The constitutive law of Germinal 7, an. XI (March, 28,1803) fixed as follows the nature of the pieces that were to be coined:

1° Gold 40 f., 20 f.

2o Silver 5 f., 2 f., 1 f., 3/4 f., 1/2 f., 1/4 f.

3° Copper 10%, 5°, 3%, 2.

For many persons, these divisions of pieces seem to respond to the question proposed; but it is a grave error, for most of these coins deviate from the deciinal division. In fact, the pieces of 40 fr., of 3/4, of 1/4 of franc, and those of 3 centimes do not divide neither 100 nor 10. This last number, which alone is the basis of vulgar numeration, has only two divisors, 2 and 5.

In the nomenclature of weights and measures the multiple units being 10,000, 1,000, 100 aud 10, and the sub-multiple units, 0,1, 0,01, 0,001, the absolute unit 1 has alone a simple name, the multiples and sub-multiples, have compound names, but each of them constantly represents ten in relation with their immediate sub-multiple.

Thus, the myriagramme is equal to 10 kilogrammes, the kilogramme to 10 hectogrammes, the hectogramme to 10 decagrammes, the decagramme is itself equal to 10 grammes, etc. The same occurs for the measures of capacity, etc. ctc. But, in order to give to the sale of various objects all the desirable conveniency, the following expression has been used; that every unit of decimal measure and weight shall have its double and its half (law of germinal 18, an III).

Now, 2 is the double of each unit separately taken, and 5 is the half of cach multiple or sub-multiple unit of 10.

The decimal multiples of the monetary unit only have no compound names; but nevertheless they must be considered as particular units every one of which is ten times greater than the units of next inferior order.

Thus 100 f., value 10 times 10 f., 10 f., ten times 1 f. The franc contains 10 decimes and the decime ten centimes. It is necessary, in order to be consistent with the whole of the system, to apply to coins the division adopted for weights and measures of capacity, for want of which we deviate from the decimal system and the intention of law is disregarded.

Every one sees, in fact, that 40 francs do not divide 100 more than 4 divides 10; that 25, also, is not a decimal divisor, for it is only 21 in relation to 10, unit immediately inferior, and 1/4 in relation to 100 unit immediately superior.

So it is for 25 centimes in relation to 1 decime, to 1 franc. These numbers, as divisors of 100 or of 1, return to the binary system which generates unexact fractions. Now, the binary division being completely rejected by the law of July, 4 1837, why should it be left to reproduce itself in coins?

To be consistent with the decimal system and thus to connect the coins with the divisions of 10, so that the absolute monetary unit and every one of its multiple units be expressed, laws and ordinances have modified the law of Germinal 7, an. xi, and have established as follows the divisions of our coins :

1 centime, 10 centimes, 1 franc, 10 francs, 100 francs (1),
The double of which is :

2 centimes, 20 centimes, 2 francs, 20 francs,

(1) The coinage of the 100 francs pieces was authorized by an ordinance of the month of november 1850.

And the half :

5 centimes, 50 centimes, 5 francs, 50 francs (1).

The piece of 1 centime has no half, that of 100 francs has no double.

From purely monetary considerations, the pieces of 100 francs and of 50 francs have not been struk. The piece of 40 francs is yet current; but the coinage of it has long time since been discontinued.

The coin currency in France is, thus, composed at present:

Allow me, my dear Sir, to notice here a few small errors, without any importance, which have glided into Mr Silbermann's remarkable report on the metrical weights and measures sent to the Government of the United States of America, which report you have been pleased to communicate to me.

Naturally, in my character of a mint officer, I was obliged to pay great attention to the chapter of that report relative to coins, and I have noticed, on one side, that Mr Silbermann, relying upon an ancient and repealed legislation, had given, to certain of our coins, unexact standards, allowances and diameters.

In order to rectify these slight errors, I add to these notes a synoptical table containing all the necessary information on the fabrication of french coins.

On the other hand, in the column of observations of the 1st table of the chapter already noticed, Mr Silbermann expresses the opinion that, according to the diameter of the pieces, put end to end, the length of the metre is to be found. If a comparison similar to that described by Mr Silbermann was possible formerly, it would be destroyed to day by the difference resulting from the letters upon the edge of the coins which are in relief on a great number of our coins, while they were sunken when the contingency of the relation with the metre was established.

I dare believe, my dear Mr Vattemare, that Mr Silbermann will see no captiousness in the very modest observations I took upon myself to make on so small a portion of his remarkable work. Practical men are undoubtedly the last that would give credit to the slightest error.

