on in several Mints alike known
the Chinese boch
to
as to their localities, and
the nature of the control exercised over them.
I may here mention that I saw
and
of the
at the Hong Kong Mint a French "Prefe Monilave" substituted for English presses. It performs, I was assured, its work admirably, turning out at slow speed 45 coins per minute, so that
a short day's work of ... hours, it could
coin which
las v
$20,000.
I
commend
it for
the beauty of the dollars coined by it; and
were similar
presses
substituted for the
remaining English presses (14 in number),
$100,000 or $100,000
The
coinage of
daily coined.
might be daily
10 and 20 Cent pieces yield a considerable profit to the Mint, and are
eagerly taken by the Chinese.
Many
arguments favorable to its Commercial success might be urged.
did time permit, and I cannot but
consider
any proposal to close the action of the Mint perfectly suicidal. Let the Government of Hong Kong but
do
an effective staff,
its front in providing and the requisite machinery, the rest I am convinced may be safely left to the natural circulation of the precious metals, and to Commercial enterprise.
I do therefore earnestly hope that the Secretary of State for the Colonies, will
give
the
experiment
his hearty support and encouragement.
Your efforts to further
so desirable an
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