Page 173 - Reading Mercury

penny has been gradually reduced much in bulk. In the days of the Republic it
weighed from 2 pennyweights 10 grains, to 2 pennyweights 13 grains. In the reign of
Emperor Trajan, it weighed barely 2 pennyweights 2 grains. The late Emperors
reduced it nearly one half; and the earliest Saxon specimens weigh less than a
pennyweight. The Penny of Edward IV was 15 grains; and of Henry VIII, 10 grains;
and that of William IV, only 7 grains

1839
st
Sat 1 June
THE NEW PLAN OF POSTAGE
We yesterday stated that the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday night
intimated that he should, in the course of a fortnight, propose a resolution to
Parliament to give effect to Mr. Rowland Hill’s plan of an uniform Penny Postage. In
making this announcement, Mr. Spring Rice said, “he hoped to have it in his power to
propose a resolution founded upon the report of the committee which sat last year.”
The reporters did not hear the explanation which the right honourable gentleman
afterwards gave of the nature of the resolution he intended to propose, and some of
our evening contemporaries have questioned the accuracy of our statement, We can,
however, assure our readers, that the right honourable gentleman distinctly stated at
the time to several members, who wished to have all doubts removed on the subject,
that he really intended to give effect to Mr. Rowland Hill’s plan of an uniform penny
postage, and that it was merely in connexion with the subject of reduction in general,
and not any specific reduction that he referred to the committee of last year. On our
statement the fullest reliance may be placed. Mr. Rowland Hill’s plan of an uniform
penny postage is to be carried out to full effect.—Morning Chronicle, of Thursday.

th
Sat 13 July
THE WOKINGHAM ANNUAL PINK SHOW
th
The show took place at the sign of the Anchor, on the 8 instant, and the blooms
produced were splendid specimens of that much admired flower. Perfect satisfaction
was given to the shewers by the appointed umpires, who received thanks for their
keen and impartial decision in awarding the prizes as follows:--Mr. Batten, of King-
street, as usual in most cases when he shews, was awarded the head, or first prize; Mr.
rd
nd
Knotts, of Sonning, 2 ; Mr. Hefford, of Wokingham, 3 ; Mr. Lewis, of Wokingham,
th
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4 ; and Mr. J. Lewis, 5 and last prize. It is due to Mr. Lewis, the landlord where the
shew was held, to say, that he served the company, which was highly respectable and
numerous, with a most excellent dinner, and a dessert of choice fruits; after which,
Mr, Churchill, of Binfield, introduced for inspection and admiration, a most splendid
seedling pink, which, for its beauty, elegance, and symmetry, was named Churchill’s
Victoria. After it had gone the round of admiration, the friends of Flora resumed their
conviviality in perfect harmony.

st
Sat 31 Aug
PHOTOGENIC DRAWING
At the last sitting of the Paris Academy of Sciences, M. Daguerre made known his
process of fixing the beautiful paintings which are formed by the camera obscura. The
process is very long and complicated and may be briefly described as follows:--At the
bottom of the camera is placed a sheet of copper plated with silver, which has been
exposed to the vapour of iodine passing through a sheet of Gauze; the drawing or
image is then thrown on this surface, and the plate afterwards is exposed to the vapour

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