38

230

39

Dollar, at the rate

other

h

7

100 to a Dollar. The

as

they

a ten

Silver coin to be called

cent piece, and to be a legal tender

to the amount

of

2 dollars, at the rate of ten for one Dollar. I think the cent especially desirable because without it all fractional parts of Dollar, which in Government, Banking, or mercantile accounts, never below a cent, would have to be entered in cents and settled in such which would be both burdensome and inconvenient. I do not think that the intrinsic values of

these coins which would circulate chiefly among Europeans would be

a matter

of much

consequence as long

as they

were

below their rated value

to an extent that would cover the

expense of

their

coinage

and ensure

their remaining in circulation. The quality and weight of the cent might be the same as that of the East India Company's cent coined in 1845, a few of which are in circulation and which in size and weight are found to be convenient. As regards the weight of the 10 cent piece, the Chinese authorities whom I have consulted consider it desirable that it should be made

by

means of alloy

as

nearly

as

possible one tenth of the Dollar in weight

or 41.6

grains.

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