Calcutta Mint, c1800 to c1830
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The
gold and silver coins produced between 1800 and 1818 continued in the same style
as those discussed in previous sections. As well as these, in 1817 the
Calcutta mint began to produce Farrukhābād rupees for use in the
Ceded and Conquered territories (see appropriate section), and in 1818
changes were made to the weight and fineness of both the gold and silver
Calcutta sicca coins, and the edges were changed to straight milling.
However, the reduction in the fineness of gold was not popular and in 1825
the gold standard was increased and the new coins
were given an edge with the milling grained to the left. Copper coins were produced in ever
increasing numbers and this, together with the new gold and silver coins and
the expansion of British power across northern |
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During
the period under review in this chapter, the frontiers of the Bengal
Presidency were greatly extended, firstly following the acquisition of the
Ceded and Another major factor affecting the
coinage during this period was the publication of a document by the Board of
Directors in …We have noticed also the
recommendations expressed in some of those papers for the adoption of one
general system for the formation of the coin, for the currency of the whole
of our possessions on the continent of Asia, which has our most entire
approbation, as we are fully satisfied the various evils complained of can
only be remedied by the introduction of a gold and silver coinage of one
weight and fineness; such coin to become the universal measure of value for
British India. It
is our intention to enter into the consideration of the subject, and to
detail our views and opinions, that our several governments may report their
sentiments thereon, in order to supply us with the most perfect information
upon this important subject, previous to our final decision upon a plan which
shall embrace every practical advantage within our reach. In
the prosecution of our enquiries we have referred to a letter from the Earl
of Liverpool to the King, on the coins of the realm (lately published),
copies of which we transmit with the present despatch. We think his Lordship
has established the principle that “money or coin which is to be the
principle measure of property ought to be of one metal only”. In applying
this argument to a coin for general use in They
then went on to propose that the rupee should weigh 180 grains: Assuming that the coin
for general use in Calcutta sicca rupee Troy
grains 179 2/3 The weight of the coin
originally issued from the Moghul mints we understand was uniformly one
sicca, or ten massa, being troy grains 179 2/3 or
179.5511 decls. We should be inclined to propose
this weight for the coin under consideration, did we not think it would
answer a good purpose to fix the gross weight in whole numbers; we should
therefore prefer the weight of troy grains 180 as the nearest to the sicca
weight, and in so doing we are not aware of any inconvenience resulting
therefrom at either of our Presidencies, but we are rather inclined to think
the measure will be found useful in as much as it will produce a greater
degree of simplicity in the valuation of the coin in respect to other money.
But we are by no means desirous of effecting an alteration in the standard weight
of the currency of Bengal, should our government there be of opinion it would
be likely to prove the foundation of a new batta, or of any other
inconvenience sufficient to counterbalance the advantages we expect in the
calculation of the relative value of Indian and other coins. Finally
they discussed the fineness of the proposed new coin: Assuming the standard
weight of the new rupee to be 180 troy grains, the next point to be considered
is the proper standard fineness. Upon the subject of the fittest alloy for
coin, and its proportion to the quantity of fine metal, our attention has
been directed to a “report made to the Right Honble the Lords of the
Committee of Privy Council, appointed to take into consideration the state of
the coins of this country, and the present establishment and constitution of
His Majesty’s mint, January 1803”. In this report (copies of which are
forwarded) the British standard for gold coin, 1/12th alloy and
11/12th fine is, by a variety of extensive experiments, proved to
be the best proportion, or at least as good as any which could have been
chosen; and that such alloy for gold coin may be of fine Swedish copper, so
as to answer every purpose of a mixed proportion of silver, without
occasioning any further waste of that metal. There is no reason to doubt that
1/12th alloy of copper would be equally proper for silver coin; it
has certainly the advantage of greater facility in the valuation of the coin.
Therefore we are of opinion this proportion should be adopted for the coin
proposed; in which case the new rupee would be of the gross weight of troy
grains 180 Deduct 1/12th
alloy 15 & contain of fine
silver 165 … 1800 to 1818 – Gold and Silver Coins Gold
and silver 19 sun siccas of the same type as those discussed in chapter 4
continued to be produced in the
The
mint output for subsequent dates is shown later in the chapter (sicca weight
seems to be equivalent to the weight of a rupee or mohur) 1817 – Farrukhābād Rupee at Calcutta In 1817, a decision was taken to strike the
Farrukhābād rupee at both the Calcutta and Bānāras
mints [3]: Regulation XXVI, 1817, Authorizing the
Circulation of Farruckababd Rupees coined in either
of the Mints of Calcutta Farruckabad or Bānāras
or at any other mint, Established by Orders of the Governor General in
Council Whereas it may from time
to time be found expedient to coin rupees of the weight and standard of the
Farruckabad rupee at the mints of Calcutta or Bānāras,
it has been deemed advisable to rescind so much of section 2 of regulation 45
of 1803, as tends to limit the coinage of Farruckabad rupees to the mint of
Farruckabad, and to direct that the following enactment be henceforward in
force: The
silver coin denominated the Farruckabad rupee and of the weight and standard
prescribed by section 2 of Regn 3 1806, struck at
the mints of Calcutta, Farruckabad or Bānāras
or at any other mint established by order of the Governor General in Council
is hereby declared to be the established and legal silver coin in the ceded
and conquered provinces. This
activity strained the resources of the mint and in December 1817 the mint
master, Saunders, wrote [4]: …As it was an object of
great importance that this coinage [2,500,000
Farrukhabad Rupees] should be conducted
with all practicable dispatch, the mint was kept at work day and night until
it was completed, and I have great pleasure in bringing to your favourable
notice the unabated exertions of Mr Da Costa, foreman of the mint, Mr
Urquhart, 1st assistant, and indeed all of the junior assistants
and fixed native establishment. The former cheerfully devoted their time, day
and night when required, to superintending the different departments and the
occasional repairs of the machinery which got out of order from constant
work. By such assistance I was principally enabled to strike off Rupees
140,000 (40,000 rupees per day more than had ever before been coined at this
mint). I mention this in the full hope that their exertions will be readily
and thankfully acknowledged. The
power of the mills in the mint was provided by humans, even though The difficulty I
experienced in procuring coolies to work the laminating mills was so great as
to have nearly defeated the hope I expressed to Government of completing this
coinage within the short space of time named by me. This arose partly from
the illness that was then prevalent amongst the natives, but principally from
the great demand for lascar coolies consequent to the erection of many new
cotton screws in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, which renders it very
difficult to procure extra workmen when required, even at the enhanced wages
now demanded by them (at least one rupee a man per month more than they used
to get). This appears to make it very advisable if possible to dispense with
their services altogether in the mint, which I have little doubt might easily
be effected by substituting a steam engine for turning the laminating mills.
