The Sun.
London, England, 1827-09-26 00:00:00

CIRCULAR.

Sir,—l am commanded, by the Lords Com-
missioners of his Majesty's Treasury; to acquaint
you, that they have been informed that a practie
has prevailed, at some stations, which, if con-
tinued, will very much diminish, if not altogether
prevent, the advantages to the colonies which
their-Lordships anticipated, by the introduction
of the British silver money as a medium of cir-
culation—namely, that when this British money
is issued from the military chest to the pay-
masters or others, it is exchanged for dollars, or
other circulating medium, and the, silver money
is returned into the chest for bills upon this
Board instead of being paid to the men, by which
means only it would get into general circulation,
and gradually supersede the circulation of dollars
and other foreign coins, for which, in their Lord-
ships' opinion, it is in all respects better adapted.
They ,therefore desire you will issue a general
order prohibiting the practice, and requiring that
the same sort of money shall be paid to the men
individually as is issued from the chest for the
purpoze of making such payments.

I am, Sir, your most obedient secant,
(Signed) W. HILL.
Treasury Chambers, Jan. 31, 1827.

Lieut.-General Sir Henry Warde, K.C.8.,
Commanding his Majesty's Forces, West
_ _

Indies—Barindoes.

A true copy. Wm. E. GRANT,
Military Secretary.

COMMISSARIAT, WEST INDIES.

BARBADOES, IJARCR 31, 1827.

Sir,—l have the honour to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 28th instant, trans-
mitting me Mr. Secretary Hill's letter of the 31st
of January last, to the Commander of the Forces,
on the subject of British 'silver money being
issued in a particular manner for the pay of the
troops, and desiring me to point out the measures
best adapted to promote the object the Lords of
the Treasury have in view for introducing British
coins into general use as a medium of circula-
tion, and as the mode best calculated to meet
his Excellency's commands. I shall in the first
place detail the steps that were adopted by Com-
missary-General Routh, and the result thereof,
on the introduction of British sterling coins into
this command.

At the period the first shipment of British
coins arrived at Barbadoes, my predecessor com-
municated with the several officers administering
the civil governments of the command, requesting
that either local currency should be abolished,
and British sterling as a current medium of cir-
culation and of account be adopted, or that such
a local current value should be given to the coins
abolit to be put in circulation as would admit
their free
,circulation, without inconvenience or
loss to the public, or to the individual paying or
receiving the same, upon which the following
conclusions were made :

At Barbadoes the Legislature affixed by pro-
clamation of the 7th of September, 1825, a cur-
rent value to British silver money, of so complex
a nature as to render the coins, with reference
thereto, altogether inapplicable, either for com-
mon uses, or the desired purpose for which they
were introduced; and they have therefore _ re-
mained at this island quite useless as a medium
of circulation. , .

In the colonies of Guiana, British silver is in
free circulation at a value given by a proclama-
tion dated September 8, 1825 ; but British cop-
per coins are there particularly objected to.
At Tobago, the measures desired by the Lords
of the Treasury have been entirely adopted, the
local_ currency having been there abolished by
proclamation of the 6th of August, 1825, and
the British metallic circulating medium declared
to be from that date the medium of circulation
and of account, as sterling pounds, shillings,
pence, and farthings; and British , copper was
also declared a legal tender as a payrnent-in sums
not exceeding 12d.; and I am riot aware that
any inconvenience has in consequence been ex-
perienced.
At Trinidad, by proclamation of the 26th of
October, 1825, a current value was given to
British coin so as to allow them to be put in cir-
culation ; but to the current pence value affixed
to the is. and 6d. a double fraction was made,
which has in some measure obstructed the free
circulation of those particular coins; yet at that
Igeneral,circulation of BritiMi silver money ; but
copper is there has been no greater obstacle to a
in greater prejudice than even in
colonies of Guiana.
l
td Grenada, by proclamation dated the 19th
of
September, 1825, a current value was, given
tt.oisileal British coins, that removed all difficulty to a
free and general circulation thereof; and I may
state, that the prevailing opinion there is in
favour of abolishing their local currency, and
adopting, as at Tobago, British sterling pounds,
shillings, pence, and farthings, as the medium of
circulation and of account for the island.

by proclamation dated the
7l
1825, a nominal Leeward
IstilA:da StcSu.repr%eritilenb
currency value was given to British coins
of a greater value than the Same currency else-
where, in consequence of a distinction existing
there in value between the perfect and mutilated
Spanish dollar ; the perfect dollar having an in-
creased value of Is. currency; and a correspond-
ing greater value in currency has there been given
to British coins ; but the local circulation of Bri•
fish silver is not thereby impeded : and I may
also declare the prevailing opinion at St. Vin-
cent to be in favour of abolishing the complex
currency of that island, and adopting
British
sterling as the medium of. circulation and of
account.

At St. Lucia there is every desire for a ster-
ling metallic currency, as the medium of circu-
lation and of "account, but difficulties have been
there urged as to the adoption theregf, and the
Governor of that island, in Privy Council, held
at Castries bn the 26th of July, 1825, adopted
certain resolutions on the subject of introducing

At Antigua, by resolutions of the two houses
of Legislature, a depreciated currency value was
given to British coins, which would have caused
a loss on their circulation, and the issue of
those coins was therefore suspended at that
island, and a particular report thereon was made
to the Treasury by Commisimiy-General Routh.
♦t St. Kitt's, by proclamation of the 13th of
December, 1825, a currency value was given to
British coins at which rate they are in free cir-
culation in that island.

