§ MR. PULESTONasked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether, in view of the extensive practice said to be adopted by jewellers of melting gold coin for manufacturing purposes, the effect of the issue of half-sovereigns below their nominal value will be to increase the use of sovereigns for the melting pots, and for which the new issues will be specially eligible; and, whether the only practical check on this practice of melting new coin is found in the brittleness which occasionally characterises Minted sovereigns; and, if so, whether the use of brittle copper as an alloy, or some similar method of counteracting the "toughness" of sovereigns alloyed with pure silver or copper could not be adopted, with a view to the discontinuance of such melting?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. CHILDERS)With respect to the first Question of the hon. Gentleman, we have no statistics of the comparative melting down by jewellers of sovereigns and half - sovereigns. But as to the second Question, I have consulted the Deputy Master of the Mint, who tells me that brittle bars are occasionally met with in coinage operations; but they give rise to great inconvenience. The deliberate production of such brittle metal would be to place obstacles in the way of the Mint just as much as in that of the jewellers, besides adding to the inconvenience of the public.