I am given to understand that a considerable saving would be thus effected, and
many other obvious advantages would attend the adoption of this plan should
it be found feasible. I beg that the question may be brought to the notice of
Government and that I may be authorized to prosecute my enquiries on the
subject, the result of which I would hereafter more fully report to you Saunders’ enquiries did eventually lead to the
installation of a steam-driven mint but this took a number of years (see
appropriate section) 1819 – The New Gold and Silver
Coinages The gold and silver coinages were reviewed in 1818. The
reasons for this review are set out in a draft regulation put forward by the
mint committee in December 1818 [5]. They
included the fact that the Reg
– 18— Regulation for altering the standard of the I. The high standards established
for the gold mohur and sicca rupee having been found productive of many
inconveniences both to individuals and the public in as much as they are ill
calculated to resist the wear and defacement to which coins are necessarily
exposed and as they are only to be obtained by having recourse to the
expensive process of refining, diminishing consequently the productiveness of
most of the sorts of bullion imported into the Company’s territories and it
being desirable also that as much uniformity as can be instituted between the
currencies circulating at the different Presidencies should be preserved and
consequently at an approximation of the standard of the Calcutta coins to the
standard of those current at Madras and Bombay should be effected, it has been
resolved to rescind the provision of former regulations relative to the
standard of the gold mohur and nineteenth sun sicca rupee and to coin in
future of the preparations hereafter to be specified. As a reduction in the
value of the sicca rupee from its being in great measure the money of account
both in private and public transactions would necessarily change the terms of
all existing contracts and might be productive of embarrassment and trouble,
it has been determined to leave the rupee unaltered in this respect. The new The
mint proportions of silver and gold being it is believed inaccurately
estimated at present, and it being also desirable that an uniformity in this
respect should be introduced at the three Presidencies of Calcutta, Madras
and Bombay, it has been thought advisable to make a slight deduction in the value
of the gold mohur in this Presidency in order to raise the relative value of
fine gold to fine silver from the present rates of 1 to 14.861 to that of 1
to 15. The gold mohur will still continue to pass current at the present rate
of sixteen rupees… Specimens of the proposed new coinage were sent to the
mint committee on 27th August [6]: I have the honor to
transmit to you herewith for the purpose of being laid before his Excellency
the Most Noble the Governor General in Council, one box containing specimens
of coins struck at this mint of the weight and standard of the proposed new
coinage, namely gold fineness 189.462, alloy 17.204 – 206.666 [grains]
weight; [silver fineness 175.923,] alloy 16.077 – 192 grains weight. I
likewise submit for comparison with them, gold and silver pieces of the
present currency and some new English coins for your inspection. Up until that time, the weight of the gold mohur had been
190.87 grains (12.36g now 13.36g) and the silver rupee 176.6 grains (11.64g
now 12.40g) Two sets of patterns seem to have been
sent. The first were exactly the same as the coins then in circulation,
except that they had straight-grained edges. The second type had a raised rim
as well as the straight-grained edges: As the difference in the
size and weight of the new coins might not be considered sufficient to enable
all persons at once to distinguish them from the old ones I have thought it
expedient to affix such further distinctive marks as may be obvious to the
most ordinary person. Parcel
No. 1 contains specimens differing only from the old coins in the appearance
of the milling, which is upright like the new English coins, instead of
sloping. The
specimens in parcel No. 2 bear the further distinctive mark of having a
raised rim in imitation also of the new English coins. This latter operation
I have found is difficult to perform with proper accuracy and expedition
without sacrificing the advantage of giving the impression from the master
dies. I
am further induced to apprehend that the raised rim which is intended to
protect the impression from [wear] would soon be reduced even with the
surface of the coin by some artifical process
common amongst the natives here for such purposes. Its great prominency subjects it also to be soon worn away without
application of artificial means, as may be seen from one of the accompanying
new English coins, which can only have been about 12 months in circulation. Should
a decided preference be given to the raised rim coin, I beg to assure your
committee that every effort shall be made to overcome the difficulties which
appear to oppose its execution and I am far from considering them insuperable
altho’ from the want of the proper machinery they will be great. The specimens were sent to the Governor General and
Council by the mint committee on the 31st August together with
their comments [7]: In continuation of our
letter of the 28th July last and in reply to the orders of Government
directing the adoption of some distinctive mark on the currency, we have the
honor to submit the accompanying copy of a letter received from the mint
master under date the 27th instant and to forward for inspection
the specimens of the coins referred to in his letter. The
specimen No. 2 is in our opinion extremely well calculated to answer the
purposes proposed by the Government & to afford by the distinctions of a
raised rim and perpendicular milling a difference of appearance from the
present coinage not to be mistaken. It also surpasses the present coinage
& the coinage No. 1 in the beauty of its execution and is altogether we
conceive the most desirable form for the new sicca rupee. Under
the circumstance of this preference, it appears that the difficulties which
it is stated by the mint master attend the fabrication of the dies of the
rupee with a raised rim in the Calcutta Mint will be overcome, & in that
case we are disposed to consider them as recommendatory of the adoption of
this form. The more difficult it is to execute any currency the less is the
danger of its fraudulent imitation and with every advantage of workmen and
machinery which this country affords the Calcutta mint [still] finds a
difficulty in preparing the dies for the proposed currency, it is to be hoped
that the task will be almost impracticable by inferior and unauthenticated
means. The
rapid wear of the border of the coin as apprehended by the mint master might
form an objection of greater magnitude but we are inclined to think that upon
the whole any loss arising from this cause will be counterbalanced by the
protection it affords to the face of the coins and that a diminution of the
weight of the coin will be rather retarded than accelerated by it, and it has
also been preferred in the new currency of Great Britain. We conceive it may
be introduced here with safety and advantage. These patterns have not been identified. Pridmore
referred to the possibility of proof coins existing (Pr. p. 242) but he had
not traced them, although he stated that they “are recorded”. These proofs,
