The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-04 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR, 01' THE SUN.

Sin,—You have often called attention to our
monetary. system, and, made remarks which must
have appeared, to those who understand the subject,
appropriate, as well as forcible.
There are few persons who do not profess to un-
derstand, the subject of free trade ; it is, however,
too evident that nothing is lest understood by those
who are the victims of the present system than free
trade in money.
I will, at present, only ask, your, attention, to a
few matters whieh probably may, induce a more
populor style of reasoning than has hitherto heen
adopted. One of my ignorant neighbours says,
" What is the meaning of gold being six per mille
dearer in Paris than iu London ?"? I reply that it
means that they will give 1,0061. for every 1,0001.
of gold, according to our London price, or six
thousand pounds, more for a million pounds of our
gold. He then asks why we don't raise the price
of gold, if we want to keep it ? and how much it
would add to the price per oz? I tell him it would
only add to the price about si, making, what is
now, 31. 17s. 101 cost 3/. 18s. 4d. ; but that course
does not. appear. practicable. .
He then says he thanks the French are making a
very good bargain, and that our rich capitalists
mast cbe in league with them, and if we gene-
rally'have 50 to 1.00 millions of bills afloat, which
cost two per cent. more for discounting them, all
this loss must fall in some way upon trade, and
only, benefit the classes who are rolling in plenty:
Another neighbour stepped in and said that all the
buildings in his own neighbourhood were either
stopped, or going on very slowly, because no most-
gages could be procured now, while money was so
dear. This bas already had the effect of throwing
vast numbers of workmen out of employment, and
reducing the trade of all- the little shopkeepers,
which is a state of things that ought not to exist,
when, according to the published accounts of Joint
Stock Banks, they are making their 18 or 20 per
cent., after allowing their customers interest for
Cleir money ; and, of course, private bankers,. who
do not allow interest, must be increasing their pro-
perty enormously.
May I ask you to consider whether there is Any
folly o'i the part of the. French in paying an extra
price of only 6,0001. on every million, to enable
:-.hem to possess themselves of the means of dis-
counting to any .extent, taking care to charge such
rates as will enable them to re-discount their bills
on England in the English market, at any rate of
discount which our monied authorities please to fix
upon them?.
_Let it be assumed, for a moment, that the opera-
tions are somewhat of thisnature, and can we expect
any remedy to be devised by the parties who best
icaderstand (the bullionists) the subject? There
is nothing to be hoped for unless the public have the
question repeatedly before them, and argued in all its
bearings till a general conviction is produced that
until there is a free trade in money, all our com-
mercial people, who are not great capitalists, will
not derive real benefit from free trade in anything
else.

I am, sir,
Your obedient servant,
- A CONSTANT READER.

May Ist, 1857.

FUNERAL OF THE DUCHESS OF
GLOUCESTER.

The funeral of her Royal Highness the Duchess
of GlouceSter is expected to take place on Friday
next at Windsor. The interment will take pla-ce in
the daytime, in that respect differing from the usual
course of royal funerals at Windsor, which uni-
forml34 take place in the evening, with the excep-
tion of that of the Queen Dowager, the precedent
in which case will be followed on the present occa-
sion. The funeral ceremony will be couduCted in
a private manner.

The last hOurs of the Duchess of Gloucester were
free 'from pain. The inimediate cause of dissolution
was an entire decay of vital power ; the proximate
cause was, doubtless, 'the severe attack of spa,snis
which prostiated the little remaining strength she
had, and though dropsy. or Water on the chest su-
pervened, yet it was not that which proved fatal
in its effects. Tht royal. duchess was unable to'
make-the' least mark of recognition to any of the
members of the royal family.
The funeral of the 'duchess will most probably
take place on Friday next, following the precedent
of the late Duke of Caithridge, who Was interred
eight days after his decease. Should it; however, be
deternained' to embalm the body, in the same
manner as was done with her sister, the
Princess Augusta, the interment may• be de-
layed till the following IViouday. But, as in all
these matters, the deceased duchess may either
.have expr-sied a Wish or left instructions, im-
mediate directions cannot •be • given by the
• authorities: Without an expreSSed- wish has been
male by the royal duchess it) the contrary, the in-
terment will take phiee at Windsor, Prince Albert
and the 'Duke Of Cambridge being chief mourners.
The Dtichess of house is not • free-
hold", as has been' stated'; her interest in it was
only the remainder of a lease fora not very long
term. Her Royal Tai,gbness,
besides a large sum
of money, wag posse3sed of much valuable pro-
perty, and was especially rich in jewels, her dia-
monds being "as fine-as any possessed by the Royal
family, the Queen alone excepted. Of laces, too,
of that-quality the art of making which, if not ex-
tinct,- is certainly nbt now practised, the late
,duchess had a large store, and of very great value
her collection is, perhaps, net to be surpassed in
this colintry; The accumulation is easily accounted
:for. On the death of Queen Charlotte a 1 her laces
and jewels were publicly sold, and it was known
that the choicest 'Speciniens were purchased by the
princesses, her daughters ; and the sate system
mhaernbbeeeriOfPGuerosrgueect on the death of every female
the Third's family 4 till the most
beautiful specimens of each collection have centred
in the possession of the last survivor—the Duchess
of Gloucester. -Of the - nature of the will' her
Royal Highness has left, nothing is formally
known ; but it is supposed that • the bilk of the
-jewels and the rarest of the laces will he inherited
by the PrincesSes of Cambridges
,especially- by the
Princess Mary, who was her godchild, and a great
favourite of her venerable aunt, with mementoes to
the other meMbers of the Royal Family.—Court
Journal. •
•