On a request from the East India Company to be supplied with two mills and two presses for Fort St. George [in Madras]
In obedience to yor Lordps order of reference of ye 28th of Nov. 1699 we have considered ye annexed Petition of the Governour & Company of ye East Indian Merchants for \procuring by yoR Lordps leave two/ Mills & \two/ Presses wth ye Utensils there unto belonging to be sent to Fort St George for faciliating their coynage there: and upon enquiry we find that the said Merchants \by their Charter |?|/ have a Press Mint at ye 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 wch reason & for \making/ dispatch in yt |{illeg} their| coynage the said Merchants desire Mills & Presses as they represent We find also that by a late Act of Parliamt mentioned in ye said Petition, it is made High Treason \for any person wthout yor Lordps licence/ to make, procure or knowingly to have in his custody any Press \or Cutter/ for coynage \or Cutter for cutting out ye blanks by {fo}rce of a skrew/ unless by your Lordps Licence
|[|& yr Lordps are by ye said Act fully empowered to licence the making of {&} {he ar}{have} suc]
but ye making & having of Mills is not forbidden nor requires your Lordps Licence. We do not find any barr to the {sett} erecting of a mint by ye mill & Press at Fort St George by ye said Merchants excepting ye said Act of Parliamt b{e} wch barr yor Lordps 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 ye opinion of ye 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 ye importation of Gold & Silver \into his Mats Mint in this kingdom/ & also yt the opinion of ye Attorney Gen \should be had/ concerning the legalness of their Mint & the form of a licence, & lastly that sufficient security be given to yor Lordps that the instruments licensed by yor Lps be not put to any other use than ye coyning of East Indian money & for at Fort St George & for yt end be speedily shipt away to ye said Fort upon their delivery from ye Tower
NB Our Cutters will not do for East Indian money wch is thick & narrow.
Q? Why ye old Company would erect a Mint by ye Mill & Press \they/ being to expire wthin a year & some months.
<509v>Q? | 1. | Have ye Company a Mint at For St George |
2. | When & how was yt Mint erected & by wt authority | |
3. | Is it by their Charger or other authori{illeg}|t|y derived from ye King | |
4. | {illeg}|O|f what advantage will be a Mill & Press above a Hanmer | |
5 | Have they a good graver. | |
6 | Of wt use is their coynage \in trade/ & will it not draw Bullion or money from Engla{nd} | |
7 | Have ye 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 wth 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 |