if rediscovered, may turn out to be the patterns submitted to the The draft regulation proposed by the
mint committee in December 1818 and discussed above, went on to set out the standards
and weights of the new coins [8]: …For the purposes and
objects above enumerated, the following provisions are hereby rescinded and
declared to be in force from II
Cl I. So much of section 2 Regn 35, 1793, as fixes
the weight and standard of the nineteenth sun sicca rupee and gold mohur is
hereby rescinded. Cl
II. The weight and standard of the
III. All Calcutta sicca
rupees and gold mohurs of the weight and standard specified in section II
which may be coined in the Calcutta mint, after the 1st January
1819 & also their halves and quarters, are to be considered as legal
tender of payment in all public and private transactions throughout the
provinces of Bengal, Behar and Orissa in like manner as the nineteenth sun
sicca rupees and gold mohurs and the fractional parts of them, now in
circulation, and any native officer of Government refusing to receive them
shall be subject to the penaly prescribed in
section III Regn 35, 1793. The
following provisions shall be substituted for those of section 2, Regn 2 of 1812, which are hereby rescinded: All
silver bullion or coin not being rupees struck at the Calcutta mint which may
be delivered into that mint for coinage shall be subject to a duty at the
rate of two per cent on the produce of such bullion or coin in sicca rupees
of the above weight and standard, and the amount of the said duty shall be
accordingly deducted from the return to be made to the proprietor. Individuals
who may be desirous of it may be at liberty to have their bullion or coin
converted into halves or quarters of the above rupee, on condition of paying
a duty at the rate of one per cent established by the preceeding
clause. Should
the coin however brought to the mint for that purpose, consist of Calcutta
siccas of the former or present weight or standard, the proprietors shall
only be subject to the additional duty of one per cent and not to the duty on
all other coin and bullion. On
delivery of the silver bullion or coin into the mint, the mint master shall
grant to the proprietor a receipt entitling him to a certificate from the
assay master for the net produce of such bullion or coin agreeably to the
table subjoined to this regulation and marked No 1, payable at the General
Treasury at Calcutta the expiration of ten days if the produce be deliverable
in whole and the expiration of twenty days if the produce be deliverable in
halves or quarters of a rupee from the date of such certificate. In the
latter case the additional duty established by clause second section IV of
this regulation is, of course, to be deducted from the net produce.
The
distnguishing features of the new coin are, firstly, their weight. The new
rupee weighed 12.43g (11.64g for the older coins) and the mohur 13.26g (as
opposed to 12.36g). Secondly, the new coins had edges that were
straight-milled compared with edges grained-right on the older coins. In addition, the rupees of this issue
usually have an extra star on the obverse (Cat. No. 6.13), but rarer examples
exist without this star (Cat. No. 6.12). These latter coins may have been
struck before those with a star, but no reference to this has been found in
the records
Pattern
rupee 1818 Pridmore
discussed a rupee pattern in a paper written in 1961 [9]. He
gave a number of reasons for assigning the coin to 1818 but perhaps the most
convincing is the fact that the pattern has straight-edge graining, as on the
new 1819 issued coins, but has a weight of 11.65g, which is the same as that
on the earlier coins (1793-1818), rather than the new coins that weighed
12.23g. Thus this pattern fits nicely in the middle of the two issues. If
this dating is correct, then it shows that some consideration was given to
the introduction of a more European style at this time, although nothing was
done about it in practice. This matter was further discussed in the 1820s
(see appropriate section) and eventually
resulted in the 1835 coinage showing various emblematic devices as well as
the bust of William IV.
Certain
rupees of the new 1819 issue have a tiny letter S in relief at the top left
of the reverse. The reason for the presence of this letter is not known.
Pridmore suggested that these coins might be part of an early trial and that
the letter stood for the name of the mint master, Saunders. No other
satisfactory explanation has been offered, so this hypothesis must stand for
the moment. The
reduction in the fineness of the gold coins was not well accepted and in 1825
the old 1793 standard was restored. The coins were given an edge with
graining to the left to distinguish them from the previous issues. 1813 to 1828 – Mint Output of Gold and Silver Coins The
activity of the mint can be summarised with the mintage figures for gold and
silver coins (rounded to whole
1807 – Shortage of Copper for Coinage The coinage of copper pice had begun in 1795 and further
coinages took place over the years. In December 1800 the mint master was
instructed to issue a copper coinage to the value of 10,000 rupees [11]. In
May 1801, the Governor General ordered that all the copper in the Import
Warehouse suitable for coinage, should be sent to the mint to be turned into
pice [12]; and
in October 1801, yet more copper was sent to the mint [13]: As a supply of copper
coin is much wanted at present both for disbursements at the public
treasuries and as a medium of exchange, I beg leave to recommend that the
Import Warehouse Keeper be directed to send to the mint as soon as possible,
500 maunds of sheet copper fit for the purposes of coinage. By 1807, copper coin was required for Bihar and
Bānāras (see later section), as well as Bengal, and meeting all
these demands was causing problems, not least because there was insufficient
copper available. Also, a decision had been made to reduce the weight of the
pice and the Calcutta mint master, Forster, believed that this would cause
further problems [14]: In consequence of having
received instructions from the Calcutta mint committee to coin three hundred thousand
rupees of pice for the currency of the province of Bānāras, and
understanding it is intended to coin Forty thousand rupees of pice for behar,
and further that the Committee at length propose recommending a reduction in
the weight of the Bengal pice, which will consequently render an entire new
coinage for the two latter provinces absolutely necessary, instead of a
trifling issue to supply the present deficiency, as those now in circulation
will be immediately withdrawn on the issuing of a new coin of inferior
weight, bearing a value equal to the old. I therefore take the liberty to
submit through you some observations of the proposed coinage for the
consideration and final orders of His Lordship in Council. The
coinage for the Bānāras province alone, at the weight fixed by the
Committee which appears equitable, will require six thousand factory maunds
of sheet copper, which is a greater quantity than I imagine can be furnished
by the Import Warehouse fit for the purpose of coining, to which is to be added
forty thousand rupees of pice for Behar @ one anna greater weight per pice,
and I presume that not less than four hundred and forty thousand rupees of
pice will be absolutely necessary for the currency of Bengal, where they are
in much greater and more general circulation, and these are to be of the same
weight as those of Behar, I may state the quantity of sheet copper for these.
