An inquiry into the principles involved in the decimalization of the weights. measures & monies. of the United Kingdom

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 ...by the views of a class separate from the whole of the community--it ought to be governed and decided by the consideration of what is due to the general convenience of the people at large. And when we look at the purposes for which coinage was introduced at all, and is necessary to the social requirements of the humblest as well as the highest of the different classes of society, it is not to be believed that a dislocation of such vast importance could be admitted in opposition to that consideration. We have shown beyond the possibility of dispute, that a decimal system of coinage, with one pound as the integer, would largely increase the labour of all monetary calculations; that the decimals of such an integer are deficient in precision, unless by the employment of an inconvenient number of figures, and that the pound would otherwise be most objectionable, if not impracticable, as an integer of account. If we are to introduce a decimal system of currency at all, on anything like a satisfactory basis, it is absolutely indispensable that we should abandon the idea of continuing the pound as the integer, as it would only lead to confusion if it were preserved in that capacity. The sovereign would still remain as a coin, and continue to circulate, until by abrasion, it ceases to maintain public confidence; but after a few years it would disappear from circulation altogether, like the old guinea, and give place to the new system, without the public sustaining any inconvenience, or even being conscious of the change. The advocates for a decimal currency, with,£1. as the integer, have not, however, established their case; they have not shown the necessity for superseding nearly the whole of our lower coins, for the mere sake of decimalising the pound, or tha...