From this detail his Excelleney will perceive
that at *Demerara, Berbice, Tobago, Trinidad,
Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, and St.
there does not exist any obstacle to the measures
proposed by Mr. Secretary Hill's letter of the
31st of January last ; and a general order, di-
recting that the Commissariat shall in preference
apply British coins, when such are in the mili-
tary chest, to the pay of the troops, and that they
shall strictly be appropriated as directed, will, in
my opinion, fully provide for the desired mea-
sures, as regards those colonies anti islands ; but,
as respects St. Lucia, nothing can be done there
until effect is given to the Royal proclamation
of the 23d March, 1825: and at Barbadoes and
Antigua, the difficulties pointed out as to the
free and general circulation of British coins, it
would be desirable should be removed by the
respective legislatures, previously to any issue of
British ;none.), being there made ; for the soldier
would, at either island, be subject under the
existing regulations to inconvenience and loss in
passing the British coins he might be paid in ;
and perhaps the successful experience of eighteen
months elsewhere, may have prepared the houses
of Legislature of Barbadoes and Antigua, to
entertain and adopt some measure better calcu-
lated to admit a tree circulation of British coins
than now exists, should the Commander of the
Forceg be disposed to call the subject again to
their attention.

It is very difficult to propose a general remedy
for a measure like the one in, question, so con-
nected as it is with such a variety of interests
and prejudices, and embracing as it does such a
diversity of nominal and fictitious currencies;
and I am apprehensive it will be impossible to
induce all the colonies and islands voluntarily to
adopt one uniform system, either as to a medium
of circulation or of account ; by which means
alone does it appear to me that the measure, to
the extent desired, can ever be attained.

British coins are certainly in every respect
better adapted for a circulating medium in the
British colonies than foreign coins are, provided
their introduction is properly supported ; but I
fear the colonies will - only partially protect that
object, from apprehensions regarding the influ-
ence it might have on securities taken, and ac-
counts kept in loeal currencies, from fluctuation
of exchange ; which, fears are but of an imagi-
nary nature, for I do not perceive that. any dif-
ficulty or inconvenience could arise from even
the adoption of a British sterling medium of cir-
culation and of account everywhere ; for, in all
cases of securities taken or accounts kept in loeal
currencies, which it might be apprehended would
be affected by an alteration of the currency, a
remedy could be provided by fixing that the no-
minal currency debt should be settled for, agree-
ably to its present comparative value, with British
or Spanish coins.

A- similar measure to the one in question has
been enforced in the French colonies, by a royal
ordinance of France, dated St. Cloud, August
30, 1826, whereby the local currencies of their
colonies became abolished, and the system of
the mother country substituted in lieu, which
does not appear to have had any injurious influ-
ence in those colonies.

. To give proper effect, however, to the mea-
sure proposed .by the Lords of the Treasury, for
establishing in these colonies British coins as the
medium of circulation or of account in any
shape, it will be indispensable that all mutilated
coins of inferior intrinsic value thereto, shouldevery
where be cried down, and bought up as bullion
according to intrinsic value, and that a ster;ing.
value should he given to all foreign peifect coins,
which might be fixed at a rate that would ratheK
Britishalso, anco i encouragement
i putitleim ci i): c" u -
encourage and lead gradually to their disappear-
ance ; but it will be requisite, also, effectually
Fay
British coins equal to the current exigencies of
lie premium
the colonies should be sent from Great Britain,
to attain the object desired, that an amount
:ittend inogf
and that a proportion thereof should be in gold,
circu-
lation, in the facility with which it can be 'remit_
is at
prestelni et,
theli
withdrawingere
fixed for the sale of bills for tilos:4 coins ; and at
lit
teod:oltoootoG:reeiantg sterling Bmroi traieli.int„ aranint
ids
ohtnhece:it expense
coins
sf
int
the present moment we have not more than
t 0 i'
chests of the command, so that it may be pre-
sumed, that since the period of commencing the
issue of British silver money, 40,0001. sterling
have been remitted back; but this will be reme-
died by fixing to foreign •
coins a proper sterling
value. ,

I have the honour to be, Sir, your very
obedient servant,
(Signed)

Deputyo
Captain Grant, Military SeeretarY, ege-
DcAniViDssary_Geuero.
ELLIOT.

cihaina
DA RI NO II IG n it WAY oßlialtX.--A , daring
robbery was committed the other-evening in Bar-
bican. ,As Mr. Potter, a. musical instrument..
maker, in King-street, Westminster, was pas-
sing through Barbican, about nine o'clock in the
ht
we received.
r.
oneec e 1.
voe n d the -
evening, be noticed a man, who appeared to eye
.him very intently, and on coming near to him,
the vl
il
idn n up a
e ia
adsreeaaal
ss)udndeanr) rush at c h
al ipi ale l al
enadd seized
iil
his gold, watch chain,. with three valuable gold
seals attached to it ; the ring of the watch broke,
t'StiVnied the la
vbill I
m hitecross-street, leaving Mr. Potter quite tstun-
ned
On recovery, Mr. Potter looked out fora faronmd intiaAeboelffttecfitvseotfntihneutbelos wfo. uother side the way, to whom he communicated
the circumstance, and as h
watch-
man,
e Particularly noticed
the man, he gave him the description,
He was
A tall thin young man with a, flesh
mark on the
right side of his cheek. The watch _ man said
he
knew the man, but blamed Mr. Potter for walk-
ing' on that side of the way in the v • e ening, as he
was almost sure to be robed on that side. The
villain has not yet been discovered.