Holograph draft of MINT00294 (Mint 19/3/447), with a deleted suggestion that if the mark could be 'made in the Body of the Paper' [rather than glued on top: the idea seems to be something akin to a watermark] it might be very useful

<448r>

To the Right Honourable the Lord High Treasurer of England.

May it please your Lordship

According to your Lordships Order, Mr White has been with me several times to make out his Proposal for preventing the counterfeiting of stampt paper, but without convincing me of its fitness to be used.

For whereas he proposes to past or glue a Mill-mark upon the paper, this mark thus becomes a faint one, not well to be seen unless by holding the paper between the eye & the light; & it is also unornamental appearing on the paper like a patch. And for these reasons it will not please the people.

It may be counterfeited in several ways, & by the Paper-makers it may be counterfeited more exactly then the stamps can be by Gravers

And it doth not appear to me that the dammage sustained by counterfeiting the stamps, equals the charge which the Government would be at in making & glueing on the Mill-mark.

All which is most humbly submitted to

Your Lordships great wisdome.

[1]

Is. Newton