The fineness is reckoned by carats (not a weight, but a denomination of proportion) for the gold, as the denier is for the silver. Fine gold is said to be, as in England, of 24 carats. The carat is divided into 32 parts, so 32 × 24 = 768, are the parts into which any given mass of gold is supposed to be divided, when we speak of the standard fineness. [Sidenote: The remedy of alloy upon gold.] The standard of French gold is the same with that of silver, to wit, 11⁄12, or 22 carats fine. Upon this the workmen are allowed 12⁄32 parts of a carat, for the _Remede d’alloy_; which reduces the standard to 210⁄32 carats fine, to 12⁄32 carats alloy. This expressed according to the division above mentioned, stands thus, 692 parts fine to 76 alloy. To find, therefore, the number of grains of fine gold in a marc of the coin, we must state the following analogy. 768 : 692 :: 4593 : 4138.48. [Sidenote: The marc into what coined.] The marc of gold coin therefore contains, after all deductions, 4138.48 grains of fine gold. This marc is coined into 30 louis d’ors of 24 livres each, value in all 720 livres. If therefore 4138.48 grains of fine gold be worth in the coin 720 livres, the marc of fine gold, or 4608 grains, will be worth 801 livres 12 sols. [Sidenote: Mint price of a marc of fine gold.] But the mint price of fine gold is 740 livres 9 sols 1 denier. The difference, therefore, between the mint price of fine gold, and the worth of it in the coin, (viz. 61 livres 3 sols 2 deniers) will shew exactly the price of coinage. If we ask how much this makes _per cent._ we may state it thus, 740.409 : 801.68 :: 100 : 108.2. [Sidenote: The price of coinage 8⅕ per cent. upon gold.] So in France there are 8.2 _per cent._ deducted for coinage of the gold. By the foregoing calculations it appears, that the King takes above 8 _per cent._ upon the coinage both of gold and silver. [Sidenote: Which no way stops the mint.] For many years past there have been no violent methods used to bring bullion to the mint, and yet we see, by the dates upon the French coin, what great quantities have been struck both of gold and silver. This is a most convincing proof, I think, that the imposition of coinage, when properly laid on, is no interruption to the mint; and being a matter of fact well determined, is a confirmation of that principle. [Sidenote: Of the proportion of the metals.] Let us next examine the proportion between the value of the metals, both in the coin and at the mint. For this purpose we must compare the mint prices in one equation, and the value of the gold and silver coin in another. [Sidenote: How to discover it.] At the mint, a marc of fine silver is paid 51.162 livres, and a marc of fine gold 740.409 livres; consequently 51.162 : 740.409 :: 1 : 14.47.