§ Mr. Humebegged to put a question to the right hon. Gentleman opposite respecting the currency. It appeared that there was so great a deficiency of silver in circulation as to produce extreme inconvenience to those who had workmen to pay. He could mention one instance in which a person having workmen to pay sent to the Bank of England for a quantity of silver, which they refused. Unless the Government took means before Saturday next to meet the evil, the greatest possible inconvenience and distress would be the result. He wished to know whether the Government would take any measures to have that want immediately supplied?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, that representations had been made to him not quite three weeks ago by those most competent to judge,—namely, bankers and the Bank of England, that so excessive was the amount of silver in circulation, that they wished the Government would take some of it back. It was this representation which had led the Government to think that there was no deficiency in the supply of silver. He had been informed, however, that day, that there was a deficiency of silver, and he would therefore adopt every means in his power to procure at the earliest moment an adequate supply. He might also state, that an ample supply of gold coin was ready to replace that which would be taken out of circulation, and which might to some extent supersede the necessity of increasing very materially the silver coinage.