as a component part of modern civilization, with a population of forty millions, rapidly increasing, naturally desired to participate in securing for the whole family of man a blessing so universal and enduring.

In answer, the Emperor asked, in a kindly tone, "Can France do anything more in aid of the work?" To which it was replied, France can coin a piece of gold of twenty-five francs, to circulate side by side on terms of absolute equality with the half-eagle of the United States and the sovereign, or pound sterling, of Great Britain, when reduced, as they readily might be, precisely to the value of twenty-five francs. The Emperor then asked, "Will not a French coin of twenty-five francs impair the symmetry of the French decimal system?" To which it was answered, "No more than it is affected, if at all, by the existing gold coin of five francs;" that it was only the silver coins of France which were of even metric weight, while every one of its gold coins, without exception, represented unequal fractions of the metre.

It was then stated to the Emperor that an eminent American statesman, Mr. Sherman, senator from Ohio, chairman of the Finance Committee of the Senate of the United States, and recently in Paris, had written an important and interesting letter, expressing his opinion that the gold dollar of the United States ought to be and readily might be reduced by Congress, in weight and value, to correspond with the gold five-franc piece of France; that the letter was now before the international committee, having the question of uniform coin under special examination; to which letter, as being one of the best interpretations of the views of the American people, the attention of the public authorities of France was respectfully invited. The Emperor then closed the audience, by repeating the assurances of his gratification that the important international measure in question was likely to receive active support from the United States. The letter of Mr. Sherman, above referred to, dated the 18th of May, 1867, originally written in English, was presented in a French translation a few days afterwards to the international committee in full session, where it was received with unusual interest and ordered by the committee to be printed in both languages. A copy is herewith transmitted for the information of the Department

of State.

It will probably be regarded as a noticeable fact that while the British government has appointed an officer of its royal artillery, Colonel Younghusbaud, to exhibit in the "Pavilion" the weights, measures, and coins of Great Britain, it has hitherto omitted in any other way to participate in any discussions or action of the international committee on the subject of a uniform coin. There is good reason, however, to believe that its necessity is felt and acknowledged by a large and very respectable portion of the intelligent people of the British empire.

The Russian ambassador, Baron de Budbergh, has examined attentively the United States coinage of five-cent pieces of metric weight and diameter, in which he has manifested a lively interest, as affording a facility for the easy instruction of the people in the metric system worthy of imitation by the Russian government. That government is ably represented in the international committee by Mr. de Jacobi, councillor of state, and particularly eminent in physical science. He is the president of the sub-commission on weights and measures, and earnestly advocates their international unification as a necessary step in human progress.

The government of Prussia refrains from actively entering at present upon the discussion. A letter written by order of Count Bismarck to the diplomatic representative of France at Berlin, and dated February 2, 1867, states that the confederation of northern Germany is entering upon a political programme “which may include its local monetary questions;" the completion of which programme he may choose to await, before entering upon the subject of international unification, the eventual importance and interest of which the letter plainly recognizes. A copy of the text is herewith furnished.

At a meeting of the sub-commission on coins, held to-day, after hearing much discussion, the following note, seeking a practical result, was submitted for consideration by the undersigned, with the approbation of his colleague, Mr. John P. Kennedy, one of the commissioners to the Paris Exposition, who had been associated with him on the committee.

"The commission recommend that a proposition shall be submitted to the respective governments of France and the United States of America, that the government of France shall issue, in addition to its present coinage, a gold piece of twenty-five francs, and that the government of the United States, in its future issues, shall reduce the weight of the gold dollar to the value of five francs, and shall bring its other gold coinage to the same standard."

Whether this proposition will be amended by inserting a similar provision as to the British gold sovereign, remains to be seen. The result of the deliberations of the commission, or of the international committee, when finlly reached, will be communicated without delay to the Department of State.

With high respect, your obedient servant,

SAMUEL B. RUGGLES,

Vice-President of the United States Commission at the Universal Exposition at Paris, and specially designated as member of the Committee on Weights, Measures, and Coins.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

[Translation.]

By direction of Count Bismarck, to Mr. Benedetti, minister of France at Berlin.

BERLIN, February 2, 1867. Mr. AMBASSADOR: I have had the honor to receive the letter which your excellency pleased to write me under date of 12th December last, for the purpose of inducing the King to accede to the convention of the 23d December, 1865.

