+------+--------+--------+-----------++------+--------+--------+-----------+ | | Gold | Silver | Percent || | Gold | Silver | Percent | | Year.|(Million|(Million| of Silver || Year.|(Million|(Million| of Silver | | |Francs).|Francs).| to Total. || |Francs).|Francs).| to Total. | +------+--------+--------+-----------++------+--------+--------+-----------+ | 1851 | 83 | 478 | 85 || 1864 | 273 | 94 | 27 | | 1852 | 69 | 442 | 86 || 1865 | 238 | 208 | 44 | | 1853 | 102 | 214 | 67 || 1866 | 576 | 136 | 19 | | 1854 | 301 | 193 | 39 || 1867 | 697 | 318 | 31 | | 1855 | 72 | 147 | 66 || 1868 | 662 | 474 | 42 | | 1856 | 94 | 104 | 53 || 1869 | 461 | 798 | 63 | | 1857 | 110 | 126 | 52 || 1870 | 429 | 69 | 14 | | 1858 | 294 | 260 | 47 || 1871 | 554 | 80 | 13 | | 1859 | 250 | 329 | 56 || 1872 | 656 | 134 | 17 | | 1860 | 144 | 272 | 65 || 1873 | 611 | 148 | 19 | | 1861 | 225 | 100 | 30 || 1874 | 1013 | 314 | 24 | | 1862 | 187 | 108 | 36 || 1875 | 1168 | 504 | 30 | | 1863 | 119 | 72 | 37 || 1876 | 1349 | 540 | 28-1/2 | +------+--------+--------+-----------++------+--------+--------+-----------+ The statistics of the Latin Union, up to the suspension of the bimetallic system will be separately dealt with. Speaking only of the experience of France during these years of bimetallic régime, the ebbing and flowing experience which has throughout been instanced as the chief characteristic of such régime is most strongly marked. The legal ratio did not give the market ratio, and so far was it from giving France a stable currency, it was the one thing which unsettled it and made a stable currency impossible. The _exposé des motifs_ of the law of 1876, which will be referred to in another connection below, puts the matter with official brevity. "The variations of the commercial from legal 15-1/2 ratio remained normal during the years 1824-67. All the same they sufficed to modify greatly the composition of the French circulation. After the predominance of silver, which became marked in 1847, the ratio from 1847-67 introduced gold in a large proportion, and measures had to be taken to retain in France the smaller silver coinage. Our silver _monnaie d'appoint_ of .835 fine was created for this purpose."