Holograph draft report on the investigation of the Alva mine, in response to a petition for payment from James Hamilton Isaac Newton c. 1,664 words The Newton Project Oxford 2017 Newton Project, University of Oxford

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 1721?, c. 1,664 words. Treasury

[For dating, see MINT00794.]

First part of the report (up to the appointment of Brandshagen) more fully calendared in NC, 6: 317, n. 3.

The mine was discovered in December 1714 on his grounds by Sir John Erskine but filled in in February 1716. After his smelter James Hamilton brought some samples of ore from the mine to London, Erskine's brother-in-law Haldane informed the Court of the matter. Newton was asked to investigate the mine, but declared himself unqualified, and Justus Brandshagen was appointed instead, with Hamilton as assistant. Details of their remit and terms of payment. Hamilton, 'knowing his own insufficiency', persuaded the Treasury to add his brother Thomas to the team on the same terms as himself. They spent five months on the investigation (September 1716-February 1717), over twice the time necessary, despite express instructions to be quick about it, and then did not submit their report until 29 April. Newton was asked to assess what the team were owed, and on 27 June 1717 delivered a report accordingly [MINT00789 (Mint 19/3/261, 263)] on the basis that their commission had expired on 19 February. They have now received all that was due to them and more, and Newton sees no reason to pay them for wilful delays or for undertaking work they were never appointed to do.

 MINT 19/3/246, National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK UKSurreyKew, RichmondNational Archives MINT 19/3/246 1721? England English Holograph MintThe Mine at Alva Catalogue information compiled by Rob Iliffe, Peter Spargo & John Young Catalogue exported to teiHeader by Michael Hawkins Transcribed by Will Scott Minor amendments made by Will Scott
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1 In Scotland December 1714 SrSir IJohn Erskin in a MoutainMountain neare his house at Alva in Scotland beyon yethe frith, in December 1714 met with a vein of Lead Ore holding some silver, & in Iuly & August 1715 the vein began to appear more promising, & in September SrSir IJohn left his house & went into the Rebellion, & his LAdy pursuing the vein they melted down part of the Ore & buried the rest in Casks near SrSir IJohn's house And in February following they left off working & filled up the Mine with earth. And IJames Hamilton, who had been imployed in smelting the Ore brought some of it to London & in March or April (1716) & made the Lord Maior acquainted with the richness of the Mine, & Mr Haldane the brother in law of SrSir IJohn made the matter known at court.

2 It was at first proposed to send down SrSir Isaac Newton to examin the Mine, but he represented himself unacquainted with such matters, & declined recommending any body else in poitpoint of skill, saying that it would be better to send down somebody of skimllskill from the kings silver Mines in Germany. Whereupon Dr Iustus Brandshagen was proposed by others.

3 And his R.Royal Highness the Prince (then Regent) signed a Warrant Aug. 20 1716 to the CommrsCommissioners of the TrearyTreasury directing them to pay or cause to be paid to Iustus Brandshagen 60li & to IJames Hamilton 30li to enable them to go down to Scotland to work or try the working of theis Mine, & further to pay or cause to be payd to I. Brandshagen 20s per diem & to Iam. Hamilton 10 s per diem from the day or says they should respecivelyrespectively arrive at Edinburgh for & during their stay in Scotaland upon the said work, or so long as the said CommrsCommissioners should see cause to pay the said repectiverespective allowances to them or either of them in consideration of their or either of their service & application to the said work, & the testimony they should receive thereof. And Brandshagen & Hamilton by an Order from the TrearyTreasury dated Aug 27 received their advance money at the Exchequer Aug. 31.

4 The Prince also signed (3d Sept. 1716) a Paper of Instructions to be observed by them in the survey & tryal of the Mine in the presence & with the assistance of Mr Haldane aforesaid, Mr Drummond Warden of his MatsMajestys Mint at Edinburgh & any other persons whom the General Earl of Lauderdale General of the said Mint should send thither, & to make a return of all their in writing of all their proceedings therin to the Commissioners of his MatsMajestys Treasury with the utmost expedition. In this Paper IJames Hamilton is stiled Assistent to Iustus Brandshagen, & the buisiness of watching the Mine is not among the Instructions.

5 After this, IJames Hamilton knowing his own insufficiency, was averse from going without his brother Tho. Hamilton, & thereby put the government to the expence of 109li to send his brother Thomas down with him. And without Thomas they could not have gone through the business. See Mr Drummonds Letter to SrSir I. N. dated Feb. 17 16717. Thomas therefore was promised the same allowance with his brother. And SrSir Is. Newton by Order advanced the to him the 30li & by Warrant of the CommrsCommissioners of the TrearyTreasury dated Sept. 5. 1716 was repaid at the Exchequer.

6 The Hamiltons arrived at Edinburgh Sept. 14 & Brandshagen Octob. 13th. And tho IJames Hamilton had pretended to know the Mine, yet they loitered still at Edinburgh some weeks till SrSir IJohn Erskin came down to shew them the Mine. By the Princes directions they were to make hast, & yet they were above five months in Scotaland in executing their Commission. tho they might have done it in less then half the time. They loitered so much that the Earl of Lauderdale Mr Haldane & Mr Drummond declared themselves ashamed of the delays, as appears by Mr Drummonds aforesaid Letter to SrSir I. N. dated Feb. 16 1697 1717. And all this negligence the CommersCommissioners of the TrearyTreasury were impowered by the Prince's Warrant to consider.

