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1250 *¦ THE LEADER. [Saturday
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. DECIMAL COINAGE. Liverpool is taking t...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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T Ord Palmerston's Continuance In Office...
only preparation of which we are aware is , that the minds of our officials have at last been quite prepared for the exigency which can no longer be avoided . If we are not mistaken , while orders have been sent out to blockade every port iti the Black Sea , to drive every Russian ship into those ports , and , if necessary , to bombard Sebastopol itself , military precautions at home havse toeen carried to the largest extent : every regiment in Ireland , except one —the Thirty-third—is under
orders for foreign service ; the English regiments are under orders to increase their strength ; and the fear of the people of Glasgow , that a Russian fleet may indulge a pic-nic excursion up the Clyde , natural as it is , may be set at rest . Under these circumstances it is not surprising if an impressment should prevail that Baron Brunow , the Russian ambassador , will terminate his protracted residence in the British capital , probably within three weeks time .
But little is now said respecting the influences "which have beset the Court and sought to incline it towards un-English objects . No explanation has been given . We have observed in the columns of our contemporaries a most extraordinary uniformity in stating that Court intrigues existed , in declaring popular horror of such p roceedings , and in warning the distinguished personage , who was supposed to have taken part , that the very suspicions of such a course involved danger if not " wickedness . " Our journals agree on feAV points ;
some of them do not agree even with themselves ; and when they are unanimous , especially when they are outspoken , as they have been in this case , the feeling must be one widely and . deeply set in the English heart . We are inclined to put a very positive interpretation upon the silence which has followed these general denouncements . We interpret it thus—that the warning has had its © fleet ; that those who are best informed
feel assured that the suspected operations have at least been relinquished 5 and that , whatever may have been the case last week , there is no longer any necessity to urge that warning . We trust it is so . But the occasion is of so grave a kind , that it is not desirable to relinquish the popular vigilance until we sec the Crown engaged , by its responsible Ministers , in a decisive course on behalf of England and of justice .
We do not pay much attention to the last reports from India , about a Russo-Persian approach towards our territories ; partly because the Daily News seems to us to prove that these reports are only the Indian branch of an old report which had already reached us , and which must have anticipated the hostile proceedings of Persia . These innumerable rumours percolating through the Himalehs , are so very remote from the facts in which they originated , as to be little more than shadows . Much more interesting are the occurrences that bear upou the actual state of India ; and however they may relate in some cases to the
very painful incidents of social economy , they are prospectivoly of the most cheerful kind . We do not modify that expi * ession even in regard to the wholesale infanticide in the Punjaub . The crime is one which we habitually associate with some institutions , not only of India , but of other countries . It is more nakedly a superstition than some crimes which prevail in more civilised countries ; but we suspect that in the amount of depravity and misery , it may be move than paralleled in that country which we are apt to reckon the most civilised in the world . However that may be , it is a trouble which belongs to India ; and we derive our encouragement from the course
which the Indian Government has thought it Aviso to adopt ; it is , to assemble the chiefs of the accused district , to mukc a declaration of English fooling in regard to the crime , to invite from those chiefs a declaration in the same sense , and to suggest new regulations for marriage ; for the crime itself originates , first , in the desire to escape the necessity for a dowry , which custom hus established in the district ; and , secondly , amongst those who are under no such necessity , in the desire to imitate the practice of ' rank and wealth . But the course takei / by our Government proves how considerable must be the reliance which well-informed oflicials have on the
effect of public opinion amongst , the nativen , and the capacity of those natives for adopting more enlightened views . Certainly Mr . liuikas , and those who accept las suggestions , expect from the Hindoos a capacity of ' prompt reform , which the English people do not find even in the English Cabinet . The detection of " khutput" in Bombay
we regard as being amongst the cheering circumstances , Khttfcput means official corruption , and the recent instance consists in the interception of a packet which was actually passing trough the Post-office , and : which contained -a . "import to Government discreditable to the Gwicmvar . of BarodaL -For asserting the existence <© f such practices'Colonel Otttram ^ the Resident uStBarodaj was superseded ; lie has scarcely- been ^ replaced ^ . and has not yet jarrived at his old ^ nost , ere this ; new proof bursts' forth . JSTow the corruption is no novelty—Government knew it ; but the
detection is cheering ; especially coming , as it does , at the time when the public opinion of England and India unites in the desire to sweep away these corruptions , and to establish a system of purer government . The Bombay Association is admirably carrying on its work of collecting facts and representations to lje laid before the English public ; and is thus proving that the natives who can think so well , and can push discussion with so much zeal and discretion , are certainly capable of sharing the" conduct of their own affairs .
