Three partial holograph drafts similar to MINT00457 (Mint 19/3/56) but suggesting a compromise Newton has proposed to the Treasury, raising the Edinburgh Mint's allowance to £1,450 p.a.

<57r>

I have seen the Copy of CollonelColonell Montgomerys Indenture in the Treasury. & there are no salaries for clerks besides the Kings Clerks. And the Salaries in this Indenture amount only to 980li including 50li to the {illeg}ulp the Clerk of the Bulloin, & 50li extraordinary to the Warden which being temporary & private allowances are not to be considered in the standing constitution of the Mint. If these be deducted & 70 pounds be added for the Mint the whole will amount unto 950li &

1 I have seen the Copy of Mr Montgomeries Indenture in the Treasury & there are in it no salaries for Clerks. If from the 1200li allowed for salaries repairs of the Mint house & Incidents the 120li recconed for Clerks be deducted & the late Clerk of the Bullion be made Comptroller of the Mint so that his allowance of 50li per an as Clerk of the Bullion may cease, & about 30li per an for new coining tool be also deducted, there will remain 1000li per an to fill up the blank in the Bill. + The Parliament of Scotland the Vnion allowed ony

3 All the business of Clerks will not amount to more then three or four good days work in a year. & therefore they are superfluous. And when Mr Drummonds place becomes void there will be 50li more per an saved in the salaries. And upon these considerations I have proposed only 1000li to Mr Lownds.

2 + The Parliament of Scotland in their Coinage Act allowed only 12000 pounds Scots upon this Article which after the rate of 4s 6d to 3 pounds Scots amounts only to 900li sterling.

4 I have it to you to offer what clause you please for moneys not exceeding 50li per an for prosecuting Coiners.

Sir

I have consulted the Copy of Mr Montgomeries Indenture entred in the book of the Treasury & there are in it no salaries allowed for Clerks except to the Kings Clerk. All the buisines of the other Clerks will not amount to above three or four good days work in a year; & therefore those Clerks are superfluous. All the salaries in the Indenture amount only to 980li including Mr Drummonds additional salary of 50li per an & the pension of the late Clerk of the Bullion of 50li per an, both which are extraordinary & annexed to their Persons, & ought not to affect the standing constitution of the Mint. If from the 1200li allowed by the last Coinage Actto your Mint for Salaries the Fabric new tools & Incidents the 120li per an recconed for three Clerks be deducted & the late Clerk of the Bullion be made Comptroller of the Mint so that his Pension of 50li per an may cease, & about 30li per an for new coining tools be also deducted there will remain 1000li per an to fill up the blank in this clause AA. And when Mr Drummons place becomes void there will be 50li per an saved in the salaries.

The Parliament of Scotland in their Coinage Act made about thirty years ago allowed only 12000 pounds Scots for Salaries repairs & Incidents, which in those days amounted to about 900li Sterling recconing a 60 shillings piece Scots at 4s 6d English, & the coinage did not then amount to three hundred pounds more per annum one year with another as I understand by your discourse. And upon all these considerations I have proposed <57v> to Mr Lowndes+ < insertion from lower down f 57v > + that a summ not exceeding one thousand pounds sterling be allowed for Salaries the Fabric & Incidents & that a further summ not exceeding 400li be allowed for coinage, if you think fit to put a limit to the last allowance < text from f 57v resumes > that the aforesaid blank be filled up with 1000li sterling & that a summ not exceeding 400li per an be further allowed for the coinage, if you think fit to put a limit to this allowance.

I leave it to you to offer to the House what clause you think fit for an allowance not exceeding 50li per an for bearing the charges of prosecuting clippers & coiners

I leave it .... coiners

I have sent you herewith a Copy of the Bill so far as it relates to the Mint, with proposed amendments partly interlined, partly in the margin, & partly in the clause AA thereunto annexed. And in the margin of the clause AA I have set down one thousand pounds to fill up the blank in that clause.