We do not undervalue the great advantages which the people of the two countries would derive from the approximation of the two monetary systems at this time in force. We would congratulate ourselves if we could contribute to remove the embarrassments which the diversity of coinage causes in our commercial relations. If, for the moment, I do not find myself in position to take on my part any steps to arrive at the understanding which you are pleased to propose to us, it is because, aside from the material difficulties which your excellency has not kept out of view, the present political situation prevents the royal government from entering upon an interchange of opinions upon this subject. The monetary question is one of those inscribed on the programme of the deliberations of the confederation of northern Germany. To discuss it in advance with another state would be to prejudge in some degree future discussions. When we shall know the result of those discussions the favorable moment will arrive for advising in respect to the removal of the obstacles which still oppose the monetary union of the two countries.

I need not assure your excellency that I shall not lose this object from view, and intend to revert to it on the proper occasion.

Please to accept, sir, &c.

For the minister,

DE THILE.

Mr. F. W. Seward to Mr. Ruggles.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, June 21, 1867.

SIR: Your very interesting communication of the 30th ultimo, reporting your proceedings in regard to the consideration of the question of the adoption of a uniform system of weights, measures, and coins, and enclosing a copy of your correspondence on the subject with the Hon. John Sherman, together with a

copy of a letter of the 2d of February written by direction of Count Bismarck to Mr. Benedetti, has been received. The accommodating spirit manifested by M. de Parieu, and M. Rouher, chief minister of state, and subsequently by the Emperor in person, in the conversations held by you with them respectively, is appreciated as an auspicious augury of an eventual agreement upon some plan which will give to the world the benefits of the uniform system, upon a decimal basis, of weights, measures, and coins, which has so long and so universally been regarded as one of the most desirable reforms in commercial and financial intercourse.

The form in which different nations practically concur in this plan is not of primary importance, but it is believed that the deliberations which have now been inaugurated on the subject will result in a basis of common understanding which will warrant you in encouraging the expectation that the United States may give its adhesion to a conventional arrangement which may be susceptible of termination within a period to be specified in such arrangement, when such termination should be considered desirable by either of the parties. In any event it cannot be doubted that the views so ably set forth by the honorable chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Finance, in the letter of the 17th of May, a copy of which forms part of your communication now under reply, will be so far approved by the public sentiment, the Congress, and the Executive of the United States, as to secure a concurrence by this government in any reasonable plan for producing the desired reform.

I am, sir, your very obedient servant,

SAMUEL B. RUGGLES, Esq., &c., &c., &c.

F. W. SEWARD,
Assistant Secretary.

Mr. Dix to Mr. Seward.

No. 100.]

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Paris, June 28, 1867.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a translation of a communication received from the Marquis de Moustier, minister of foreign affairs, in relation to the appointment of Mr. Samuel B. Ruggles as a delegate to the international conference now holding its sessions in Paris.

I am,

with great respect, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.

JOHN A. DIX.

Mr. Dix to M. Moustier.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
Paris, June 14, 1867.

SIR: I have the honor to inform you that Mr. Samuel B. Ruggles is authorized by my government to attend the international conference in regard to the uniformity of coinage, to be held at Paris on the 17th instant. The despatch giving me this information was received this morning and I hasten to communicate it.

I have the honor, &c., &c.,

His Excellency the MARQUIS DE MOUSTIER,

JOHN A. DIX.

Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Marquis de Moustier to Mr. Dix.

[Translation.]

PARIS, June 21, 1867.

GENERAL: I have received the letter which you did me the honor to write me on the 14th of this month, and in which you informed me that Mr. Samuel B. Ruggles had been officially appointed delegate to the international conference.

I congratulate you, general, on the choice made by the government of the United Statesa choice which assures to the commission the co-operation of a gentleman whose enlightened intelligence has already been appreciated at the very commencement of the session. Receive the assurances with the high consideration of which I have the honor to be, general, your very humble and very obedient servant,

General DIX, Minister of the United States, Paris.

MOUSTIER.

Mr. Ruggles to Mr. Seward.
[Extract.]

PARIS, July 12, 1867.

SIR: The necessary delays which have been experienced in accurate preparing and revising the proceedings of the international committee on weights, measures, and coins, which are not even yet completed, and also in reporting and printing the more formal proceedings and discussions of the international monetary conference, more directly govermental in its constitution, still prevent me from furnishing the Department of State with a full and continuous report in chronological form and order.

The printing, however, of the procés verbaux or full reports of all the proceedings and discussions of the international monetary conference was completed yesterday, and I hasten to transmit a copy herewith to the Department of State.

It will be seen that the action of the conference, though preliminary in form, practically points distinctly to a final result summed up in the five points fixed as "the basis for ulterior negotiations," stated at the seventh page of the seventh meeting of the conference.

Copies of all the proceedings thus printed will be formally communicated to the governments of the nineteen different nations represented by delegates in the conference.