To pass at once from the extreme east to the extreme west , let us notice the report of the conquest of Lower California by a band of adventurers from San Francisco . It is a flibustero expedition , at which , of course , the Government in Washington must frown , and at which English routine politicians are scandalised . But in truth the transfer of a province , even to a Committee in Safety of Yankee blood , from the laggard and disorderly Government of Mexico , is actual promotion .
It is very generally supposed that Lord Palmerston ' s return to office is accompanied by arrangements agreeable to himself , on the subject of the difference with his colleagues . In the first place , it is understood that ; although Government nad already determined upon a more _ energetic course in the East , that energy is at once facilitated and guaranteed by his resumption . In the second place , he is understood to have objected generally L to certain distributions of the members disengaged by the disfranchisement of several boroughs , an < l especially to the
disfranchisement of the particular borough for which he sits—Tiverton . Lord Palmerston has been noted for a certain fidelity to those who assist him—it is a quality for which his subordinates adore him ; and if he carries out this faith in regard to his constituency , it is probable that no candidate would be able to oust him at a future election for Tiverton . It is remarkable that the same objection which induced Lord Palmerston to fly off , precluded Sir George Grey from coming on ; for it is understood that Sir George made a difficulty of sitting in a Cabinet which proposes disfranchisement of the . very borousrh for which he sits- —Alnwick . Now the
most flattering account of the Reform Bill as it was likely to pass the Cabinet did not lead to any high popular expectations ; and of this we are sure , that a vigorous and national course abroad will be regarded by every class of the English public as much more important than the introduction and carrying of the anticipated Ministerial Bill . A lasting warfare abroad is not a favourable season for heated discussions amongst ourselves ; and for our part we should be content to see every object of internal discussion set aside for the moment . Under the circumstances of the country it appears to us that there is but one reform bill which could
be advanced with good tante or policy , but that would be a very short enactment—namely , to declare that every Englishman that can give an authenticated name and address is entitled to vote for his representative in Parliament . The operative council at Preston addressed a memorial to Lord Palmerston , inviting intervention between the working people on strike and their masters , who are locking out . He has replied with much good sense and with comparatively little information , as ho candidly avows to the memorialists ; and in a separate paper we have made free to urge upon them the expediency of collecting ( he information which he seeks .
I ho- Lancashire strike , however , has entered on a portentous phase—the masters of the whole cotton district , assembled in conclave at Manchester , have resolved to support the masters of Preston . We cannot but regret this step . A contemporar y says that the conflict will now be " equal , " and ventures to hope that the ringleaders among the delegatcH Avill be " punished . " It is winter , nipping frostH prevail , and snow deadens aliko the traimp of ( lie loeked-out hands and the roar of the carriage-wheels of the
capltalista « f Lancashire . Will not the feelinffsTTT saeti ttMlqaMy embittered , now that capital hill ' midabfercombined ? May not the peace be 2 I Lord MfiHJ ^ on , who cannot interfere now t even . # yethat © agacious advice expected mJv ? ^ tfiafcire wmjbave to interfere unpleasantly w n ^ e ^ at trust in the patience and fortitude ¦ «? the wat ^ in ^ - oksses ; but there are limits ,: smoaratrce , especially under a winter sky and ^ xaspera & i ^ treatn ^ t . Surely Lord Pahnerstnn stoia tne
migac nave ^ manujttcturers what is tl fact- ^ that : they have neglected , and do still neglect , to supply their operatives and the pubhV with sound information and wide data on the sub ect of the cost of " production and the state ^ trade ? The Home Secretary might have informed the lords of cotton that a few manufacturing statistics would be as useful as agricultural statistics . With sound information we should neither have the Preston revolt nor the Manchester Holy Alliance .
1250 *¦ The Leader. [Saturday
1250 *¦ THE LEADER . [ Saturday
. Decimal Coinage. Liverpool Is Taking T...