Five hundred thousand rupees of pice, each weighing nine annas at factory
maunds 9000 which is a far greater quantity than can possibly be obtained… In order to ameliorate these problems, Forster suggested
that the shape of the pice should be changed from round to square: …I beg leave to submit
it to His Lordship’s consideration whether in order to obviate the above
difficulties, it would not be advisable to change the shape of the pice from
round to square, for the difference in the amount of copper to effect the
above coinage in square pice, and the consequent advantage to Government, I
beg leave to refer to the enclosed estimates numbered 1 & 2. By the first
it appears 6000 maunds of copper will be requisite, and that Government will
gain a profit of sicca rupees 1768. By the second it appears that 3680 maunds
will be sufficient and that the profit accruing to Government will be sicca
rupees 57,120… …I
beg leave to enclose a few rough musters for His Lordship’s inspection, and
have to observe that should I be authorized to coin square pice, I
confidently think I would contrive a machine at a very small expense not only
adapted for milling the sheets of copper into shapes with the least possible
wastage of metal but for forming the blank pice at the same time, with the
utmost accuracy, which would greatly expedite the proposed heavy coinage… …Having
above expressed my hope of being able to contrive a machine for the better
cutting the copper, I must add that whether it succeeds or not, it will but
immaterially affect the calculations in the accompanying statements, for it
can be cut in the present mode with a trifling loss. It will therefore appear
that not more than 4180 additional maunds of sheet copper will be requisite
for the coinage of eight hundred thousand rupees of square pice that will be
required for three hundred thousand rupees of round pice, that is 10,180
maunds will suffice for the former, whilst 16,000 maunds will be wanted for
the latter. Difference in favour of the square pice 5820 maunds which becomes
sizel and which a loss of 22 rupees per maund may be fairly estimated as per
enclosed statements, amounting to 128,040 rupees, or an unnecessary
expenditure both of copper and money, in the first instance, of 384,120
rupees... It is clear from the above statement that Forster
actually submitted some square pice to the mint committee, although none is
presently known. They appear to have been quite crudely made (see the
comments of the mint committee below). Forster went on to state the number of
pice that had so far been struck and to indicate their main areas of
circulation: …It is impossible to
form any opinion respecting the quantity of pice now in circulation in
Bengal, seeing they have been constantly melted down as soon as issued, being
of less value as coin than metal, but I beg leave to state that since the new
coinage in 1795/96 there has been coined to the amount of 223,912 rupees,
which falls far short of the sum I have deemed necessary for the present
coinage, first because they have always in private transactions passed at
fifty six or fifty eight, nay as low as fifty four, instead of sixty four per
rupee, the value at which they have been issued by Government, and secondly,
because in consequence of their scarcity, their circulation has been chiefly
limited to Calcutta and one or two of the principal towns such as
Moorshedabad and Dacca. In Behar I understand they have been frequently
passed at forty eight per rupee. The Calcutta mint committee did not agree with Forster’s
assessment of the situation and rejected the idea of producing square pice,
and this was supported by the Governor General [15]: …we are of opinion
therefore that a coinage to the extent of 2 lacks of rupees for the currency
of the Lower Provinces and 1½ for the Province of Bānāras, will be
fully sufficient until the arrival of a further supply of copper from Europe
when the coinage may be extended to whatever amount may be deemed necessary
for the circulation of those provinces. With
respect to the alteration in the shape of the new copper coin from round to
square, from which the mint master estimated so considerable a saving of
copper would arise, we beg leave to observe that this saving is stated upon a
supposition that there will be no loss from sizel by making the coin of a
square form, but whether the mint master succeed or not in forming the
instrument that he has in contemplation, we are convinced that it would be
impracticable to cut out the square shapes of such an exact weight as to
prevent the loss of sizel, and that the saving to be obtained by a coinage of
a square form, is more conspicuous on paper than it would prove to be on
execution. The
square or copper dumps proposed by Mr Forster, would have hardly the
appearance of a coin, and in every country where copper coins are in
circulation, a neatness and beauty in the fabrication seems in some degree to
be attended to, as well as in the more valuable coins. The present copper
coinage of …We
are therefore clearly of opinion that it would not be advisable to change the
form of the copper coin from round to square… Circulation of Copper Coins in the
Presidency In 1808, information was collected about the circulation
of pice and the requirements in local areas. The consequent report shows that
very large amounts of copper coin were needed and also that some areas were
still not using copper coins. Presumably those areas were still using cowries
[16]:
In
1809, the Board of Directors in London were considering the possibility of
ordering a copper coinage for Bengal from the Soho mint (see later section),
but this never came to anything and the copper requirements of the Bengal
Presidency were satisfied by the Presidency mints despite the difficulties
encountered. 1810 – Continuing Shortage of Copper A
further copper coinage was ordered in 1810 but the difficulty of obtaining
enough copper continued to cause problems. Madras was asked if there was any
suitable copper in their warehouse [17]: The Vice President in
Council understanding that a supply of copper is much wanted at this
Presidency for the purposes of coinage, ordered, that the Governments of Fort
St George and Bombay, be requested to give orders that any copper remaining
in store at those premises, which may be fit for the purpose of coinage, and
which may not be required for the service of those governments, be sent round
to Bengal by the first safe conveyance. In
