The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-05-17
The Metric sysasn oi Coisage.
Durinu the lake. session of Con

q - 4
passed which makes . change OF
some some Importance with reference 70
the adopton OF an neernataonal
monetary unlt IN sne weight ana
value OF the nivsf nAii dollar, quas
Ter doiiar' ana dlme. Inc Ffencn
lsgA 'enoer aisel oon is' 'ne nve
lrsnc Paece' WHICH "aens t1scse'!
twen.y nse eialnm0S' ano lS u
n'Ae 's.'ns nnsns AAo s.A
COINS oi frt"ol .n.s ..o y p'
Pol 'lla.e "e'sn'' ou' l,l'H - 'e'' An
ness' auu .ne1elo1 VI 'eSS p,opos
''.nAso v4.'e oul own 1'ase. o'
A % 2! nm Nc n14
ooi.a1 WIZ nAso swe.so s'11u o'4s'
nal. gram"es' WINCH 70 eAsc''y on
nan OF 'ne rrencn silver ieai ..sl-
oer CON- tne nve lianc piece LUG
value OF the nan doiiar "lii De II.
creased Dy "a . cnange M ~eisn' %
one nan .e OF one per cent. ABOVE 'n7
half dollar TO winch we nave 0een
accustomed. The weight OF tne
collar piece Is increased Irom !oor
hundred and sixteen to four nun
dred and twenty grams and Is not
referred to the basis OF the gramome.
The object OF this increase ls to
render 1t more popular for or'ental
trade; and II VIII be very shgntly'
in weight, IN excess OF the Mexlcan
silver dollar. This coin has been
practically demonetized, and will
not be legal tender In sums IN ex-
cess Of five dollars. This is step
in the direction OF metric system
Of coinage, and the next step is
very easy, for our gold COINS are
now almost on this same basis Of
weight, weighing about three tenths
Of one per cent, above, the metric
standard. DIR. Farr, the eminent Y
English statistician and political
economist, has recommended Z
change in the British system ..
coinage, making the gramme ofgold
nine .tenths fine, the basis Of the
British money ofaccount- The Brit
ish unit under his system will be q
decagram Of gold nine-tenths fine
to be called the Victoria, and viii b<
| in value exactly equal to two of oul
three dallar gold pieces. The posi-
tion taken in the law is most impor
tant, because tgives assurance tina
the international monetary uni
must be based on the weight of thl
gramme to which it viii have sim
pie relation. If each nation adop
for its monetary unit. . weight 0
| equal fineness, having simple rela
ton to the same common weight q
the gramme, the monetary system
Of the different nations will have
simple relation to each other, ant
be easily comparable. The chang
in our own coin, to bring them t
the proper weight will be nerel.
nominal, without requiring recon
age. It is probable that the secon'
issue Of the coins will be marke'
with the value and weight, in gram
mes, stamped upon them It is sal
that the new dollar will command
price Of about one hundred an
eight cents in god, and when il.
considered that our mines have ha
| to sell their bullion at discount o
its real value, it will be seen tina
after oil expenses are paid, they wi
make an advance of at least fou
per cent. on their silver by suppl.
ing China with trade dollars. Som
idea Of the importance Of tn
change may be obtained by q glane
at the statistics, which show thu
about $50, 600, 900 in silver is ann'
ally produced IN the United Stat'
and exported to foreign countries
in 1850 it was but $500 'ooo' e'tf SO tn
oar silver production has increase
IN twenty-five years q hundred fol
with still brighter prospects Tor II