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It is curious that blame is cast upon Sir Perceval Robinson, who himself selected the Master of the Mint, and, through him, his subordinates, and who arranged or agreed to the matter of detail regarding the machinery. But the assertion I maintain is incorrect. The staff and machinery are in very fair order and accomplish what was contemplated and more; and that if, on the opening of the Mint, everything had run smoothly and the whole of the silver sent in for coinage had been minted in a few days the prospects of success would not have been improved.
Bankers and Merchants sent their bullion for coinage because they had large stocks on hand and because no charge was made - the silver being just available for trafficking as before. The moment the demand for silver for India ceased, the silver would have gone away, whether in the shape of Hong Kong dollars or in other form.
A Proclamation is in force in the Colony making the new dollars and half dollars legal tender, but this cannot increase the demand for them when their cost is 2% more than other dollars equally legally current, nor would the coinage of 2 or 10 million new dollars...