Correspondence relating to the tin trade

<486v>

To the Honble High Boscowen Es Ld Warden of the Stannaries of Cornwall & Devon.

We the Gentlemen owners of Tyn Lands & Tyn bounds adventurers for Tyn & others concerned in that Commodity in the County of Cornwall

Humbly shew

That we cannot but with the utmost gratitude contemplate Her Majts goodness to us in making & performing the present contract for our Tyn. And being sensible now the said contract is so neare expiring, of the ill consequences that may ensue to her Maty & or selves by its determination before the commencement of another, take this opportunity to apply to yor Honour praying

That considering or present circumstances yor Honour will be pleased to intercede wth her Maty that a Convocation or Parliament of Tynners of the said County may with all convenient speed be held, wherein we hope the Gentlemen that shall be chosen to represent us will consent to such a price as that her Maty may be no looser thereby. But at the same time desiring yor Honours endeavours that in such Con{illeg}vocation yor Honour may be impowered to agree for such farther quantity beyond the present stipulation as may prevent the inconveniences We now labour under on that Acct

And we shall ever pray.

<487r>

Gentlemen

My Lord Treasurer Commands me to transmit to you the inclosed Memorial of the Tynners in Cornwall, which his Lordp has lately received from the Lord Warden of the stannarys. My Lord directs you to peruse the same & report to his Lordp what you think fit to be considered in any future contract made with the Tynners, if her Majty should so think fit to direct particularly as to the Quantity to be taken and the price to be paid for the same, so that her Maty should so think fit to direct particularly as to the Quantity to be taken and the price to be paid for the same, so that her Maty may not be a looser thereby.

I am

Gentlemen

[1]

Yor most humble Servant

William Lowndes.

In Obedience to yor Lordps Orders of the 9th Instant &c We humbly represent to yor Lordp that by the course of the sale of the Tyn this & the four last years there has been sold in Cornwall & London at a Medium about 1560 Tunns per an stannary wt.. Which being deducted from 1600 Tunns received annually from Cornwall, & allowing 40 Tunns more for Devonshire, there has remained about 80 Tunns yearly unsold: So that 1520 Tunns of Cornish Tynn has been sold yearly, more or less. And if the same course of Ty sale continues, there will remain at the end of the present contract, so much Tyn unsold, as at the Rate of 3li. 16s per hundred Averdupois will produce about 180000li. And so long as the same course of sale continues, if six pr cent (the interest of the moneys now advanced to the owners of the Tyn lands) be allowed upon the said dead stock of 180000li, & the Coynage duty & post groats be paid & 1400li be accounted sufficient to answer accidents & unforeseen charges; her Maty {illeg}may without losing by the contract, give 3l. 9s. 6d per hundred stannary wt for 1520 Tunns of Tynn the quantity annually consumed, as will by the following Accot

	li	s	d
{illeg}1520 Tunns of tynn at 3. 9. 6 pr C stan. wt	105640.	0.	0
Freight of the same to London	2035.	14.	3
Salaries in London	1350.	0.	0
Incident charges in London, as Porters &c	200.	0.	0
Passing Accots &c	94.	0.	0
Salaries in Cornwal & Truroe	1540.	0.	0
Incidents in Cornwal	700.	0.	0
Interest of 180000li at 6pr cent	10{illeg}800.	0.	0
	122359.	104.	09.
Insurance & other unforseen accidents	1411.	14.	4
Produced annually by sale of Tyn at 3li 16s pr C	123771.	8.	7

And if it be supposed that the consumption may carry off annually 1600 or 1800 Tunns stannary, it will appear by the like recconing upon that supposition, <487v> that Her Maty may give 3li 10s in ye first case & 3li 11s in the second & so in proportion to a greater or less consumption. But every 100 Tunns purchased above what will the consumption will carry off, makes a dead stock annually increasing, the interest of which at 6 pr cent will in the end of seven years will amount to about 10000li* < insertion from lower down f 487v > * & the loss by falling of the price of the Tyn at the end of the contract will amount unto about 18 or 20 thousand pounds more < text from f 487v resumes >

All wch is most humbly submitted to yor Lordps great wisdome

C. Peyton

I. Newton

I. Ellis

[2]