Request for an increase in Mint funding

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To the Right the Lords Commissioners of his Majestys Treasury.

May it please your Lordships

The Act of Coinage being near expiring We have thought it our Duty humbly to lay before your Lordships the annexed Abstract shewing what the moneys leviable by that Act have amounted unto these three years last past, & what the charges of the Mints in the Tower & at Edinborough have amounted unto during the same time. By this Abstract the Income has been about 9600li yearly at a medium & the Expence about 14380li yearly. And this expence is greater than the Income by about one half, on in the proportion of three to two.

The coynage has increased every year since the peace, & if it continues to be so great as it has been the two last years, the charge of the Mint will exceed the Income by about five or six thousand pounds yearly. This charge has been supplied hitherto out of the stock which accrued to the Mint in the time of war when the coynage was small, and by the great coinage since the peace this stock is now reduced to less then one thousand pounds which will scarce serve to carry on the coinage above a month longer.

Wherefore we humbly propose to your Lordships that the House of Commons may be moved that the Act of Coinage may be renewed this session of Parliament with an augmentation of the Duty from ten shillings to fifteen shillings per Tun upon wines &c & from 20s to 30s per Tun upon Brandy, with such Restrictions or Applications of the money arising therefrom as the House shall think fit.

Which is most humbly submitted to your Lordships great Wisdom

Rich Sandford

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