. DECIMAL COINAGE . Liverpool is taking the lead in reviving public attention to this question . A communication on the decimal coinage question lias just been addressed by Mr . William Brown , of Liverpool ( the mover of th & late House of Commons' Committee on the subject ) to the President of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce , urging that every step should be taken to familiarise the public with a knowledge of the
advantages of the system , so as to convince the Government that in their friendly feelings towards it they may rely upon the . support of the country . With that view , Mr . Brown concisely recapitulates , in the following manner , the nature of the evidence obtained on alt sides as to the desirableness of the change , and exhorts the various representatives of our commercial interests to assist in the duty of making it known as widely as possible : —
" The report of the House of Commons' Committee was unanimous in favour of a decimal coinage , and in urging the Government to its adoption ; indeed , there was not a single division during their frequent sittings . ¦ "All our present gold and silver coinage can be made available . The sovereign taken as the unit , and divided into 1000 mils ; the half-sovereign , 500 mils ; the crown , 250 mils ; the half-crown , 125 mils ; the florin , 100 mils ; the shilling , 50 mils ; and the sixpence , 25 mils . The copper i & the onl y coin that must necessarily be altered , and I , 2 , and 5 mil pieces are recommended . The half-crown , the threepenny , and the fourpenny pieces were recommended to be withdrawn , and 10 and 20 mil pieces , and any other coins that convenience may require , from time to time issued . The nomenclature is of very little importance—if persons choose to use the name ' farthings' in place of ' mils , ' they
may . "It has been said that if the pound sterling is adopted as the unit , we shall require an entire new silver coinage . That is quite a mistake . If the mils are marked on all new silver coinage as issued , as the committee recommends , and pass for exactly the same amount as that now in circulation , none of the present silver coinage need be withdrawn until worn out— -its remaining in circulation would at [ once show the least intelligent person that there was no difference in value between the old and the new .
" There was but one opinion in the minds of the witnesses or of the committee , that great advantages would arise from our adopting a decimal coinage , and only one witness suggested uny other unit than the pound sterling , althoug h a & the same time a decided advocated the decimal principle . He thought that wo might adopt the penny ; but , when « was considered that the pound sterling is known to all tjie world in our exchanges , that our national debt , dividends , and all largo contracts , rents , & c ., are associated in our mindswith pounds sterling , and that the penny ia most generally used for the small payments of the day , for which a s _ uostituto can easily bo found in a now copper coinage , as before
stated , the penny found no favour witn tuo commuux . " The systom of buying and soiling bullion , wine 1 ww hitherto been customary , has lately been abandoned by t" « Hank of England , which now buys and sells it decimal y The Muster of tho Mint , Sir John Hcrschel , informed us 110 meant to follow its example . TT : „ " Lieutonnnt-Gonoral Sir C . W . Pasley and Mr . iionry Taylor gave us some very striking oxamp les of the ae « jrcas number of figures tluit would bo necessary , and tiio consequent saving of labour that would arise from our »( 10 P " * a decimal Hystein of bookkeeping and calculations ovci uw now in use . ' . . f t , " Professor Airy , Royal Astronomer , stated that v poorest dealers of all referred everything to tho sW "" " ™ ^ a pound sterling , and that to disturb it as tho unit wou lead to great confusion . . i ^ im / il " Professor U <> Morgan conttidcrcd that adopting n dccHii ^ , . system of urithmetic would Have one-half 01 . ° " , irm , jfc tho timo in teaching it , and leave that saving lor tll 0 * m H A of other studies ; ho frequently finds it necessary , matter of convenience , to turn £ . s . d . into decimate , y out his calculations in thorn , and reconvert tho utu
into . £ . fi . d . , ^ v ^ Ansivo " Air . Lindfloy and Mr . Kirkl . am , who Imvo oxton » dealings with tho poor , and tako as much « a 1 UW »« ' ^ ^ oach per week , gave a very decided opinion , time 1 ¦ ^ explained to tho poor that they could got M > m » s »«» dji jj . sixpence- in placo of 24 farthings , thero would do « . . culty in their meeting tho change , but Mr . Kirkhain ^ ( hey they would prefer tho namo of farthing to nu- ^ evidence-clearly , stated that tho quantity of any «"" ^ to tho poor would rcudily bo adjusted to tho Viuuo coin received .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 31, 1853, page 2, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31121853/page/2/
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