Mackean to Elliot (Assistant Under-Secretary)

I take the liberty of drawing your attention to the importance
of establishing a mint in British Columbia for the purpose of
coining the Gold that is produced in that Colony.

At present all the gold has to be sent to San Francisco to be
coined, and two months elapse before the coin can be received back
in British Columbia, causing a loss in Interest alone, at Colonial
rates, of four per cent, and two per cent more for freight and
insurance—in all a loss of six per cent.

The Banks and Merchants of British Columbia and Vancouver's
Island keep all their accounts in the Dollar Currency, and the
Bank Notes in circulation in the two Colonies are in Dollars, and
as this is also the case in Canada, I would strongly recommend
that any gold that may be coined in British Columbia should be in
dollars and cents. Most of the Commerce of the two Colonies being
with the United States, in which the dollar currency prevails, is
also another argument in favor of the adoption of that currency.

The Canadian Government, as you are no doubt aware, have, for
the last few years abandoned the Halifax Currency, and now keep
their accounts in Dollars and Cents.