Minutes of a meeting of the Edinburgh Mint officers to discuss the increase in fineness of silver during melting and arrangements to remedy this by periodical addition of copper

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/1/186, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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  - 1 January 2001
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<186r>

Mint 5: November 1707.

At a meeting of the Officers of the Mint,

D^r. Gregory present

|1°| It was found that all precaution being made, yet the silver, that at the begining of the pouring was of standard fyneness, by the 14^th Mold (which was done in less than 15 minutes) came to be a large dw^t. better than standard, In the experiment of this taken on tuesday 28 of October, the fire was soe far from being too intense & the silver too hot, that the silver stuck to & weighted the Ladle to a great inconvenience And therefore it was agreed that the first 14 molds shall be case off, the Allay being put in according to the putt bill; And that an Assay of the first & 14 Molds should be taken. That after the 14 is poured off, the fire may be abated, and assay taken of what remaines in the pot; which being reported the fire is to be increased again, & allay put into the pott as shall be standarded by the Clerks, and an assay of the first & last mold of the second pouring taken; And the like, if the put be continued in the furnace and a third pouring made. But the experience of Nov^r 4, makes it more adviseable for the master to pour off only ten molds at a pouring, which therefore is ordered.

|2°| It being observed that scissell being melted down refines beyond the remedies: It was agreed that scissell should be melted down, & an assay of it taken & allayed accordingly: This method to be in force only untill orders about the melting be sent from London, or a melter come from London, who will soe temper our Coallfire, as to keep the silver in a halfe penny weight of fineness from the begining of the pouring of to the end of it. Concerning which there was a memoriall sent (by order of the officers) to the Master on Tuesday 28 October.

|3°| The very like, with the same qualification of time was ordered concerning the silver that remaines in the bottom of the pot, when the Ladle cannot be more dipped in it.

<186v>

Order of the Officers of the Mint.
5^th Nov^r. 1707