It will also be seen that the 15th of February next is fixed for a further meeting at Paris, and the reception of responses from the different governments. The 15th of May was proposed and earnestly urged on the part of the United States, to allow sufficient time for full discussion in the Congress to meet in December next, but a much earlier day having been earnestly insisted on by several of the continental nations, the 15th of February was at last adopted as a compromise.

It is hoped and believed that the proposed establishment of the gold five francs as the "monetary unit," to be practically identical in weight and value with the American gold dollar, when fully understood in its practical operation, and especially its consequence in the coinage of a French gold piece of 25 francs to circulate through the world side by side with the American half-eagle, will be regarded with favor by the government and people of the United States. I have the honor to remain, with high respect, your obedient servant,

SAMUEL B. RUGGLES, Delegate of the United States of America in the International Monetary Conference.

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,
Secretary of State, &c., &c., &c.

[Translation.]

OFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY CONFERENCE.

FIRST SITTING.

MONDAY, June 17, 1867.

His excellency Marquis de Moustier presiding.

Were present

For Austria His excellency Baron de Hock, privy councillor, member of the House of Lords.

For the Grand Duchy of Baden: Baron Schweizer, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Grand Duchy at Paris; Dietz, privy councillor, commissioner general of the Grand Duchy to the Universal Exposition.

For Bavaria: Messrs. De Hermann, councillor of State; Le Haindl, director of the mint. For Belgium: MM. de Fortamps, senator, director of the Bank of Belgium; Stas, member of the Royal Academy, commissioner of coinage.

For Denmark: Count Moltke Hvifeldt, envoy extraordinay and minister plenipotentiary from Denmark at Paris.

For the United States: Mr. Samuel B. Ruggles, commissioner to the Universal Exposition. For France: His excellency Marquis de Moustier, minister for foreign affairs, president of the conference; MM. de Parieu, vice-president of the council of state, member of the institute, vice president of the conference: De Lavenay, president of the section of finance in the council of state; Herbert, minister plenipotentiary, director in the department of foreign affairs; Dutilleul, director in the department of finances.

For Great Britain: Mr. Thomas Graham, director of the royal mint; Mr. Rivers Wilson, attached to the treasury.

For Greece: M. Delyannis, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at Paris. For Italy: MM. the Chevalier Artom, councillor of the legation of Italy at Paris; F. Giordono, inspector of the royal corps of mines, and commissioner to the Universal Exposition.

For the Netherlands: MM. Vrolik, former minister of finance; Mees, president of the Netherlands Bank.

For Portugal: MM. the Count d'Avila, peer of the realm, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of his Most Faithful Majesty at the court of Madrid, commissioner general to the Universal Exposition; the Viscount de Villa Major, peer of the realm, member of the jury for the Universal Exposition.

For Prussia: MM. Meinecke, superior privy councillor of finance; Herzog, privy councillor of the department of commerce, commissioner to the Universal Exposition.

For Russia: M. de Jacobi, privy councillor, member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences at St. Petersburg.

For Sweden and Norway: MM. Wallenberg, member of the first chamber of the Swedish Diet, director of the Bank of Stockholm; Broch, member of the Storthing of Norway, president of the central commission of Norway for the Universal Exposition.

For Switzerland: MM. Kern, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary at Paris; Escher, director of the federal mint.

For Turkey: His excellency Djemil Pacha, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the Sublime Porte.

For Wurtemberg: MM. Baron de Soden, privy councillor of legation.

M. Clavery, "redacteur" of department for foreign affairs, was charged with the functions of secretary, associated with M. Roux, attached to the vice-presidency of the council of state, as assistant secretary.

The international monetary conference met for the first time on Monday, 17th June, 1867, at half-past 9 o'clock, at the hotel of the department of foreign affairs, under the presidency of his excellency the minister for foreign affairs.

His excellency the Marquis de Moustier expressed to Messrs. the delegates the regrets of his excellency M. Rouher, who being obliged to preside at that very time in the imperial commission of the Universal Exposition, could not assist at this sitting. He then opened the labors of the conference by pronouncing the following allocution:

"The approximations which the late commercial reforms have wrought between the economic interests of nations ought to result in causing to be appreciated more earnestly than in past time the advantages which would be derived from the unification of coinages. To substitute instead of the variety of monetary types actually in use, metallic coins struck in accordance with uniform regulations, and placed beyond any variations of exchange, would, in effect, be to remove one of the most serious obstacles to the development of international relations. Thus, when in 1865 the delegates of France, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland had succeeded in forming between these four a real monetary union, the thought of a more extended association naturally presented itself to their intelligence; thence came the right of accession opened to other countries by a special clause in the convention of December