7 When they had finished the work of surveying the Mine, & were preparing to drawing up the Report, they receiver a Letter from SrSir I. Newton (written by order & dated Ian. 31) that Tho. Hamilton SrSir Is. Newton received two Letters dated Ian. 8th & Ian. 24 & signed by the Earl of Lauderdale, Mr Haldane & Mr Drummond describing the form & bigness & richness of the vein or Ore, the in the first of wchwhich they described the form, bigness & richness of the vein of Ore, & in the second moved that he should acquaint acquaint the Lords of the TrearyTreasury that theis survey was over & that the Report was preparing: & in the second that every thing was then in readiness & that they intended to have sent up the Report that night (Ian. 24) with the Assays & Ore by by Express that night (IJan 24,) but were stopt by Brandshagen & the two Hamiltons, a sudden resolution of Branshagen & the two Hamiltons (directly contrary to the Princes Order) that the Reports should not come up before them but they would bring it up themselves. And after this they loitered at Edinburgh till Feb. 19 & so put the government to the superfluous charge of 40s per diem for the space of 26 days more, wchwhich is as much money as Hamilton now sues for wanting only 10s.

8 In the said second Letter a Question was insinuated whether BranshagenBrandshagen & the two Hamiltons should all of them leave Edinburgh without order, & SrSir I. Newton IJan 31 by Order wrote back that Tho. Hamilton should stay to to watch the mine & see that no Ore be carried away till the Kings pleasure should be known. But the said three CommrsCommissioners at Edinburgh, having found Thomas much more skilful in the business they were sent upon then his brother IJames, sent Thomas to London to give an Account of the Report & of the whole affair, & deteined IJames to watch the Mine. See Mr Drummonds above-mentioned Letter of Feb. 16, 1717. It was not therefore by SrSir Isaacs order that IJames Hamilton staid in Scotland to watch the Mine. And there is no reason that SrSir Isaac should pay the wages of a man whom he did not imploy.

After Brandshagen came to London he loitered till April 29 before he gave in the Report & till May 17th before he petitioned for the money due for their services. And there is no reason that Brandshagen SrSir I. N. should pay 10s pay 10s per diem to IJames Hamilton during the two three twelve weeks months wchwhich were spent by Brandshagens loitering

IJames Hamilton demands 10s per diem for watching the Mine. 145 days. It is not certain that he watched it so long before he had notice to come away. The whole business after Feb. 19 might have been dispatched in a third part of that time. And SrSir Isaac Newton was not the occasion of any delays.

On April 29th Brandshagen gave in the Report to the Commrs of the Treary

The Earl of Lauderdale, Mr Haldane, & Mr Drummond, who were joyned in Commission with BranshagenBrandshagen & Hamilton to survey the Mine & see the Ore cut of from it & assayed, accounted their Commission by the Princes Warrant at an end when they finished their Report & sent it away to London, as appears by their Letters above mentioned to SrSir Is. Newton dated IJan 8 & IJan 24, 1717. Brandshagen delivered the Report & Assays & Ores to the CommĖ„ersCommissioners for the moneys due to him & the two Hamiltons for that service representing that it ended Apr. 29.. On Iune 17 the said CommersCommissioners referred the said Commers Petition to SrSir Isaac Newton directing him to state the case of Brandshagen & the two Hamiltons, & report his opinion what was fit to be done thereupon for discharging the Princes Warrant & putting an end to all further demands of any of them on this account. On Iune 27 SrSir Isaac gave in his Report of what was due to all three till Feb. 19th, the day on wchwhich their Commission ended, & left it to the CommrsCommissioners of the TrearyTreasury to allow to IJames Hamilton what they should think fit for watching the Mine after Feb. 19. And on Iuly 24 the CommrsCommissioners of the TrearyTreasury issued their Warrant to the Earl of Halifax to pay to Dr I. Fr. Fauquier, the arrieres due to the two Hamiltons & the said Brandshagen & the two Hlamiltons according to the said Report., & further added a round summ of 20li tfor be allowed to IJames Hamilton for watching the Mine after Feb. 19. And The Dr received & paid them their arrieres.

SrSir I. Newton neither received nor paid any moneys for or to IJames Hamilton or on account of the Princes Warrant nor had any benefit by that business. He acted all along by order & had nothing to do in that matter after Iune 27 the day on wchwhich he gave in his final Report. The CommrsCommissioners in Scotland. SrSir Is. Newton, & the CommrsCommissioners of the TrearyTreasury all agreed that the Execution of the Princes Warrant was finished Feb. 19. Brandshagen petitioned for the allowance of 120s per diem to himself & 10s per diem to the two Hamiltons till Apr. 129 the day on wchwhich he delivered the Report to the CommrsCommissioners of the TrearyTreasury but was over-ruled by the said CommersCommissioners & submitted. For they were appointed Iudges of this matter by the Princes Warrant.