Ito me EDITOR OP rue " Sem-rime.") Sut,—Your article "A
Decimal Coinage for the Empire" will, I hope, attract attention to a much-needed reform. Looking at the question from a special point of view, I cannot but feel some surprise that those who advocate the adoption of a decimal system generally, lay so little stress an the enormous saving of time and trouble which would be effected in the teaching and learning of arithmetic. The practical abolition of "compound arithmetic," the simplification of all questions, problems, and sums which dead with money, weights and measures, would be a relief to multitudes of children and thousands of teachers which it is impossible to appreciate until it is gained. It would spare time and energy for other branches of education, and would, I believe, he a much better introduction to higher forms of mathematics than our present illogical systems of computation. It is well worth the attention of the Minister of Education. That the change von be effected all at once, as it was in France, is barely possible in our present circumstances, but if a beginning were to be made with the coinage, which, as you show, is a comparatively simple matter, the rest could be made to follow without much difficulty. Personally I am very much alive to the immediate lees which would be occasioned by the scrapping of all existing school-books dealing with arithmetic, but I em so convinced of the saving that would be effected in all commercial operations that I think the !ass would soon be compensated for. As an old member of the Decimal Association, I may express a hope that all who agree with us will be disposed to become members (the subscription is only Is- annually) and so help to promote this urgent reform.—
I am, Sir, Ac., EDWARD BELL. York House, Portugal Street, W.C.
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