May 1810, Madras sent specimens of copper to Calcutta asking if it would be
suitable for coinage [18], but
the Calcutta mint master replied that it would not meet his requirements [19]. The
lack of copper was exacerbated by the fact that the Court of Directors had
determined to send only 150 tons of the metal from England that year [20]: We have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of Mr Secretary Tucker’s letter dated the 19th
May last, requesting us to submit our opinion as to the expediency of either
the copper, copper coin, or copper scissel, being sent round to this
Presidency from Fort St George. We
were expecting that the Europe ships would have brought a supply of copper from
Europe but as we are informed it is the intention of the Honble Court of
Directors only to send out 150 tons of copper this season, that there is
hardly any copper in store which can
by any process be manufactured into coin, and that the demand for a supply of
copper money is extremely urgent, we would beg leave to recommend that all
the copper in store at Fort St George may be sent round to the Presidency by
the earliest opportunity. If
we should be disappointed in our expectations of converting the copper into
coin, we have no doubt it can be disposed of here on much more advantageous
terms than at Fort St George and for this reason we would beg leave to
suggest that all the copper sissel in store at Fort St George may also be
sent to this Presidency… There
was some copper available in …There are about 600 maunds
of copper for sale in this settlement which can be procured on reasonable
terms and which can be converted into coins either through the mills or by
manual process with the hammer, and we beg leave to recommend that the Acting
Mint Master may be accordingly authorized to purchase it. Some
copper was quickly bought from Messrs Colwins & Co [21]. The mint output for a few years at
this time, is known:
For
some reason, copper coins were still being made by the hammered process in
1810, but it is not clear why this should have been so [22]: I want very much for the
use of the mint about 100 black churnar stones for making pice by the hammer,
and request you will be so good as to procure an order to Colonel Garstin to
deliver this number to me from the stores at Cooley Bazar, where they are
lying. If they should afterwards be wanted for any public purpose they can be
returned. Madras 20 Cash Coins for use in Bengal …With respect to the
London made copper coins at Fort St George, of which there is stated to be
eight thousand pagodas worth in store and which cannot be brought into
circulation at that Presidency, we are of opinion that the twenty cash pieces
might be circulated here at the value of one and a half of the Bengal pice,
and that in the present scarcity of copper coin it would be advisable to send
the whole lot to Bengal. The
Governor General authorised the twenty cash coins to be sent from
Copper Coins Declared Current Throughout the Presidency At
first, as has been seen, the
Bānāras
pice Eventually,
copper pice began to be produced at Bānāras (see later section) and
Farrukhābād (see later section)
as well as Calcutta, and this helped address the problem. However, this then
meant that there were three types of pice in circulation in the Presidency. In 1817, a regulation was issued
making the pice struck at the different mints within the Presidency
(Calcutta, Bānāras and Farrukhābād) valid currency
anywhere within the Presidency [26]:
Farrukhābād
pice We have the honor to acknowledge
the letter of the Secretary to Government in the financial department of the
10th ultimo, directing us to submit the draft of a regulation for
the purpose of giving the circulation of copper pice throughout the Lower
Provinces including Orissa, the sanction of a law, and we accordingly forward
the draft of the regulation required. As
the weight and rate of pice struck at the mint of Calcutta have never been
adjusted by a positive regulation, we have considered it advisable to
introduce these points into the present enactment, adhering to the rate at
which the pice have hitherto circulated and deviating from the actual weight
of the pice now struck in the Calcutta mint only so far as to avoid a
fractional difference rather nominal than real, and with the view of
establishing a uniformity in the pice coined at Calcutta, Farruckabad and
Bānāras, both which last have been fixed by law at 100 troy grains. As
the value of the pice coined at the three mints will thus be the same, we
have further thought that it might be useful to give the three sorts a common
currency throughout the provinces subject to this Presidency, as by this
means all difficulties in the intercourse which may bring the pice of one
mint in contact with those of another will be avoided and no inconvenience
can result from such an arrangement to individuals or the public. Regulation XXV 1817 A regulation for fixing the weight of
the pice struck at the 1.
Whereas it has been deemed expedient to adopt some precise rules for the
coinage and currency of the copper pice struck in the mint of Calcutta as
also for extending the circulation of those pice as well of the pice struck
at the mints of of Bānāras and Farruckabad, the following rules are
therefore enacted to be in force from the date of their promulgation
throughout the provinces immediately dependent on the Presidency of Fort
William. II.
The copper pice struck at the III.
The inscripition shall be on one side – One Pie Sicca in the Bengalee, Persian
and Nagari charcters, and the date on the obverse. IV.
They shall be issued from the mint and public treasuries at the rate of 64 to
one sicca rupee, at which rate they will be received again by the public
officers in payment of the fractional parts of a rupee and they shall also be
legal tender in payments of the same nature at the rate of 64 to the rupee of
the local currency throughout the provinces subject to the Presidency of Fort
William. V.
The pice struck at the mints of Bānāras and Farruckabad agreeably
to the provisions of Regn 10 1809, Regn 7 1814 and Regn 21 1816, shall also
be considered as circulating equally with the pice of Calcutta coinage
throughout the above mentioned provinces and shall in like manner be received
as a legal tender in payment of the fractional parts of a rupee of the local
currency at the rate of 64 pice for each rupee. Pice continued to be struck in the
Calcutta mint throughout the 1820s and various mintage figures are available [27]
(shown below).
