§ LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEYasked the Government, What quantity of farthings have been issued by the Mint in the last two years, and what number of those coins are supposed to be in circulation?
§ LORD BUCKHURSTthought that some information as to the quantity of small silver coin in circulation would also 835 be desirable. We were behind other countries in respect of small coin, and he believed much inconvenience had been experienced by persons who could not obtain a supply of farthings.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEreplied that there had been no interruption in the coinage of farthings in 1870–71. In the former year £3,010 worth of farthings had been issued, and in the latter £2,685. It was quite true that since, no farthings had been coined, because the Mint had a large stock on hand, of which they naturally wished to dispose. As to the number of farthings now in circulation, since the introduction of the bronze coinage in 1860 down to last year, farthings to the value of £105,000 had been issued, and were presumably still in use, either in England or the colonies. He thought the noble Lord (Lord Buckhurst) must have been misinformed, because there was a stock of farthings in the Mint quite sufficient to meet all probable demands, and persons who required them could buy them there.
§ House adjourned at Six o'clock, till To-morrow, a quarter before Two o'clock.