On a request from the East India Company to be supplied with two mills and two presses for Fort St. George [in Madras]

Author: Isaac Newton

Source: MINT 19/1/509, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK

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- Revision History
  - 1 January 2001
    - Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young
  - 29 September 2011
    - Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins
  - 24 August 2016
    - Transcribed by Will Scott
  - 5 February 2017
    - Verso transcribed by Will Scott
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<509r>

In obedience to yo^r Lord^ps order of reference of y^e 28^th of Nov. 1699 we have considered y^e annexed Petition of the Governour & Company of y^e East Indian Merchants for \procuring by yo^R Lord^ps leave two/ Mills & \two/ Presses w^th y^e Utensils there unto belonging to be sent to Fort S^t George for faciliating their coynage there: and upon enquiry we find that the said Merchants \by their Charter |?|/ have a Press Mint at y^e said Fort for coynage of Rupees \coyning/ Pagodes Rupees & other East Indian money by the Hammer & it is represented to us that their money so coyned is not so fair & specious as the like money coyned by the Dutch is not so much coveted by the natives, We find also {illeg} for w^ch reason & for \making/ dispatch in y^t |{illeg} their| coynage the said Merchants desire Mills & Presses as they represent We find also that by a late Act of Parliam^t mentioned in y^e said Petition, it is made High Treason \for any person w^thout yo^r Lord^ps licence/ to make, procure or knowingly to have in his custody any Press \or Cutter/ for coynage \or Cutter for cutting out y^e blanks by {fo}rce of a skrew/ unless by your Lord^ps Licence |[|& y^r Lord^ps are by y^e said Act fully empowered to licence the making of {&} {he ar}{have} suc] but y^e making & having of Mills is not forbidden nor requires your Lord^ps Licence. We do not find any barr to the {sett} erecting of a mint by y^e mill & Press at Fort S^t George by y^e said Merchants excepting y^e said Act of Parliam^t b{e} w^ch barr yo^r Lord^ps have power to remove by your licence of giving them leave to procure a Pr two Presses & Cutting Engin{g}|s|. But we humbly conceive that y^e opinion of y^e Council of Trade should be first had in this matter least the erecting of such a Mint should promote the exportation \of money out of England/ or hinder y^e importation of Gold & Silver \into his Ma^ts Mint in this kingdom/ & also y^t the opinion of y^e Attorney Gen \should be had/ concerning the legalness of their Mint & the form of a licence, & lastly that sufficient security be given to yo^r Lord^ps that the instruments licensed by yo^r L^ps be not put to any other use than y^e coyning of East Indian money & for at Fort S^t George & for y^t end be speedily shipt away to y^e said Fort upon their delivery from y^e Tower

NB Our Cutters will not do for East Indian money w^ch is thick & narrow.

Q? Why y^e old Company would erect a Mint by y^e Mill & Press \they/ being to expire w^thin a year & some months.

<509v>

Q?	1.	Have y^e Company a Mint at For S^t George
	2.	When & how was y^t Mint erected & by w^t authority
	3.	Is it by their Charger or other authori{illeg}\|t\|y derived from y^e King
	4.	{illeg}\|O\|f what advantage will be a Mill & Press above a Hanmer
	5	Have they a good graver.
	6	Of w^t use is their coynage \in trade/ & will it not draw Bullion or money from Engla{nd}
	7	Have y^e King or Council of Trade bin consulted in this matter
	8	The old company are expiring & have {illeg}\|no\| need of a new mint
	9	We cannot supply them w^th Cutters fit for their use
	10	These is no need of a licence {illeg}\|fo\|r a Mill
	11	They must give security.
	12	Had they not better take a Smith from England who can set up such a Mint