No. 54
15th May 1865
Sir,
I have the honor to forward an Authenticated and two plain Copies of an Ordinance of the recent Session of the Legislature of this Colony, entitled; No. 8. An OrdinancetoManuscript image to establish a Decimal system of Accounts in the Colony of British Columbia. I add the Report of the Attorney General.
2. This Ordinance contains a suspending Clause. Had I not been informed that a similar enactment has been allowed in Vancouver Island, I should not have much hope for the enclosed.
3. MuchManuscript image
3. Much as I approve of the simplicity of the Decimal system of Accounts, I do not approve of our taking a Foreign Coinage as the Standard, and regulating our own Gold Coins thereby. In most of the West Indian Colonies the cent and half penny are declared to be equivalent. Under this system the sovereign is only valued at four dollars, eighty cents, and escapes from circulation. In British Honduras where noBankManuscript image Bank notes are in circulation, but a most abundant supply of Mexican, South and Central American Coin, the Sovereign is by law made equal to five dollars, the shilling to the quarter dollar or twenty five cents. Of course the Spanish doubloon and dollar, and United States Gold are at a premium and are withdrawn from general circulation.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient
humble Servant
Frederick Seymour
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
Sir F. Rogers wd in all probability refer this at once to the Treasury. Whenever that course is taken the reference made to the Treasury on the 23 April/63 of the Decimal Currency Act of Van C. Island, which is at present unanswered, should be adverted to.
The Decimal system is a large question which the Treasury like deliberating upon for a long while.
ABd 11 July
Mr Blackwood
Refer to Treasury in manner proposed.
TFE 11/7
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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H.P.P. Crease, Attorney General, to Colonial Secretary, 16 May 1865, reporting on the ordinance as per despatch.
Other documents included in the file
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Elliot to G.A. Hamilton, Treasury, 15 July 1865, forwarding copy of the despatch and ordinance for consideration.
Seymour, Governor Frederick to Cardwell, Edward 15 May 1865, CO 60:21, no. 6412, 490. The Colonial Despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871, Edition 2.0, ed. James Hendrickson and the Colonial Despatches project. Victoria, B.C.: University of Victoria. https://bcgenesis.uvic.ca/B65054.html.

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