In 1836 a report showed the total
number of these pice that had been struck. The report gives the start date as
1792 but this may be a mistake for 1795 since no record has been found of
pice being struck as early as 1792: [28] … D – Single pice first struck at the
old mint in 1792 There were 104,987,501 of this
description coined. Their coinage was discontinued in 1831/32 … Completing the Mechanisation of the Minting Process
Diagram
of the minting process The
introduction of machinery into the Calcutta mint had started in the early
1790s (see earlier section), but the
process was not fully mechanised until the early 1800s. Although trials for
the production of blanks by machinery had been conducted in 1792, the cost
was considered to be too high, and this part of the process continued to be
undertaken by teams of duraps using a manual process. This required the
blanks to be struck three times. Once with a concave die, then with a collar
die and finally with the letter die, with the blanks being annealed between
each striking. This was a very tedious process and the mint master, Mr Mure,
planned to mechanise the production of the blanks in April 1801 [29]: I consider it my duty to
inform Your Lordship that the laminating office is now completed with flattening
and cutting machines calculated for a large coinage of gold, silver and
copper. I
beg leave to observe to Your Lordship that some of these machines were
formerly in use in the mint and appear to have been laid aside merely from
the circumstance of the coinage having been entrusted to the management of
some of the head duraps, whose interest it was to have it defeated, and who
did defeat the object intended by making a considerable waste of silver equal
to 20 annas in the thousand rupees, and still demanding a greater allowance
for loss. Being
convinced in my own mind that from the accurate construction of the several
parts of these machines as now erected, the precautions taken in forming the
annealing furnace and by rendering the cleaning of blanks unnecessary, that
the loss of silver must be inconsiderable, or less than what is allowed by
the present mode, I directed three different trials to be made in silver
under the inspection of Mr Spalding, the foreman of the mint, and two of the
[milling] young men, and have now the honor to subjoin the results. There
is then a list of the trial results, and he goes on: From the above trials it
would appear that the average loss is about 10 annas a thousand, which is two
annas less than the allowance made to the duraps in the present mode of
coinage, and I am fully satisfied that through the whole operation of an
extensive coinage by the means of the machines, no greater allowance than
twelve annas per thousand can be required. In
addition to the advantages expected to be gained by a coinage by the
laminating and cutting machines over the old mode, a considerable saving in
the expense is certain, and I beg leave to subjoin for Your Lordship’s
information a comparitive statement of the present expense of coining and
forming 20,000 rupees a day per month, with one that would appear to be
necessary for a similar coinage by the machines.
I
take the liberty of apprizing Your Lordship that although I have stated the
expense upon a coinage of 20,000 rupees a day, the usual coinage of the
Calcutta mint upon an average of some years, does not exceed 8,000 in tale
daily, or about 200,000 a month. Of course much of the expense would be
avoided as many of the people to be employed are day labourers. I
also beg leave to mention to Your Lordship that with a proportional number of
adjusters of blanks only, a coinage equal to the duraps upon a full establishment
(which was last year 73 shops) might when expedient, be effected with much
greater care through the means of the machines. If
it shall please Your Lordship under the above statement of facts, to direct
the new mode to be adopted, I request the honour of Your Lordship’s commands,
begging to assure Your Lordship that every attention shall be paid on my
part, to effect a reduction of the expenses of the mint, and making those
savings which are obvious can be made in every department of the mint by a new
system of coinage. At
the same meeting it was decided to appoint a committee for managing the mints
at Calcutta and Bānāras and their terms of reference were set out
in April, 1801 [30]: Resolved that the
secretary write the following letter to the Board of Revenue I am directed by His
Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to transmit to you
the accompanying extract from the resolutions of Government of this date,
regarding the appointment of a committee for reporting upon the general state
of the mints at Calcutta and Bānāras, and to inform you that His
Lordship desires you will instruct the Collector at Bānāras to
correspond with the committee on all matters relative to the coinage of that
province. The
cost of producing coins was investigated in April 1801 [31]
In June 1801, the final 25 durap shops were discharged
from the mint [32]
and by May of 1802, the mint was fully automated and all the duraps had been
dismissed from the mint so that they could not interfere with the laminating
and cutting process. A number of other
proposals were also authorised by the Governor General [33] …On a consideration of
your report, particularly of the circumstances stated in the 24th
paragraph of your letter, the Governor General in Council is pleased to direct
that the European mode of coinage now established at the Calcutta mint, be
continued. The
Governor General in Council observes that the establishment entertained for
conducting the business of the mint, according to the above mentioned
process, does not at present appear to admit of any reduction. His Excellency
in Council at the same time approves your suggestion for reducing the
establishment of the mint hereafter by diminishing the number of milling boys
whenever vacancies may occur in that branch of the establishment, and finally
limiting their number to three, leaving the machines to be worked by
khlassies whenever an unusual increase of business may require the labor of
extra people. In
order to guard against delay in the delivery of the refined bullion, the
Governor General in Council approves your proposition for publishing an
advertisement for the receipt of proposals for refining gold and silver
bullion during the term of one year. You are accordingly desired to submit to
His Excellency in Council the draft of an advertisement for that purpose. The
Governor General in Council concurs in opinion with you that it would be
advisable to preclude the officers and workmen of the mint from engaging in
the contract. The
Governor General in Council approves your suggestion for advertising for the
receipt of proposals for supplying charcoal for the use of the mint for the
period of one year, and you are accordingly desired to prepare the draft of
an advertisement for that purpose. The Governor General in
Council approves your proposition for rendering it the duty of the assay
master, or of his deputy, to inspect the workmanship of the money coined at
the mint… …The
Governor General in Council approves your recommendation for employing the
duraps lately discharged from the mint, as adjusters whenever vacancies may
occur in that branch of the establishment. His
Excellency in Council also approves your suggestions for selecting one of the
most intelligent of the milling boys for the purpose of assisting the foreman
of the mint and of being regularly instructed in the different branches of
the business of the mint, and of eventually supplying the place of foreman. This last paragraph seems to have led to the promotion of
Mr Da Costa, who eventually became foreman of the mint for many years (see
Madras). Maintaining the Mint and Assay Office The
natural wear and tear on the mint apparatus and buildings, and the increase
in the output of coins, meant that the buildings themselves needed
maintenance, and sometimes had to be replaced. The assay office needed rebuilding in
1810 [34] and
an estimate was requested and provided in June [35]. With
the estimate approved, work started on demolishing the existing building, but
first some temporary furnaces needed to be built so that the work of the
assay office could carry on [36]. The
foundations for the new building were completed by November [37] but
when the work was examined it was found that the site was not suitable for a
large building, and work was stopped [38]. In January 1811, a new site was
identified [39]
and by the end of the month authorisation had been received to pull down the
existing building on the new site and build the new assay office [40].
