Running
misch
year, may fare better the Mint,
but unless the Chinese in the interior of
the Empire will revert to their old
preference for
a Chin... over a
piece of Silver
I do not see how it can be worth while
for the importers of
Sycee to incur a
minting charge of 2 per cent. The
Dollars, already in China,
in quantity,
can generally be brought from the Mainland
at less cost than Coins can be
produced whenever it is necessary to make good any deficiency of Coinage at Hongkong or the neighbouring ports,
where Dollars are current.
Page 362
15.
In the meantime I am exerting every means to keep the Mint at work
and have applied through Sir Rutherford Alcock to the Chinese Government to
do any minting work that may be
required by it, and to request that
orders may be given for having it
own Dollar coinage at the British Custom Houses
16.
The introduction of the Dollar
Currency in the Straits Settlements
will also, I hope, furnish
employment to our Mint, and I trust
that Your Lordship will cause either
the Hongkong Dollar and its subdivisions
to be the currency of the Straits Settlements
or, if it be preferred, that
the minting of them should be done