the mil (the 1000th part of a pound), and as an intermediate coin between the mil and the florin, a cent, being 10 mils, or the 100th part of the pound sterling. Thus we have for coins of account 1. The £1, divided decimally into 1000 mils. 2. The florin, divided decimally into 100 mils; 3. The cent, divided decimally into 10 mils; and 4. The mil, being the 1000th part of the £1, instead of the present farthing, which is the 960th part of a pound. With respect to the names of these new coins, the mil, and the cent, they seem appropriate, the former being derived from the Latin mille, a thousand, and the latter from the Latin centum, a hundred. We cannot say the florin is new to us now, but it is to be regretted that its name bears no direct relation to its English value. It has been proposed to remove this difficulty by re-naming it the "deim," an old English word signifying a tenth, which certainly would have been a far better term, but we must mind that while standing upon trifles we do not risk the main chance.* penny pieces-all of them inconsistent with the decimal scale. In the shape of new coins, the Committee suggest 1, 2, and 5 mil pieces in copper; 10 and 20 mil coins in silver; and such others as experience shall show desirable; hinting that the smaller the number of coins with which it is practicable to effect purchases and exchanges the better. Putting the coins of the Committee in a tabular form, they would stand thus:Gold-The sovereign, 1000 mils. The half-sovereign, 500 mils. The florin, 100 mils. have been suggested several amendments, some of the coins. These we shall notice hereafter. 66 Finally, the Committee intimate that no Of course, although only four denomina- tion of the decimal system to our coinage needless delay should prevent the introductions of coins have been spoken of at present and accounts, and recommend that the neces-and no greater number is required as "coins of account" (indeed, it would have sary preparatory measures should be entered been better if circumstances had allowed of upon at the mint as soon as possible. They a less number, as we shall afterwards see)rior advantages of the decimal system," and repeat their decided opinion of the supethese four would by no means afford the record their conviction that the obstacles facilities which are required for the purposes intervening "are not of such a nature as to of "exchange" in our manifold minor dealings create any doubt of the expediency of introwith customers and neighbours. With a view ducing that system," and what is equally to meet these latter requirements two points important," they believe that the necessary have to be borne in mind; first, what the inconvenience attending a transition state amounts of these "coins of exchange" shall will be far more than compensated by the be, with a due regard to public convenience; great permanent benefits which the change and secondly, how far the present coinage, or will confer upon the public of this country, any part of it, can be made available with a and of which the advantages will be particistrictly decimal coinage. It may be well to pated in to a still greater extent by future state that the Committee contemplate, by generations." their report, the retention of the present sovereign, half-sovereign, crown piece, the florin, the shilling, and the sixpence; while they note the desirability of withdrawing the half-crown, and the fourpenny and three * For further remarks on this point see Isaac Pitman's pamphlet on the subject, price one penny. Having now dismissed the report, of which we deemed it desirable, from its importance as laying the foundation of the change, to give an ample abstract, we may proceed to notice the essential differences in the two systems-that which now is, and that which is to be. We have already shown that the depi pound is divided into 1000 parts, represented in mils; whereas the present pound sterling is only divisible into 960 parts, represented in farthings. The advantages of the former for all purposes of division and calculation, as compared with the latter, are self-apparent. It is true that the mil is 4 per cent. less in value than the farthing, which it is intended to supersede. This, however, is remedied directly we come to the silver coinage, where sixpence represents 25 mils, instead of 24 farthings; and all the higher silver as well as gold coins which are proposed to be retained, exactly represent the different divisions of the decimal pound. It was confidently asserted by some of the witnesses examined by the Committee that competition would cause "the quantities of the articles sold to adjust themselves without difficulty to the value of the money received for them;" and