On a request from the East India Company to be supplied with two mills and two presses for Fort St. George [in Madras]

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

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

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

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Q?	1.	Have ye Company a Mint at For St George
	2.	When & how was yt Mint erected & by wt authority
	3.	Is it by their Charger or other authori{illeg}ty derived from ye King
	4.	{illeg}Of what advantage will be a Mill & Press above a Hanmer
	5	Have they a good graver.
	6	Of wt use is their coynage in trade & will it not draw Bullion or money from England
	7	Have ye King or Council of Trade bin consulted in this matter
	8	The old company are expiring & have {illeg}no need of a new mint
	9	We cannot supply them wth Cutters fit for their use
	10	These is no need of a licence {illeg}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