being
carried out by the Cosmos Institute to its full
development. It has already been remarked of
the original enterprise, by no less an authority
than Sir RODERICK MURCHISON, the learned
President of the Geographical Society, speaking as
long ago as the 24th of May, 1852, that " this
effort has been very successful, both in instructing
the lower and middle classes, and in inducing
many of the higher classes to attach to our
sciences the importance they deserve." How
much greater advantages may not there be
expected to accrue from the extension of " this
effort" in so many directions, under the auspices
of " The Cosmos Institute," with a veteran sage
like HUMBOLDT among its patrons, with 50,0001.
as its capital, and with Lord STANLEY as its young
and gifted President ?

The great point of controversy with respect to
the contemplated decimal coinage, the speedy in-
troduction of which appears to be inevitable, is as
to the " unit " of the new system. It is mani-
fest that on the judicious solution of this impor-
tant problem will greatly depend the beneficial
results of the proposed alteration. The simplifi-
cation of accounts, and consequent diminution of
skilled labour, and the removal of causes likely to
produce serious errors of calculation, will not be
accomplished, if we should not adopt an unit

immediately convertible by a simple process into
the pound sterling, or vice versa. While on
the other hand it is asserted, and with equal
uth, that not only great inconvenience, but also
considerable loss to the less wealthy classes would
follow the introduction of any system of which
the " penny " did not constitute an essential ele-
ment. The retention of the pound is of the
greatest importance to the Bankers, Merchants,
and wholesale traders, while the penny is required
for the use of retail dealers, small shopkeepers, and
the working classes generally, whose earnings and
daily transactions are all expressed in terms of
pence. To the former the alteration of the pound,
as a standard of value, would lead to such com-
plication and embarrassment in all their dealings
as (for some time at least) to do away with any
benefits that would attend the introduction of the
decimal system. The pound, as the Committee
justly remark in their admirable Report, " is as-
sociated with all our ideas of money value, and
is the basis on which all our Exchange transac-
tions with the whole world rest." Whatsoever sim-
plicity there might be in accounts framed on a
different unit, there would always be the ne-
cessity for additional operations to satisfy therein
debts contracted in pounds sterling. To the poor
man the alteration of the penny would insure a
certain loss of income, amounting possibly to no
less than 20 per cent. of his scanty earn-
ings. Every party with whom he was brought
in contact would continue to take advantage
of the consumer, and although this might be to a
small amount only on each transaction, it would
in the aggregate absorb a considerable proportion
of his entire income. The Report itself contains
unequivocal evidences in support of the accuracy
of this assertion. In case of the penny postage,
for instance, we are told that " supposing the
number of letters transmitted through the post to
remain unaltered, the adoption of a charge of
four mils would involve a loss of revenue esti-
mated at 100,000/." It is there hinted that " the
establishment of a rate of five mils would be
convenient." The point, that the adoption of
that " convenient rate" would involve a loss to
the community under that single head of 400,0001.
per annum (1) an amount by no means to be
despised, and which would perhaps more than
compensate for the entire quantity of skilled
labour wasted in the more elaborate calcula-
tions rendered necessary by the present defective
system.

The Penny Receipt Stamp, which comes into
operation on the 10th October next, would be
similarly circumstanced. There also it would be
no doubt " convenient" to the Exchequer to in-
crease the burden by 20 per cent. rather than to
reduce it by 4 per cent.—the interests of the
tax-payers being in every instance set at nought,
while those of the tax-collectors are sedulously
attended to. Again, as to charges payable to
companies or private individuals, fixed by Act of
Parliament, at sums expressed in pence, or frac-
tions of a penny, should be compensated to the
owners, for the loss they would incur by the ulti-
mate reduction of the charges, "by sanctioning a
small increase in those charges for a limited
period"—it being perfectly clear that the " small
increase" contemplated is from one penny to five
mils, or 20 per cent. on the orignal payment.
Thus, in every instance, we see the greatest care
for the interest of the receiver—whether he be a
tag-gatherer or capitalist—but none whatsoever
for the payer ; he is always to be mulcted—
tc) have the " benefit of the doubt" given against
him in every transaction !
When such
the
example is afforded by the Go-
verineent
of
corporate' country, proprietors of tolls,
wealthy
cured that prizs, die., we may feel well as-
wake, and the five(' dealers will follow in their
exchanged for a, shillilg,
.mil Piece, ten of which can be
will do duty as a penny,
and procure neither more nor less than can now
be obtained for a penny.
other words, the
poor man would lose tw In
o part:
easilyout of twelve—a
serious injury which would no
sated to him, either for the time. be .coin en-
sated being or in the
long run.
Now looking to the balance of adva
nages and
disadvantages, and considering the imptance
each of these different classes of a trifiimg loss to
income, and also that the entire benefits of the
alteration will fall to the more wealthy- classes,
we do not see why the poor men who. have no
keep complicated accounts to should be so heavily
mulcted for the convenience of those moving in a
higher station. On any doubtful point, the
"turn of the scale" should be given to those
who are least able to help themselves, and the
" penny" should be permitted to reinstin unal-
tered rather than the "pounds." Of cclurse the