The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-22
The Proposed Changes 4" the English Cur
reusy-Vaauc of our Decfm IL System.

rensy-va.ue Of our Decimal System.
The expediepcy Of adopting the decimal sys-
tenn Of currency seems just nov to be exciting
good deal OF attention in England. William
Brown, Eco. NJ. p, Of The well firm
of Brown, Shipley 4 Co.. OF Liverpool, has
published circular to the beads of the life
rept public schools on the subject the argn-
meuts in favor of the method which he recon-
mends being chiefly taken from the Chinese
system, Of which no very clear details are
given and iron the French, which, according
to Mr. Browns own showing, is evidently un-
suited to English notions and habits tue in
teger Of their currency being, be consider, of
too small value (vz: one fr inc equal to nearly
twenty cents.) The conclusion at which Mr.
Brown arrives from comparison of these DIT
ferebt systems is, that ~ lowest Value as in
teger that can possibly be used to advantage in
England, is the 81 sterling.
We are surprised that man of such q high
standing in the commercial world as Mr.. Brown,
should not have gone more practically to work
In his calculations, and that before recommend
lug as the only fe asible system for adoption in
England the scheme that he lays down of 1000
mills to the integer, he should not have taken
the trouble Of comparing the simple mechanism
of the United States currency with that of
other countries, and stated at least,
some satisfactory objections to the adop-
ton of mode Of calculation which
has at least the recommendation Of being used
by people distinguished for their predilec-
tons for rapid and labor saving machinery.
Mr.. Brown admits that great difficulty exists
in the translation of the present values of
amounts in sterling money into their equivalent
values in the proposed currency-that is to say
in ratios of LOCO to the 81 sterling. We're the
British government to adopt currency of dol
lars and cents, making the dollar four shillings
sterling, the difficulty of changing their method
Of calculation would at once cease. Their el
sterling would then be equivalent to FIVE dol
lars, their shilling to quarter of a dollar, aud
their sixpence to an eighth of dollar. But
even our system, perfect as it is, is not free
from inconvenience. To any one who has made
these calculations study it is evident that the
natural division Of values in any currency,
| whether decimal or otherwise, is into halves,
! quarters, and eighths. However stringent the
measures that legislators may adopt to pro-
mote the operation Of purely decimal cur
rency, the natural law that divides and subdi-
! vides values again and again by two, will inva-
| riably thwart their intentions.
The proof of this Inevitable result is daily
experienced in the annoyance arising from the
use of our IL 1-2 cent pieces, in which the
desire to obtain, without giving value for
A. x III =
to every one who has occasion to purchase
any retail article, or who enters an omui-
bus or ferry boat. In Ohio and in the
Southern States generally, this anomaly has
been done away with by the Spanish eighth of
dollar or twelve and o half cent piece, beiny
only estimated at ten cent value. Owing to
| the opposition of retail dealers and others in
| terested in maintaining the present absurd
| system which prevails in the State of New
| York, we fear that it would be difficult if not
| impossible 20 bring about the same sensible
| regulation by the force of public opinion alone
| The only remedies that suggest themselves as
likely to be attended with success are the coin
age of halfcent or two and half cent pieces, or
of both, and the calling in and recoinage OF
the twelve and half cent pieces, SO as to mike
the divisions of dollar, fifty, twenty-five,
| ten, and five cent pieces.
| There is, however, another important advan-
| tage in the United States currency which Mr..
| Brown seems to have overlooked, namely, tho
| calculation Of per centages, oil per centages
of dollar being simply cents, whilst the per
centages Of a 81 sterling are not mills but
dimes, which have to be multiplied by ten to
properly express their value. Thus, per
| cent on $3.50 is 1850 cents or S22.5O, ) per
| cent on e450 is 1850 Iimcs, or 22500 mills.
or f22, 500, involving the unnecessary multi
plication arising from the adoption of com
plicated and purely technical system. The
result of calculations, of course, is found il
numbers Of the lowest denomination aud whilst
The result in mills O. parts of 900 to the To-
teger is as 10 to as to the labor of estimating
them compared to cents, or parts Of 100 to the
integer. the closeness Of approximation to the
real value sought In calculation is but rs to 1,
the cent being equal to nearly mills. Nor is
This all-for the proposed English currency is
no more free from further subdivision Of IFS
lowest denomination (mills) than is the United
States currency Of its lowest (cents). Let US
take, for example, the lace trade in England,
in which goods are sold at the fractional value
Of the 32d part Of a penny, or about the srh
part Of mill. To illustrate the argument,
we will translate the sum Of 81 6s. Cd. into the
new currency Of 1000 m lis to the el.
81 IL 1000 mills
- o.. 50 il 800 mna
Cd. - 80 mills
336 or 81 forms and 80 mills
Or 81 %. 3dimes and mills