the Committee themselves were of opinion that "no prejudice would be raised against this slight decrease of four per cent.," provided the classes most likely to object were made to understand they could get 25 new coins for sixpence where they only now get 24. The practical advantages of the decimal system can be best illustrated by a few examples. In the present system we express £1 19s. 11d. in seven figures. In the decimal system it is expressed in four, thus £1.999, which may be interpreted in either of three ways, viz. minated 999 mils, 9 florins and 99 mils, or 9 florins, 9 cents, and 9 mils, although in point of simplicity or despatch the fewer denominations the better. The present cumbrous system of mixing up farthings in the same column with the pence has nothing to recommend it, while it presents an obstacle in casting, and is likely to lead to error. Again, in the present system, the product of each column of figures has a different divisor: thus, the total number of farthings must be divided by four to ascertain the number to be carried to the pence column; the product of the pence column is again divided by 12 to see how many shillings are to go forward, the shillings being divided by 20 to be added to the pounds; and lastly the pounds are carried forward by tens. Here are four variations, and although use has wedded us to this system, as it has done to other inconsistencies, its inconvenience is none the less apparent when contrasted with the decimal system, where the results are invariably given in tens, and no mental calculation is required, because the total of the casting of one column always shows, unmistakably, the number to be carried forward to the next. Thus, if the total of a decimal column be 56, the 6 is left and the 5 carried forward; if 156, 15 will be carried forward; and if the total be 1156 then 115 will be carried forward; and so on, without limitation or variation-what applies to one column applies to all until the casting is completed.* We must not further extend this paper. In our next we propose to look at some of the suggestions which have emanated from other quarters as contrasted with the suggestions of the Committee. C. W., Jun. Dr. Bowring says, in reference to this part the decimal system of coins and accounts to the of the subject," The simplest form of exhibiting mind, is probably to represent it as getting rid of all the complications of compound addition, sub traction, multiplication, and division, and reducing the first lessons learnt in the arithmetical art."— all calculations to those simple rules, which are Bowring's "Decimal System,” p. 59. The Inquirer. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. 210. The Prismatic Dioptric Dissolving Apparatus is manufactured, and I believe patented by Messrs. Abraham and Co., Lord Street, Liverpool. It is said to possess, within less compass than a single lantern of the ordinary description, faced negro, who has been the bond-slave of humanity in all ages, or the fair-haired light.complexioned Saxon, who has outshone all his fellows in the glory of his achievements and the might of his intellect. Is genius to be found among the blacks of New Holland and of Guinea, or among the whites of Europe-under the burning languor-causing skies of the tropics, or in the temperate zone? Of the five great varieties of the human species-the Caucasian, the Mongolian, the Ethiopian, the American, and the Malay-the Caucasian reigns supreme and without a rival in intellectual power; and yet it is the only variety whose complexion is light, and the only one whose hair is not invariably black. I am not well acquainted with the persons of the eminent men of the present day; but the few who have been pointed out to me are rather light-haired, with the solitary exception of Disraeli. Mr. Gladstone certainly has not dark hair; Lord Palmerston (now almost white) has evidently been lighthaired; Lord John Russell's hair is a sandy brown; Mr. Lowe, the talented member for Kidderminster, whose speech on the Disraeli budget drew encomiums from all parties, has white hair. Prof. De Morgan, the eminent mathematician, has very light curly hair; the Attorney-General has brown hair of no very dark shade; Mr. Dickens's hair is an auburn. As to the men of the past, the following instances, taken at random, show only one dark-haired man of genius:-Byron, dark hair; Bunyan, ruddy, with reddish hair; Cowper, ruddy, with light brown hair; Henry IV. of France, light brown hair; Schiller, the great German poet, auburn hair; Milton had light brown hair, and was so fair as to have received at Cambridge the title of " the lady of Christ's College." Who that gazes at a Shaksperian forehead can picture him with black hair?