Plans were prepared in February [41],
final authorisation received in March [42] and
the work completed in November 1811 [43]. At about the same time, the mint
master requested that he be allowed to have the mint buildings repaired,
painted and white-washed, since this has not been done since 1806. Permission
was granted [44].
The mint and assay offices had to be repaired again in 1814 [45]. The increase in the amount of work
conducted by the Calcutta mint can be illustrated from the following account
of the assay master in 1820 [46]: …In
the five years from 1804 to 1808 only 9,582 assays of gold and silver were
made, whilst during a similar period from 1809 to 1813, 30,121 were made, and
from 1814 to 1818, 40,308. In the first nine months of 1819, 10,902 were
made, which would give in the same number of years, viz five, upwards of
78,000 assays, being more than 8 times the number made from 1804 to 1808… This letter is also interesting for
the description of a particular type of fraud practiced in the mint: …Previously
to the assay department of the mint being conducted on the European plan, and
some time after, the frauds committed by the melters were of considerable
extent, and though the assays from the meltings clearly proved the existence
of these frauds, there was great difficulty in discovering in what stage of
the process, and how, they were effected. At length one of the persons
employed informed the assay master that if he would attend at the melting
rooms at the time the crucibles were placed on the fire, he would point out
to him the method adopted in depreciating the metal, to avoid detection. He
attended. All the crucibles were taken off the fire and the clay covers
(which are placed upon them to prevent the charcoal and fuel from falling
into the fused metal) were removed. In these covers a certain number of
copper pice were stuck, not visible whilst the clay was moist, but when it
became heated and contracted, they of course dropped into the melted bullion.
A quantity of silver equal to the weight of the pice had been previously
taken from the crucibles, so that the weight of the mass continued the same
as before. The loss sustained by this artifice was calculated to amount to
about 3,000 rupees per month, and it was supposed at the time that this
discovery had put an end to all irregularity in the melting rooms… The
operation of the Calcutta mint was examined in detail by the mint master,
Saunders, and the assay master, Wilson, in 1819, and they submitted a paper
describing its operation and recommended that a new mint be obtained from
England (see chapter 9). Their paper provides a clear description of exactly
how the Calcutta mint operated at that time [47]: …Prior to the date of
the correspondence which led to the the impression entertained by Government
in regard to the necessity of constructing a new mint, a reference was made
by the mint master to the Superintendent of Public Buildings requesting him
to report on the actual state of the mint premises, and the practicability of
making such alterations and additions to them as might admit of the
operations of the mint being rendered more proportionable to the public
demand for coinage. The accompanying copy of that officers reply will show
your Committee that the proposed improvements and additions could not under
any circumstances be made to the present mint buildings, and that their
general state is such as to preclude the hope of their being long serviceable
for carrying on even a limited coinage without undergoing more thorough and
expensive repairs, a measure which we conceive would involve the greatest
public inconveniences from the consequent stoppage of the coinage, at a time,
too, when every effort is required to increase it. The
foregoing consideration, added to much practical inconvenience experienced by
the officers of the mint at all times of urgent pressure from the want of
space, as well as systematic arrangements in the departments requiring active
supervision, leaves no doubt to us of the expediency of constructing an
entirely new mint, suitable for all purposes of coinage, on an extended
scale, and which combine all the advantages which modern scientific
improvements in the construction and application of machinery, as well as in
the art of fusing the precious metals, have avowedly secured to the Royal
Mint in England. Amongst which may be enumerated security, dispatch, economy
and perfection in the fabrication of the coins. That
the above desiderata are in no high degree attainable under our present
system of coinage will clearly appear from the following short account of the
several departments of this mint. Nor is this any reflection on the officers
who have successively been placed in charge of it, since many of the same
imperfections existed at the Royal Mint at so late a period as 1810, and were
particularly noticed in the Earl of Liverpool’s treatise on the coins of the
realm. Milling Department The furnaces in use here
are open blast furnaces, which emit such heat and noxious vapours from the
charcoal, as to make it impossible for any persons but the melters themselves
to approach them whilst the crucibles are in the fire, which affords an
opportunity of fraudulently introducing into the pots small portions of
copper alloy and keeping back an equal weight of silver, which the melters
find means of conveying out of the mint in spite of the strictest search. The
crucibles are made of wrought iron and contain 1000 sicca weight only of bar
or cake bullion, or 600 sicca weight of seizel, hence arises greater wastage
than if a larger mass were melted together, and now that bullion of such
different standards is brought to the mint, great difficulty is experienced
in combining and blending the various better and inferior qualities in order
to reduce the metal to the proper standard, to effect which it is necessary
to cut the ingots, or even coins, into many small pieces previous to potting
them. This operation occasions additional labor, waste and expense. It is
impossible moreover under the present system for the assay master to assay
separately samples taken from each crucible as there are frequently 300
crucibles melted in one day. The
practice now observed is to cut small pieces from the end of each ingot cast,
and to melt them into a mass for assay. Thus if alloy has been fraudulently
put into a small proportion of the crucibles from which the samples are cut,
the refinement of the other samples, when all mixed together for assay, will
probably render the discovery difficult, though could a sample from each
crucible be separately assayed, those to which alloy had been surreptitiously
added, would easily be discovered. Instances have occurred of the day’s
meltings being reported fully standard, and of the seizel and coins of those
identical meltings proving below the standard. So long as this be of rare
occurance, it is not otherwise important to notice it than as offering a
proof of the difficulty of exercising effectual control over the present melting
