New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-06-15
qualified qualification BY all the japanese, and {" 'ney
never hesitate to proclaim their real opinions on any
subject, il may be pronounced certain success


PHILADELPHIA, June 10, 1860.
At THE MINT.
To comnete their investigation Of the currency sub
;ect the Japanese ambassadors this morning visited
the Mint where arrangements had been made TO assay
in their presence number of their own coins in order
70 d. monstra,e their exact value, compared with
oprs and those Of other nations This process how
ever, was deferred until tomorrow the japanese de-
string to examine more closely into the matter than
Lad Leen supposed or was possible without additional
incarnation. The number of the foreign visitors was
small consisting only of the First and Third Embassa-
dorr the three officers next succeeding them in rank,
the interpreters Nsmours and Tataesi Tommy, and
two servants On arriving at the Mint they were re-
ceiyed by the Director, Col. James Ross Snowden,
u ho addressed them thus:
I am bappy TO zee your Exceencies at the Mint Of
the United States The President has directed me TO
exhibit to YOU in the fullest manner the operations OF
coinage as they executed IN this National insttu-
ton and also 10 afford You every facility to enable you
to understand our system of money and accounts IL
will give me great pleasure TO comply with these in-
sIuctions. Beside giving you an opportunity 10 W.T.
meas our usual operations, we will also, IN your pres
ence, am informed such Is yonr desire mei' ana
assay several of the gold and silver coins OF your
country which You heretofore placed IN the hands OF
the Treasury Department at the City OF washington.
proper understanding by Of the metallic currency
eminent of our Constitutional currency. will tend
ia promote commerce and friendly relations be-
tween us. -;
terpaona coinage, but may venture 10 express the
wish that it may be found useful and udcious for your
Government TO adopt the same fnenets IN the coinage
as is adopted by the United States and is also used by
most of the Governments of Europe and America
that is to say fneness Of pine hundred thousandhs,
or nine-tenths In other words nine-teDths OF pure
gold or silver, and one-tenth OF alloy or inferior
metals. >,
and silver in your country and the United States is
yery great and remarkable but it will doubtless yield
TO the eauazing influences of the trade and commerce
which is expected will spring up between our re-
spectve nations This intercourse, II 10 also hoped,
will advance the prosperity and happiness Of both.
As the ambassadors of a distant Empire, with whom
my country desires TO cultivate the relations OF peace
and friendship, and encourage the refining and eleva-
ting influences of a mutually advantageous commerce,
most cordially welcome you TO this National lnstitu-
ton.
The First Fmbassador answered that he had already
obtained general idea of the metallic currency OF our
country but was yet DESTROYS to inspect the processes
of assayng and of coinage He also nmated tina. the
Japanese would undoubtedly at the proper time, es-
tablsh standard conforming to that Of the United
States.
The ambassadors and their attendants were then
conducted through the various apartments Of the Mint
in which they were enabled TO view, in regular ORDER
the entire course of the manufacture of United States
coin. nothing further was accomplished the assaying
process being laid over until tomorrow.
A number of japanese coins have, however, already
been analysed with the following result according TO
a table prepared by Col. Snowden:
The coins Of gold silver, brass, copper and iron.
The principal gold coin is the cobdng of which we
have three Sizes according to the changes which have
been made within the past sixty years. This coin is of
oval shape very thin, soft and easily bent tits largely
aloyed with silver but the silver being taken out OF
the surface by solvent, the coin looks like fine gold,
until it has been good deal This accounts for
the very pale color of the first specimen and ofanother
in which we have scratched of part of the surface, to
show the true color
No is cobang supposed to be about sixty years
old IL weighs pol grains; ia twohirdsg gold;
third silver; or, express by thousandhs 1t 601
thoaslndths fine. In lis value including the silver is
s. 95 is OF oval form, quite thick, y inches long,
and l. broad.
Nos, cobaug, coined within few years past, weighs
Ia grains. II is fourseventbs gold and three-sevenths
silver, very nearly; the exact fneness in thousandths
being sos The value including the silver, is "a "A.
| In size it is a very little smaller than No. |.
Nos 3 and 4, cobangs Of very recent date, brought
| except one small mark. The weight is 1891 grains
Their fneness is about 81 thousandhs which is pre-
cisey fourseyenths, and appears to be The definite
legal standard. The value, including the silver, is
81 81 without the silver, 50 Al. These are yet
smaller than No. q but similarly shaped
Nos. 3 and 6, two small rectangular coins, with
gold surface, which y specific gravity are about one
third gold. The weight is 25l grains. Thername and
place in the series not known They are two
thirds of an inch in length and one-thrd in breadth.
No Z, rectangular CON- If half the weight of the co.
bang, No. . but 10y specific gravity contains little
more than one-fourth gold the remainder appears to
be silver. This piece, aso, is not understood. 1t is
one inch long and one-haf an inch broad
No. 8 also rectangular is called the gold tZebu; ia
one-ourth the weight of cobang No. g and of the same
ineness, very nearly. Value 81 IL. little smaller
than No.7.
Nos. 9 and 10 are the new gold itzebu, brought by
the Embassy for assay and one-ourth Of the co.
bang brought by them. Value S9I cents. A little
larger than Nos. and g.
All the silver coins rectangular, and rather thick
No H. an old half-itzebu, silver is one of several
pieces which were given TO officer Of the United
States Exploring Expedition, about the year 1870 by
Jspanese sailors who had drfted far ont into the
Pacific Ocean, and were picked up and taken care of
Afterward, by the wreck of one of vessels all the
coins lost except this IL fret spec-
men of japanese COIN The weight is II grains and
being near iine silver, Il ii worth a little IL cents
Same fiZe ge No. y.
weighing l3i grains 9SS to $50 lhousandhs fine, and
worth 1863 cents. Some specimens fully 81 a
liule larger than No. Z.
No 10 weighs 2sI grains, and appears also to be
nearly fine; value about cents. Name not known.
Same size as No Z.
No. H. Il new silver itzebu brought by the nbassy
cu for assay II weighs the same rs the old itzebu
III grains but is $50 housandths iiue which is near
our standard 9OO.l Valued at 1928 cents. Same
size as No. ~.
No. H. large, thick piece of brass, oval and cast
with square hole in the center; said to be a piece of
"one hundred penny 1t is inches long and II
broad.
No. 10, a copper coin, circular, with hole in the
center fize OF our cent.
No. II, an IRON coin, circular with rough edges and
with a hole in the center, rize OF half cent.