Alabama state intelligencer., 1831-03-02

which he exhibited to nc. The peculiar advantages to the general commerce of the world which might be derived from the intro duction of Platina in coinage, ,appearto me tobe so great, that have been surprised that the proposals of Dr Bohlman had not been suc- cessful in his applications to the enlightened governments of those great and commercial nations to which they were addressed; and it is with great satisfaction that have learnt, that the Imperial Government of Russia has at length carried this idea into execution.- There are two points of view in which it ap- pears to me, that the coinage of Platina must be emnently useful. 1st As an intermedi- ate coin of proportional value between gold and silver. Without pretending to precise accuracy, we may assume the proportional value between gold and silver, to be 16 to 1. lThe value of Platina, as an article of mer- chandize, is as nearly as possible a geome- trical mean proportion between these two quantties-that is to say, one pound troy weight of Platina, is worth in the market, about four pounds of pure silver, and one quar- ter of a pound of pure gold. The advantages of such an intermediate coin between the two precious metals heretofore used for a circula- ting medium, are so obvious, that need not expatiate upon them. .2d The specific gra- vity of Platina secures to it an advantage for the purpose of coinage, not even possessed by gold and silver. It cannot be counterfeitet. In the article in the Evening Post, it is men toned that the six rouble pieces is about the size of cent. Its specific gravity is not men toned, but it must be about the weight of a dollar-and if so, you may readily conceive how impossible it would be to find metal upon which to counterfeit a coin which would impress it's purity upon the hand of the re-
 
 eeiver merely by it's weight Another pro perty which renders this metal peculiarly fit for coinage, is the durability of its impression. Gold and silver are liable to lose their stamps and much of their substance by circulation ; from the impenetrabilty of Platina, it is much wasted in passing from hand to hand.
 Under it's highest polish it is difficult to dis cern, from the colour alone, the difference between Platina and silver. The standard measure of length and of weight of the mod erh French system, the metre and the killo- gramme, are of Platna-exact fac similes of them, are deposited in our Department of State and it would require the eye of prac- tised Silversmith, to distinguish them at once from silver; but no person can take them ln- to the hand for an instant without perceiving that they are far different metal: the spe- cifc gravity of Platina being nearly double that of silver.
 There is an error in the article of the Eve ming Post, with regard to the value of the Russian Silver rouble, which, by the weight of pure silver that it contains, is worth small fraction less than seventy-fve cents. The six rouble pieces therefore, instead of dol lars and 62 cents, is worth fraction less than dollars and a haf The present silver coin age of Russia is regulated by an ukase ot the Emperor Alexander, of the year 1910; and the silver roublc has stamped upon them, not only their specific weight, but the exact quan- tity of pure silver which they contain. It is to be presumed, that the inscription upon the Patina coin, mentioned in the Evening Post, is of d similar character The value of one grain, troy weight, of pure gold, is about 4 cents-that of one grain of silver, one fourth of cent in the relative proportions berore mentioned between these metals, one grain troy weight of Platina is worth as nearly as possible, one cent; and a dollar coin in that metal would weigh precisely or very nearly 100 grains troy weight-allowance are of course to be made for alloy. Our silver quar- ters of dollars should weigh 1O4 grains each but dollar in platina, from it's specific gravi- | ty, would, of course, not be of so large size; it would probably not much exceed that of a | 121-2 cent piece. The introduction of Plati- na as a coin, to any considerable extent, would probably increase it's relative value in the market How far this operation might be anticipated, am not able to foresee. The metal itself is of recent discovery, and hither- to, it appears, that in the production of it, nature has been uncommonly parsmonions.- - But as a new mine of it has been discovered in the Ural Mountains, it is not improbable that the rise i'll value, which would follow from the extended use of the metal, would be counterballanced by a corresponding increase of the supply.
 | It is remarked in the article of the Evening Post, that there is no head of the Emperor upon these Platina coins There has been no head of the Sovereign, upon any of the Russian coins since the reign of the Empress Catharine. Her son and successor was de- tered, as perhaps he thought, from permit ting his head to appear upon his coins, by a religious scruple, and he substituted for it a legend from the Psalms-"Not unto us-Not unto us" Whether the same scruple has been inherited by his sons, may be matter of conjecture ; but neither Alexandernor Nicho- las could be actuated by another motive, which the critics ascribed to Paul, the consciousness that his head was not desirable object of ex- hibition. J. .. ADAMS.