-RED HEAD. all the powers of two lanterns, with only one small lamp of intense brightness, free from the objectionable smell and great heat of ordinary lamps, whereby a disc of twenty-five feet for each tube may be obtained. Each disc is capable of being darkened to any required extent, without the least shadow on any particular portion of the picture; and from the superiority in the optical arrangements of the apparatus, each picture is perfectly flat and well defined to the extreme edge. As the two discs may be thrown either together on one circle, or two united at various distances in length upon the screen, the number of effects which may be produced may be easily imagined; they present, first, a succession of dissolving views, so accurately and gradually dissolving, that the most experienced eye cannot perceive the process going on. Secondly, various dioramic effects, as rain, sun, lightning, &c., succeeded by sunshine and the rainbow; waterfalls with running water; volcanoes in eruption, &c. Thirdly, long continuous panoramic pictures, thirty feet in length. Fourthly, double discs, as the two hemispheres of the globe on the screen at once, full size; or two separate portions of one diagram of extended length, without crowding, as at present, all the objects into one disc. Fifthly, combinations of two moving or revolving slides on one circle, as all the planetary system in motion, &c., &c.; or all the vagaries of two chromatropes taken in combination, and permutations of one or two together. The following are Messrs. Abraham and Co's. prices:-The Dioptric Dissolving Lantern, complete, with apparatus for producing the gas.-Lenses 3 inches diameter, £15. Lenses 3 inches diameter, £16. The Trinoptric Lautern, with three tubes, whereby three distinct discs can be obtained.-Lenses 33 inches diameter, £20. Hoping that this information will meet the wants of D. H, I am, yours &c., J. M. S. 221. Light for the Display of Woollens.-I 231. A Course of Reading for a Young Lady. think that our friend the woollen merchant might-In answer to the question of "Gerty" relative obtain a light more favourable to his business by means of verandahs, or a sort of blind made to let down on the outside of his warehouse windows. I. D. to the best course of reading to be pursued by a young lady who wishes to extend her knowledge in all the branches of learning, I beg to subjoin the following:-Read chapter of history every 225. The Best Work on the Principles of the day, either Keightley's, Macaulay's, Hume's, or English Language. -Your correspondent, E. S., Smollett's "History of England," or Guizot's who is anxious to obtain a knowledge of "the" Histoire de la Civilization en Europe;" Lamarprinciples of the English language," to under- tine's "Histoire de la Restoration en France;" stand" the composition of words," and to be able Robertson's "Charles V.," and Blunt's "Reformato" pronounce with certainty," cannot do better tion in England:" these, if read with attention, will than study Dr. Latham's valuable work on the give strength to the understanding, as also will "English Language; it is published by Walton the following travels:-Madame Pfeiffer's "Voyage and Maberly, price 15s. There is an abridgment to Iceland, Norway, and Sweden," and her" Visit of it, published under the title of " A handbook of to the Holy Land;" Mrs. Moodie's "Roughing it the English Language," price 8s. 6d. He may in the Bush;" Coles' "Cape and Cafirs;" and also consult with advantage the essay on pronun- Arrian's "Voyage round the Euxine Sea;" Dr. ciation prefixed to Walker's Dictionary.-A. C. Watts' "On the Mind;" Madame Chapone's 229. Light-haired Men of Genius.-Poor "Eni-"Letters to her Niece;" the "Student's Manual;" tor!" there is something so earnest and anxious in his ludicrous query, that we cannot help pic turing him (to ourselves) rising foiled by some intellectual problem, and smoothing away the fatal flaxen hair from his Saxon brow. If our second sight be true, we bid him take courage :— "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our hairs, But in ourselves, that we are underlings." Surely our friend's investigations are somewhat on the surface! Did he never ask himself which was the type of intellect, the black haired, sable and " Muddle Detected," are books of great use in forming the character and directing the conduct. In biography, read Boswell's "Life of Johnson;" Lockhart's Life of Scott" Moore's "Life of By. ron;" Lord John Russell's "Life of Moore;" "The Household of Sir Thomas More," by his Son-in-Law;" "The Life of Chalmers;" Brew ster's "Life of Sir Isaac Newton;" Carus' "Life of Simeon;" Knight's "Biography of Shakes peare." Translations of " Corinne," by Madame de Staël;" La Fontaine's "Fables," and "Les Caractères de Bruyere." Of the poets, read Tennyson, Longfellow, Herbert, Milton, Thomson, Young, Gray, Dryden, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Sir Walter Scott, Goldsmith, Cowper, Bryant, and Willis. Read also Humphrey on the Book of Common Prayer; "The Religion of Geology;" and Warburton's "Crescent and the Cross. For recreation, read any of the following: Brougham's "Lives of Men of Letters ;" Madame D'Arblay's "Diary;" Evelyn's "Memoirs;" Sir Walter Scott's "Novels;" Howitt's "Homes and Haunts of the British Poets;" and the works of Mrs. Hannah More. All these books I can recommend to those who wish for instruction and amusement, having derived much benefit from the greater part of them myself. Too much should not be read at once, but only such a portion as is capable of being retained in the memory; and the best time for reading instructive works is early in the morning, as then the intellect is invigorated by rest, and the mind is more quick of apprehension.-MARIANNE L. 234. Branding with the Letter" K."-I suggest the epithet "Knave," as solving J. B. M'C.'s difficulty. It was a favourite of King James's, and in general use in his time. Meaning a false, deceitful fellow, it was peculiarly applicable to an author of calumnious statements.-L. M. B. 237. How to make Iron and Brass Bedsteads safe from Electricity.-In answer to G. H., I should say that it cannot be philosophically proved that iron and brass bedsteads are safe to sleep upon, inasmuch as they must, like all masses of metal, have a greater power of conducting the electric fluid than wooden ones. But the danger must depend almost entirely upon their situation; being great or small in proportion as they are connected with the earth by good or bad conductors. For instance, if there was an iron spout from the top of the house into the ground, and a metallic connection was by any means made between it and the bed, there is no doubt but the danger would be considerable; but on an ordinary boarded floor, it would not be worth mentioning, because dry wood so imperfectly conducts electricity. The only way to make a metal bedstead positively safe from any ill effects of lightning, would be to insulate it; and that is best effected by means of glass feet. Perhaps the best form for these glass feet would be a solid half globe, with a hollow in the top to receive the metal foot. They would thus be moveable, not liable to break, and the bedstead would stand securely. The metal should not be nearer than five or six inches to the floor.-H. J. J. 238. Style of Verse.-The style of verse in which "Evangeline" is written, is called the Hexameter, or verse of six feet. The sixth foot is always a spondee or a trochee. The first five may be either dactyls or spondees, or a mixture of both. Its great simplicity and flowing harmony constitute its charm; but it is scarcely adapted to the English language, on account of its great number of monosyllables. The proper mode of reading it is to divide the verses according to their chief and secondary cæsuras; to discriminate between the long and short syllables; and to dwell slightly on the arsis. This style of verse is better suited to the German than to any other European language. Grecian tradition attributed the origin of the Hexameter to the Delphic oracle, heuce it was also called the Pythian and theological metre.-FANNY. 240. The Compressibility of Water.-"A Constant Reader" wishes to know whether water is in any degree compressible? It was formerly believed that none of the liquids were so; but recent experiments (the nature of which, however. I am unable to ascertain), have proved they may be condensed, though slightly; a pressure on water equal to 2,000 atmospheres, occasioning a diminution of only one-ninth of its bulk.-FANNI. The Young Student and Writer's Assistant. MATHEMATICAL CLASS. SOLUTIONS.-XVIII. Question 85.30 -Ans. £33 £33 6s. 8d. Question 86. 13s. 4d.=££.6 repeating decimal.-Ans. AQUILA. Question 87. As 3 feet 93 inches 10 feet :: 13 feet 6-4 inches: 35 feet 10-2 inches.-Ans. Question 88.÷3=-Ans. Proof. -= 38=3. PIETRO. Question 89. Let x=the fraction required. √x=g, or 20 √x=15,or √x=3 Question 90. A+B+C=100 (1) A+C-B 60 (2) C+B-A 40 (3) Add (2) to (3) and 2 C-100.. C=50 (4) Add (1) to (2) and 2 A+2 C=160 Subtract 2 C (4) and divide by 2 and A=30 ...100-(50+30)=20=B. DODO. Where a the annuity, r the amount of £1 for one period at the given rate, and t the time, which expressed logarithmetically L m=Lat L (rt-1)-L (r−1), L standing for log. Now, in the question, a=£750, r=1·035, t=50. Hence L m=L 750+L. (1·03550 — 1)—L (1·035—1) =L 750+L 4.5849-L 035 28750613+6613299-2.544068 -3.5363912-2.544068-4·9923232 =£98247.88=£98247 17s. 7d. JUSTICE. Question 93. Height of frustrum=182-752 buried it. 6. On the seventh day God finished =17.984 feet. his work which he had made. 17.984 3 IV.