On a request from the East India Company to be supplied with two mills and two presses for Fort St. George [in Madras] Isaac Newton c. 617 words The Newton Project Oxford 2017 Newton Project, University of Oxford

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 c. December 1699, c. 617 words. Treasury

[Note on dating: replies to a letter of 28 November 1699.]

Printed in NC, 7: 413-14.

Mint can see no objection, but advise asking the opinions of the Council of Trade and Attorney General on the economic wisdom and the legality of the proposal.

On reverse: holograph list of twelve queries to be taken into consideration when deciding the matter.

 MINT 19/1/509, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK UKSurreyKew, RichmondNational Archives MINT 19/1/509 c. December 1699 England English Holograph Unknown Hand MintOverseas Mints and Coinage MintCorrespondence Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins Transcribed by Will Scott Verso transcribed by Will Scott
509

In obedience to yoryour LordpsLordships order of reference of yethe 28th of Nov. 1699 we have considered yethe annexed Petition of the Governour & Company of yethe East Indian Merchants for procuring by yoRyour LordpsLordships leave two Mills & two Presses wthwith yethe 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 yethe 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 for wchwhich reason & for making dispatch in ytthat their coynage the said Merchants desire Mills & Presses as they represent We find also that by a late Act of ParliamtParliament mentioned in yethe said Petition, it is made High Treason for any person wthwithout yoryour LordpsLordships licence to make, procure or knowingly to have in his custody any Press or Cutter for coynage or Cutter for cutting out yethe blanks by force of a skrew unless by your LordpsLordship Licence [& yryour LordpsLordships are by yethe said Act fully empowered to licence the making of & he arhave suc] but yethe making & having of Mills is not forbidden nor requires your LordpsLordships Licence. We do not find any barr to the sett erecting of a mint by yethe mill & Press at Fort St George by yethe said Merchants excepting yethe said Act of ParliamtParliament be wchwhich barr yoryour LordpsLordships have power to remove by your licence of giving them leave to procure a Pr two Presses & Cutting Engings. But we humbly conceive that yethe opinion of yethe 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 yethe importation of Gold & Silver into his MatsMajestys Mint in this kingdom & also ytthat the opinion of yethe Attorney GenGeneral should be had concerning the legalness of their Mint & the form of a licence, & lastly that sufficient security be given to yoryour LordpsLordships that the instruments licensed by yoryour LpsLordships be not put to any other use than yethe coyning of East Indian money & for at Fort St George & for ytthat end be speedily shipt away to yethe said Fort upon their delivery from yethe Tower

NB Our Cutters will not do for East Indian money wchwhich is thick & narrow.

Q? Why yethe old Company would erect a Mint by yethe Mill & Press they being to expire wthwithin a year & some months.

Q? 1. Have yethe Company a Mint at For St George 2. When & how was ytthat Mint erected & by wtwhat authority 3. Is it by their Charger or other authority derived from yethe King 4. Of what advantage will be a Mill & Press above a Hanmer 5 Have they a good graver. 6 Of wtwhat use is their coynage in trade & will it not draw Bullion or money from England 7 Have yethe King or Council of Trade bin consulted in this matter 8 The old company are expiring & have no need of a new mint 9 We cannot supply them wthwith Cutters fit for their use 10 These is no need of a licence for a Mill 11 They must give security. 12 Had they not better take a Smith from England who can set up such a Mint