MONEY IN THE FIELD—IN INDIA.
[To THE EDITOR OF 'TILE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—Your interesting article on " Money in the Field " gives ground, I think, for reflection on an aspect of the monetary position in India which has attracted little, if any, attention as yet. If an invading army broke through the Himalayas, like Wellington's through the Pyrenees, and had, like his, to furnish themselves with money that would be acceptable in the country invaded, it is highly improbable that they would purchase British rupees at a cost of 16d. apiece when they could manufacture facsimiles of them ad libitum at a cost of 10d. The existence of such a danger should impress on our Government the importance of regarding the present monetary position in India as transi- tional only. We have adopted the gold standard ; our next endeavour should be to make silver, in every respect, sub- sidiary. We should keep in view, as a goal to be reached some day, the imposition of a limitation on its tender, so as to make it no longer available for wholesale purchases. Even notes would be safer than overrated silver, as the production of perfect imitations of them would present much greater difficulties.—I am, Sir, &c., Largs, Ayrshire. WILLIAM WARRAND CARLILE.
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