Draft of MINT00662 (Mint 19/2/448)
In obedience to your Lordships order of Reference upon the Memorial of Mr Appleby & Mr Hines I have considered the same & humbly represent that
Fine Copper will not run close into Barrs but requires to be either battered or rolled thin by a Mill, & the cheapest way is to roll it. But a horse mill being too weak & too chargeable for this purpose I advised Mr Applebly & Mr Hines to procure a water Mill, & to encourage them to do it I promised them to give them no disturbance my self so long as they kept to their covenants in the copper which they brought to me. But at the same time I told them that I could engage nothing for my superiors. Hereupon they took a water mill neare Maiden head 3 or 4 miles above
Windsor at the rent of 50li per annum for three years from midsummer last, besides a fine of
20 Guineas & 75li paid for Tools prepared there by Mr Ayres. They took also another little place neare it for a warehouse
& lodging room & for building a refining furnace at 12li per annum & the furnace cost
them almost 40li as they informe me, besides
☉ beds & furniture for servants
the Rolls & Molds &
other tools which cost them above 200li as they represent. And when a stop
was put to the coinage I informed your Lordships that 25 Tons of money was
coined & delivered besides what was ready to be delivered, of which I did not
then know the just quantity: But it amounted unto 26 hundred weight. And as much
copper in plates was brought into the mint that day
as made 26 hundred weight more: so that there hath been coined 27 Tu{ns}
12 cwt weight. There was also at that time 25 cwt more brought down the rive{r}
ready to be imported & 45 cwt more at the Mill in pickle, & 35 cwt
rolled but not cleaned, & 44 cwt more rolled hot but not cold
And in Brockage Scissel & Cakes 128 cwt. 2Q. Besides 20 Tunns which they tell me they have contracted for under hand & seale.† The Rolls hitherto used were rough, & by their roughness occasioned much complaint of them, but the assure me that they have now procured smooth rolls.
☉ besides the charge of Beds & furniture for servants & of new Rolls & molds boxes for the copper & other utensills amounting to above 80li. And during the cessation of the coinage they pay 39s per week retaining wages to a Clerk & Refiner & two other servants.
When a stop was put to this coinage – – smooth rolls.
Vpon the whole it seems to me that considering② the demand of copper money by the people & ① the charge that the importers of copper have been at, & the coinage be no longer discontinued; that the 25 cwt of copper Barrs brought down the river to be imported when the coinage was stopt & 45 & then in pickle & now pickle{d} be forthwith imported, provided the copper beare the assays prescribed, & that the 35 cwt rolled but not cleaned be cleaned & also imported. And that in the mean time Mr Briggs & Mr Richardson deliver in their proposals to your Lordships foor coining the money of finer copper & the Assay by which their copper shall appear to be finer. And then their Proposals may be compared with what the present Importers will undertake for the future.
