24282
11
No. 23.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR.
(Sent 5.30 p.m., 1st July, 1903.) TELEGRAM.
In reply to your telegram of to-day's date,* cannot withdraw objection to prohibition. Chamber of Commerce may be so informed.-CHAMBERLAIN.
25029
No. 24.
Weight per Ploce.
Grains.
Urno mes.
2000
0.1296
Two thousandths.
23614
No. 20.
Millesimal Finenees.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 9.35 a.m., 26th June, 1903.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 21.]
In reply to your telegram of yesterday's date, the suggestion was to prohibit importation of Mexican dollars only.-SWETTENHAM.
23614
No. 21.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE to THE GOVERNOR. (Sent 4.2 p.m., 27th June, 1903.) TELEGRAM.
In reply to your telegram of yesterday's date, consider it inadvisable to treat Mexican differently from British dollars.-CHAMBERLAIN.
24282
No. 22.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 11.56 a.m., 1st July, 1903.)
TELEGRAM.
[Answered by No. 23.]
Just received from Chamber of Commerce strong representation, urging pro hibition to import Mexican dollars. I am also told that there is enough silver coin already in Colony for all trade purposes, and that large shipments of Mexicans are on the way here or in course of shipment; if objection still remains as to pro- hibition of further import, may I so inform Chamber of Commerce?-SWETTENHAM.
• No. 18.
↑ No. 20.
THE GOVERNOR to THE SECRETARY OF STATE. (Received 6th July, 1903.)
(Confidential.)
SIR,
[Answered by No. 26.]
Government House, Singapore, 6th June, 1903.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your confidential despatch of the 23rd April forwarding copies of the Report of the Committee on Straits currency.
2. I have already informed you by telegram that the Government and Legis- lative Council of this Colony accept the recommendations of the Committee and are prepared, with your approval, to carry them out. I enclose of the debate§
copy
in the Legislative Council on the motion that this Council favours the adoption of the recommendations of the Committee on Straits currency."
3. I desire to tender the thanks of this Colony and the Federated Malay States for the prompt appointment of a Committee to enquire into this most important question, and to express our great obligation for the care with which the Committee have gone into the matter and the valuable Report which they have furnished.
4. I now await the Order in Council which is necessary to provide for the coinage of a Straits dollar and I have already, by_telegram,|| made a suggestion as to the design for the new coin. The British dollar cannot be considered an artistic success from any point of view, and I trust that a better design and bolder execution will be obtained in the case of the new dollar. I recommend that on the obverse of the new coin there be depicted a Royal Standard or the Head of His Majesty the King. The former would obviate any change in design on the demise of the Sovereign. The words "Straits Dollar" should appear on either side of the Standard and the date below it. I recommend a lion rampant to represent Singa- pore, the Lion City. The lion, to look well, should be in high relief, and the words Straits Dollar" might appear on the same side of the coin as the lion rampant if so preferred. I have also suggested that the coin should be slightly smaller in diameter than the trade or Mexican dollars, in order that they may be picked out with greater ease when sorting. This point is considered to be of some importance, as the Straits dollars will everywhere be kept separate from the other dollars, and it is, therefore, advisable to make the new coin as distinctive as possible.
5. I am not yet prepared to advise as to what should be done in the case of Johore, but imagine that the Sultan will take such steps as he is advised to carry
out in his State the change of currency on the same lines and at the same time as is done here and in the Federated Malay States.
6. I have noted paragraphs 4 and 5 of your despatch under reply.
7. As regards your paragraph 6, I have the honour to enclose copy of a despatch that I have addressed to the Viceroy of India asking for further informa tion regarding the cost, &c., of the new.coinage. Copies of his telegram of the 8th ultimo and of my telegraphic reply thereto were communicated to you in my confidential despatch of the 14th May.
8. The Report has, with your sanction, been already published and was received with the general approval of all classes of the community.
0. There are two or three points of detail on which I should like to have some further information to enable me to answer questions which have been put to me by the banks. First, I am asked whether the banks will be allowed to ship
• No. 28. ↑ No. 3. Nos. 8 and 11 § 29th May, 1903; not reprinted. No. 8. ¶ No. 15
81104
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