-1. The man who spoke to us yesterday is Solidity of frustrum= × (32+3 × 1·5+1-52) dead. 2. The tree which lay so long across the =94-4179 cubic feet. 1.52 x 75 path has been removed. 3. The boy that came from the shop is removed. 4. He that loves strong drink loves misery. 5. Virgil, who was a prince among Latin poets, was born at Mantua. 15708-7834 6. Australia, which is the largest island in the world, has few inhabitants. =5625 cubic feet. 3 91-4179 x 2662 16 Solidity of pyramid= Weight of frustrum= lbs. Weight of pyramid= •5625 x 2662 16 93.5859 lbs. V.-1. We perish here in obedience to her laws. 2. That book belongs to John. 3. Feed my lambs. 4. Every man must answer for himDistance of centre of gravity of frustrum from self to God. 5. This man is my enemy. 6. Our ... Distance from greater end=7.065 feet. father is dead. VI.-1. Each system was closely examined. 2. Every vessel is made for some purpose. 3. Either Richard or Robert HAS done it. 4. Neither Mary nor Jane IS GOING to London. 5. Nadab Distance of centre of gravity of pyramid from its and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took each of them By Trigonometry we find the perpendicular distance of centre of gravity of frustrum from the ground 1.204 feet. Perpendicular distance of centre of gravity of pyramid from ground=7415 feet. Height to which the centre of gravity of frus trum must be raised=7+7·065-1.204-12.861 ft. And the height to which centre of gravity of pyramid must be raised=7+17·984+1875-7415 =24.43 feet. ... Work required =15708 7834 × 12·816+(93.5859 x 24.43)=204316.-Ans. ELAND. Question 94. As £88: £100 :: £3: £3·389 =£3 7s. 92-Ans. Question 95. 522 × 40 x 5236=56632-576 inches. Question 96. 402 x 52 x 5236-43563-52 inches. STANISLAUS. GRAMMAR CLASS. Junior Division. MODEL EXERCISE, No XIX. 1.-1. Alexander, the great warrior, was conquered by strong drink. 2. John Bunyan, the author of "Pilgrim's Progress," was a tinker. 3. Sir Charles Napier, the admiral, commands the British fleet in the Baltic. 4. Wellington conquered Napoleon himself at Waterloo. 5. Why do you maltreat the boy, him who has ever been so submissive? 6. Louis Napoleon, the Emperor of France lately entertained Prince Albert, the consort of the Queen of England. II. 1. Whose book is this? John's. 2. Who saw her strike the boy? He did. 3. Whom did you meet on the road? Him who gave us the apples yesterday. 4. Who is my neighbour? He whom thou hast power to aid and bless. 5. To whom are we indebted for the discovery of America? To Columbus. III-1. Poets are noble men; they are gems sparkling on the sea of life. 2. It is lawful to heal on the Sabbath day. 3. If you attend to your business, it will attend to you. 4. Hezekiah began to reign when he was twenty-five years old. 5. The disciples came and took up the body and [his] censer. 6. Every person, whatever be [his] situation is bound by the duties of morality and religion. understanding, and reforms the life, is truly valuVII-1. That WISDOM which enlightens the Good. 3. This MAN doth not cast out devils, able. 2. These WORKS are thy works, Parent of Those BOOKS must be brought from the binder's. but by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. 4. 5. This PLANT is a native of Australia. 6. Thos. GERANIUMS need cutting. NOTES. I. The nouns, &c., in apposition are put in italic. II. The nouns, &c., which ask and those that answer questions, and are consequently in the same case, are in italic. III. The nouns, &c., and the personal pronouns which are substituted for them, and consequently agree in gender, number, and person, are in italic. IV. The relative and its verb are in italic. V. The adjective pronoun and the noun qualified are in italic. VI. The distributive pronoun is in italic; the singular verb required by it in capitals; and the pronoun enclosed in brackets. VII. The demonstrative pronoun is in italic, and the noun with which it agrees in number in capitals. ERRATA. Instead of Exercise XIX., Vol. IV., p. 398, as given in last number, read Exercise XX., Vol. IV., p. 438. GEOGRAPHICAL CLASS. (Omitted in last Number.) 1. What constitutes the United Kingdom ?-2. Of what does Great Britain consist?-3. Length of Great Britain? area?-4. What is the meaning of the name England? Wales?-5. The boundaries of England and Wales.-6. The latitude of the most northern and southern points.-7. Greatest length of England; breadth; breadth from Solway Frith to mouth of Tyne.-8. Number of square miles.-9. Describe the coast; its length. |