231
each
amount
payable
Treasury Certificates,
in 30 days, or sufficient time to cover the minting period. These Certificates will be negotiable securities
and the silver be thus rendered available
to the
Bank or whoever
undertakes
minting.
32,
during the process of
I do not anticipate any very great result from these increased facilities
to the Public, but they will help, and, at least, will give increased experience; I have further a wish to meet Chinese
views so far as to adopt their own
standard of fineness; and
issue coins representing
Taels of pure Sycee. I enclose a rough specimen of one manufactured by Mr.
Kinder, which at least shews the
weight and thickness of such a coin;
and if the Chinese Government would employ the Mint in converting
silver into such Taels instead of into
ingots or
shoes of silver in
use throughout the Empire - great advantage
would result to the general interests of
commerce, as well
as to the Mint.
33
I
now come to the most
important consideration viz:
what
action Her Majesty's Government should
take
in the
light of the
information thus supplied. It is clear that the Commission of
inquiry and the Bankers all desponding views of the prospects of the Mint unless the Chinese Government...