جا
573
10.
I may here mention that the millesimal fineness
of the Chinese coins is practically the same as ours, the
mean result of analysis of 23 of these coins made by two
different analysts being to show the presence of 800.08
parts of silver in 1,000 parts of metal, the fineness of
the Hongkong coins as laid down by proclamation being 800.
The millesimal fineness of the dollar being 900 there
seems no reason why both the Hongkong and Chinese subsidiary
coins should not fall to a discount of 10%. At present the
discount on the former is 6 to 64, and on the latter 746 74.
11.
On the assumptions that there is no further
production of Hongkong subsidiary coinage and that the
provision by China of a uniform national coinage in accord-
ance with Article II of the British Commercial Treaty sign-
ed at Shanghai on the 5th. September,1902, is indefinitely
postponed, three things may happen in the future:-
(土).
The Canton mint may continue issuing new
subsidiary coins of the present millesimal fine-
ness. In this case they will fall to and remain
at a 10% discount to the empoverishment of the
people in the Kwang Provinces whose boardings consisting of and earnings paid in these coins
will have lost a tenth of their value. The de-
crease in buying power of these people will con-
tinue to injuriously affect the trade of Hongkong.
The Hongkong subsidiary coins will remain at a
slightly less discount in Hongkong where the
non