Report on gold from the West Indies brought to the Mint by the South Sea Company Hopton Haynes c. 384 words The Newton Project Oxford 2016 Newton Project, University of Oxford

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 6 September 1726, c. 384 words. Isaac Newton

Printed in NC, 7: 352-3.

Haynes has returned four bad ingots for refinement, and considers another seven ingots suspect. The Company insists they are sound. Requests a trial in the presence of Newton and the Company's refiner and agent.

 MINT 19/1/108, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK UKSurreyKew, RichmondNational Archives MINT 19/1/108 6 September 1726 English Unknown Hand Unknown Cataloguer (1) Unknown Cataloguer (2) MintGold and Silver Coinage MintCorrespondence Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins Transcribed by Will Scott

SrSir

The Southsea CompyCompany have lately rec.dreceived from their Agents in the West Ind.sIndies 6 or 7 parcels of Gold, wchwhich they intend to have Coyn'd: and accordingly have imported 2 parcels, & have part of a 3d. parcel now in yethe Assay office, ready to be weigh'd.

Vpon a view of yethe af.aforesaid parcel I inspectedsuspected the Gold —& when all yethe Ingots were assayd, I causd 4 to be ret.d.returned to yethe Compy.Company to be refin'd. In a 2d. parcel I found 7 wchwhich I suspectedinspected to be of a bad mixture; & therefore orderd Mr. Whitaire to acquaint Mr. Utbert, the Comps.Companys Agent, & Mr. Blatchford, their Refiner, that those 7 suspect.dsuspected Ingots should be taken back & refind, unles they wou'd indemnify yethe Office. They both gave Mr. Whitaire strong assurances that there was no bad mixture in them, upon which they were all taken in, before I had heard their answer. Whereupon I caution'd Mr. Vanderesh not to sett them out for melting, Intend.gIntending to apprize You of yethe Affaire, that10863that yethe sdsaid Suspected Ingots might be further exam'd.examined before their delivery to yethe Melter. A timely caution being necessary to make us safe, for the future.

I have taken all the Care I cou'd in examining what has already been assayd, at yethe Cutting, hammering, sheering, appearance on the Copples, & after nealing: but because ysthis may'nt be sufficient, I would further propose that all the suspected Ingotts be broke in yryouryrtheir presence, the Comps.Companys Refiner & Agent attendg.attending, & also yryouryrtheir Melter, when We may be better assur'd of the Nature of the Mass by a careful inspect.ninspection of the breaches, than we can be, by an Assay taken off at one Corner.

The Comps.Companys Agent & Refiner prest the admittance of yethe Gold now in yethe assay office: but I conceive it altogether reasonable that the office in genl.general & the Matter in particular shoud be safe, & indemnifyd. Howeve the whole is submitted to Your consideratn.consideration that this affair may be settled upon a good foot to secure us for the future. If you please to Appoint to morrow being Wensday, or thursday morning, I will attend in my place

I am HondHonoured Sr.Sir

yr.your most Obedt.Obedient H.Humble ServtServant

H. Haynes

Tuesday 6. Septbr. 1726