| Description | (The original is with Boulton’s correspondence.)
Soho, March 4th, 1799.
Matthew Boulton, Esqr.,
Respected Sir,
I had this Morning the Honor of your Favor of the 2d Instant, in pursuance of which I handed Mr. Kuckler the Print of his Majesty, which I had receiv’d a few Minutes previously.
My Respects of Yesterday were accompanied with Twenty four Nelsonian Medals in Gold, which I shall be glad to hear of your receiving safe. The Letters of the Inscription were struck in as deep as possible by hand, but the single one before sent you was as it came from the Milling Tools.
I thank you for the explicit Instructions you have favoured us with on this Head, which are quite sufficient to govern us in the Execution of the remaining Part of the Order, to the early completion of which particular Attention will now be paid. Mr. Davison’s Remark on the Space between the Word St. James’s and Square is certainly just, but if we had taken sufficient Notice of the single Gold Medal sent you to have discover’d the Defect, still it could not have been remedied in the 24 sent you Yesterday, as they had all been previously Mill’d. Upon enquiry I find it is the easiest Thing imaginable to correct the Mistake in those that remain to be done, as it only requires to have the beginning Word (“From”) and the Ending Word (“Regard”’) at a greater Distance, which (Words) ought, I conceive, in all propriety to be kept very distinctly asunder; therefore the Gold Pieces will, in this Respect, be the least perfect of any.
There has been 62 Ton of Penny Pieces struck, towards the last Order of 250 Ton. We shall send Mrs. Matthews a Lot of Forty Casks to Morrow and hope to be able in all the Week to make it up Ten Ton.
It will certainly be out of our power to keep the Orders under ’till the New Mint commence its Operation, for the old Mint in its Dismantled State can only perform half its Office, having now three Presses short of its full Complement, one Press having been Crippled the beginning of last Week.
We are pushing on with the American Blanks as fast as possible and hope to have them ready before the Time you mention. We shall write to Bristol for Information respecting any Vessels that may be going soon from thence for Philadelphia, but if you have no particular Motive for wishing them shipp’d at that Port Mr. Brown suggests that Liverpool would be preferable, as the Port Charges are much higher at the former than at the latter Place. Meantime we shall write to both Places to know what Vessels are up and when they are expected to sail?
I have presented your Message to Mr. Gregory Watt, who desires me to return his Respects to you and to say that he has nearly compleated the Collection of Minerals. I have also delivered your Message to Mr. Kuckler concerning the Wax Models and Specimens of Coin, to which he will pay due Attention.
And I shall inform Mr. Busch what the Envious and Malicious (or most probably their Hireling) say in depreciation of the Merit of your Coin and use the Circumstance as a stimulus to continual Watchfulness over the Quality of the Coin deliver’d out from the Mint, which I really think has been for some time unexceptionable, except in point of Colour, which was Remedied soon after the Defect was discovered. I hope the Pamphlet which decries your Coin is of such a Description as to be denounced by the Reviewers for a “Miserable” Production.
Herewith you will receive the Heads from Mr. Kuckler, which for greater Security I have sent in a parcel by itself instead of sending it by Mr. Walkers Parcel.
Mr. Brown and me are much oblig’d by your kind remembrance, and we beg to return you our best wishes for your health and safe return. I remain, most respectfully, Sir, your oblig’d humble servant,
Wm. Cheshire |