| Description | Soho March 31-1802
Dear Sir
I have found my self so much indisposd for some time past as to unfit me for a Man of business & to induce me to consult Dr Beddoes of Clifton who is now at Soho & will stay with me untill he has formd the best means of conquering my 2 Desease viz: Bile, & Calculus, wch. I hope he is in a fair way of doing
As I have no body to consult upon the subject of Coinage but your self I cannot help troubling you with what has lately occurd. I sent one Copy of my Memorial to my friends of the Council Office & another to the Lords of the Treasury. After 2 or 3 Weeks consideration I receivd a letter from Sr. Stephen Cottrell of ye 27 Int covering one from Mr Addington of ye 25 which I send you herewith Copys of as well as of my 2 Answers to Sr. Stephen.
I am of opineon that Mr Addington has consulted Mr Sages friend White the Sollicitor who has probably told him that my Mint is illegal & moreover is not cheaper than the Kings mint because the price at the Old Mint is 42£ per Ton & that of Soho is the Same I therefore wrote a second letter to shew the particulars of the calculation by which you will see that my price is only half that of ye old Mint for they do not Rolle ye Copper but have always used Braziers Copper wch. is not Cold rolld & consequently is neither uniform in its thickness nor fine & smooth on the Surface which Copper had used to be 12£ a Ton above the price of Cake but is now 14£ per Ton of Sheets or fillits which is = 21£ upon Coin for it takes more than 3 Ton of fillits to make 2 Ton of Coin or suppose it 10£ hot & 4£ Cold rolling including the remelting of ye Scissell with the Wast will be = 21£ on ye Coin I send you these particulars least the Lords should send for you to the Council office
When you [have] perused these letters I will thank you for a few lines
The Dr prevents me from writing more than that I remain with great regard
Dear Sir
Your faithfull & Obliged frd & Servt
M: Boulton
I wish Mr Addington could be prevaild upon to read Mr Garbetts report to the Treasury made Novr. 23-1782 for which the Lords paid him 500£ or Guineas
Mr A Weston
London
Mint price of Coining small flat half pence without being fine Rolld or Milld or any of those difficulties to Counterfeiters which my ½ pence possess
£. s. d.
To the Master 9.. 2.. 4
Monneyers 25.. 13.. 4
Engravers 2.. 6.. 8
Die Forger 2.. 6. 8
Deputy Master 1.. 0. 0
Assay Master 0.. 5. 0
Deputy Warden 0.. 16. 0
Weigher 0.. 5. 0
deliverer 0.. 5. 0
£ 42.. 0. 0
To which must be added Rolling & sundry other things that will make it more than double as he may see by Mr Garbetts report
(3 pcs) |