The Arkansas advocate., 1831-03-30

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 cited by tae following eircumstance.-- ] Several years ago, the gentleman refer red 10, had the pleasure of passing day l with Mir. ADAMS, in Massachusetts, dur I Ing which, some turn in the conversation l led the latter so speak of the properties E of platina, and the advantages which
 that metal possessed for the purposes of,
 coin. ac. The appearance 2 few days
 ago of an article in a New York paper,
 mentioning the recent coinage laf this : metal by the Russian Government, re-
 minded the gentleman of the observa-
 lions of Mir. ADAMS; he sent himth pa
 per, and the following letter was the
 consequence. We have not copy of
 the article referred to, or we would in. saFt that also, for the better understand ing of the subject.-.Aat. Intel.
 l WASHINGTON, Eco. I, 1881.
 DEAR SIR: Accept my thanks for the
 kind transmission of the Evening Post,
 containing the very interesting article
 uponth new Russian Platina Coin; and 5 also for reminding me of one of the most pleasant days that Ircmcmber to have passed, although the conversation res
 pecting the use of Platina for coinage had escaped ny recollection. The pro- l ject of eeining Hatina was, fl not origi- nally conceived, most eagerly pursued l by theslate very ingenious Dr. Brick Bohlman. In the year 1915, he present. ed q Memoir upon this subject to sever al of the Governments Of Europe-to France, Great Britain, and Austria, as l think he himself informed me. The specific gravity and intense solidity of Platina, render it in some degree un- manageable for coining. The usual in- struments employed at Minus for gold E and silver not, being of sufficient power to stamp distinct impression upon the metal, Dr. Bohlman had invented anin- strument adequate to that purpose; and attkc Mint, in Paris had caused to be struck impressions of several of the med als of Napoleon, some of which he ex- hibited to me. The peculiar advanta- ges to the general commerce of the world which might be derived, from the introduction-of Hatina in coinage, ap- pear tc nc to De SC great, that l have been surprized that the proposals of Dr. Bohlman had not been successful in his applications to the enlightened govern mcnts of those great and commercial na- lions to which they were addressed; and it is with great satisfaction thatI have learnt that the Imperial Government of Russia has at length carried this idea into execution. There are two points of viewsin which it appears to ne that l the eoinagcsof Platina must be eminent 1 ly useful. First. Asan immediate coin of proportional value between gold and silver. Without pretending to precise ac- curacy, we may assume the proportional value of gold and silver to be of I6to l. The value of Platiaa as an article of merchandise is as nearly as possible geometrical mean proportion between these two quantities-thati is to say, one pound troy weight of Platina is worth in the market about four pounds of pure silver, and one quarter of pound of gold. The advantages of such an im- i mediate coin between the two precious
 metals heretofore used for circulating
 medium, are so obvious, that need not expatiate upon them. Second. The spe- c:fc gravity of Platina secures to it an advantage for the purpose of coinage not even possessed by gold and silver.---
 It cannot be countcrfcited. In thear-
 ticle in the Evening Post, it is mentioned
 that the sixroubie piece is about the size
 of cent. It's specific gravity is not
 mentioned, built must be nearly about | the weight of sdollar--and if SO, you
 may readily conceive how impossible it
 would be to find metal upon which 10
 counterfeit coin which would impress
 its purity upon the hand of the receiver
 merely by its weight. Another proper 1 ty which renders this metal peculiarly I fit for coinage, is the durability of its
 impression. Gold and silver are liable
 to losetheir stamps and much of their
 substancesby circulation; from the inn
 penetrabiiity of Flatina, 1t is muchiess
 susceptible of being thus worn out
 and wasted bs passing from hand to
 hand.
 Underit highest polish, it is difficult
 to discern from the color alone the differ
 ence between Platina and silver. The
 standard measure oflength and ofweight
 of the modern French system, the me-
 tre and the killogralnme, are of Platina