I come now to the information you have been pleased to ask me on our monetary organisation.

Fabrication of coins.

the system of contract.

France has adopted for the fabrication of its coins

This fabrication is entrusted, under the controll and supervision of State, to contractors invested with the title of directors of the fabrication.

The expenses allowed to these contractors, expenses born by the owners of the metals coined, are regulated as follows:

1 fr. 50 c. by kilog. of silver at 900/1000e And 6

of gold at the same standard.

(1) The coinage of the 50 francs piece has not been yet enacted.

In consideration of the sum thus retained, the directors of the fabrication are charged with all the expense of the contract, such as the pay of workmen, the replacement and keeping of all the monetary furniture.

They have likewise to pay for the stamps, the weighing, the calculation and the verification of the pieces coined and put in circulation.

The directors of the fabrication are, besides, obliged to furnish, without any increase of expenses, in divisions of the 5 francs piece, the fourtieth of the amount of the fabrication of silver, say 25,000 francs per million. These 25,000 francs are thus divided :

One tenth of the fabrication of gold must be in 10 francs pieces.
There exist in France 7 mints, viz. :

At Paris,
Rouen,

Lyon,

Bordeaux,

Strasbourg,

Controll.

Marseille,

Lille.

The controll and superintendence of the fabrication of coins are entrusted to an administration designated under the title of commission of the coins and medals, This commission is composed of three members, one president and two commissaries general.

Their functions consist in :

1o Deciding the standard and weights of the coins fabricated and superintending, all over France, the execution of the monetary laws, the fabrication of coins and the assay of gold and silver fabrics, etc., etc.;

2o Superintending the operations of all the officers of the mints. They propose the tariffs determining the standard according to which the coins and gold and silver metals are received in the mints. They order the assay of foreign coins recently fabricated, etc., etc.

According to an ordinance of 1832, they superintend the fabrication of medals, the tariffs of which they propose, and they authorize their delivery and sale.

They are also charged with a controll over the fabrication of plates and the printing of postage stamps, bank notes and playing cards.

The commission of coins and medals is under the authority of the finance department.

There are attached to it :

1o A bureau of assay composed of a verifier, two assayers and a deputy

assayer;

2o An engravor general and two deputies engravors;

3o A controller for the fabrication of coins and stamps ;

There are in each of the mints, besides the director of the fabrication : 1° A commissary, superintendent;

2o A controller for change;

3o A controller for coining;

4o A clerk.

All the officers and agents charged with the controll and superintendence of the fabrication of coins, receive a fixed salary charged to the public treasury.

Laws and regulations, determining the functions of these various officers, offer sufficient guarantees for the proper execution of our national coins.

Here, my dear Mr Vattemare, the notes you have asked me conclude; they will perhaps be useful to you for comprising their substance in the report you are preparing; I ardently hope they may suffice to the work of devotion and patriotism you have undertaken. Persevere in that path, my dear Sir, in endeavouring to make universal a system which is one of the glories of France. Already in its application to coins, it has had numerous imitators, not only by the adoption of the standard of our coins, of their decimal divisions, of their value, but of our monetary organisation. Belgium, Piedmont, Switzerland, Spain have entered this path. Our coins circulate in those various countries as in France, and likewise in Germany and in a part of America.

Certainly, according to the specimens you have presented to our monetary museum in the name of the United States, the American Government has nothing to envy to any people of old Europe in relation to the beauty of the stamps of their coins; but this is not enough, and the day when the United States will have decidedly adopted the decimal system and inscribed in their laws that: five gramms of silver at the standard of 9/10 of fineness constitute the monetary unit, they will have enlarged the circle of international exchanges, and resolved the great question of an universal coinage. I remain, etc.

(Signed) B. DURAND.

We are undebted with the Society of encouragement for the plate belonging to Mr Silbermann's Report.

a. Tariffs annexed to the Law of Prairial, 17, an XI, and to the Decree of September, 15, 1849.

b. Law of Germinal, 7, an. XI. - Decree of May, 3, 1848.- - Addition to the programme of the Competition April, 18, 1848.

c. Law of Germinal, 7, an. XI.

Decree of May, 3, 1848,
Decree of May, 22, 1849.
December, 31, 1849.

of September, 15, 1849.

This fabrication has been ordered by a law of May, 6, 1852.

**) The composition of the alloy age of bronze coins is determined as follows:

95 parts of pure copper.