I DISAGREE with Bernard Barr that Roman numerals are open to fraudulent alteration just as much as our everyday Arabic numerals (Letters, January 12).
It is almost impossible to alter Roman numerals on commercial or financial documents. It is, however, simple to change, say, the number 3 to an 8.
By adding a 0 at the end and a 9 at the beginning your 3 has miraculously become 930 - a numerical nightmare. How can this be the best system? How much must people be losing? No wonder we write numbers on our cheques in words as well as Arabic numerals. It's never too late for the banks to return to Roman counting.
Aled Jones,
Mount Crescent,
Bridlington.
Updated: 11:12 Tuesday, January 18, 2005
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