department. There
is another inconvenience which we think might be remedied in a great measure
by melting a large mass of bullion together. It is that arising from the
flaws or holes which are frequently only discovered in the ingots after they
have been several times passed thro’ the laminating rollers. This increases
the quantity of seizel from its being necessary to cut out such flaws, and
causes a greater number of the blanks to require plugging. Various
experiments have been tried to obviate this serious inconvenience, which not
only diminishes the quantity of coin produced, but entails great loss from
remelting. It
is impossible not to observe how defective and insecure is this mode of
conducting the meltings… Laminating Department This consists of six
mills or sets of rollers kept in motion by manual labor. Each mill requires
about 40 men to work it now that the ingots are so much harder than they were
under the old standard. Four reliefs would be necessary to ensure planchets
sufficient to give a regular coinage of 100,000 pieces per day, but this
number of coolies is not to be procured with any certainty, even at the
enhanced rate of wages of 5 rupees per month to each man. The unsteady
application too of their labor occasions the blanks when cut from the
planchet to vary much in weight so that nearly the whole of them require to
be rasped or plugged as they may be too heavy or too light. Adjusting Department The cause above
mentioned makes the work of this department very heavy, and when the pieces
are too coarsely filed down at the edges, a great number of them are
necessarily put aside to be remelted. Stamping Department The machine used for
stamping the blanks consists of a screw to which the upper die is attached,
and is worked by a fly which forces it against the lower die. The impression
being more or less perfect depends on the steadiness of the force with which
the blow is given, and should it not succeed in striking out all the file
marks left by the adjusters, the appearance of the coin becomes defective to
the eye and many of them are condemned after the whole labor and expense of
the intermediate processes have been uselessly incurred. Enough
has been said of our present mode of coinage to satisfy your committee that
there are many radical defects in the melting as well as operative
departments of this mint, the latter of which can only be removed by the
introduction of that improved machinery, which has of late years been
invented, and from which every branch of British manufacture has profited in
so great a degree. To persist then in a system of acknowledged error when the
means of improvement are attainable, would be inconsistent with every
principle of sound policy and would betray a culpable indifference to the
real interests of Government, in a very important part of the service. Saunders
and Wilson went on to recommend that machinery for a complete new mint should
be obtained from Refining
of gold and, particularly, silver had always been a problem and the process
had been outsourced to various local refiners. In 1810, serious consideration
was given to undertaking the process in the mint itself [48]. The
letter stated that tenders for refining gold and silver bullion were much
higher than in the past, and the mint committee, therefore, recommended that
refining should be undertaken in the mint. They were not sure how much this
would cost, and recommended that a series of trials be conducted. In
addition, they recommended that the cost of refining should be covered by a
charge of seignorage of 1½ per cent, in the belief that this would be
effective because a charge of 1½ per cent had been levied on gold coinage
since 1792, without any adverse effects. The letter goes on: … & the only reason
which seems to have existed against levying a duty at the same time on the
silver coinage was the expediency of giving encouragement to the importation
of silver bullion in preference to gold bullion. At
the period the duty on gold bullion was first established, and for several
years after, the quantity of gold coin in circulation so greatly
preponderated that more than 2/3rds of the revenues of the lower
provinces were paid in gold, & Government in consequence experienced a
considerable loss every month from the necessity which they were under of
exchanging gold or silver for the payment of the troops, provision of
investment, etc. Of
late years however, the gold coin has passed equally current with silver
& no batta has been known to exist, & as it may be inferred from the
following statement, furnished by one of our members, of the coins in which
the revenues of Bengal, Behar and Orissa have been paid during the last 13
years, that the quantity of silver money has been gradually increasing, that
at present the principle part of the currency in circulation in Calcutta and
in the lower provinces, consists of silver money, and that the bullion which
has been imported into this settlement of late, has consisted chiefly of
silver, we conceive it to be no longer necessary to exempt the silver coinage
from the payment of the proposed duty as there will still be a difference of
1 per cent in favor of the importation of silver bullion… There
then follows a table showing the payments of revenue from 1796/7 to 1808/9.
The amount of revenue paid in gold coin went from 20.1 million rupees to 1.8
million. In silver it went from 6.8 million to 27.0 million. These suggestions were accepted, but
it was not always easy to find people who could do the refining and, in 1814,
the process was still being outsourced [49]. Metal could come either from the
Company’s bullion imports, or from private individuals, and sometimes the
source of metal from this last group could be questionable. In 1810 the
Superintendent of police asked to be sent a form every month detailing who
had taken gold and silver to the mint to be coined. He was suspicious that
stolen gold and silver ornaments were melted and then taken to the mint. The
mint master was ordered to provide the required information [50]. In
July 1802, Mr Mure, the mint master, fell seriously ill and had to “make an
excurtion up the river”. Mr Plowden was appointed to stand in for him [51], but
in August, Mr Plowden was moved to another post, and Mr Henry Pitts Forster
took over as acting mint master [52]. In
January 1804, Mr Mure asked to return to England because of his health [53],
although it was not until August 1805, that Mr Forster was finally appointed
full mint master [54]. Meanwhile, in November 1803, the mint
premises had been extended [55] and,
in July 1804, Mr Forster, the acting mint master, tried to justify the
expenditure of purchasing the extra land and expanding the mint [56]: As Government were
induced on my recommendation of the advantages which would arise from
enlarging the premises of the mint, to incur a heavy expense in the purchase
of the house and grounds of Mr Gillett, it may be expected that I should show
how far the benefits held out have been realised. I
therefore beg leave to submit to your Lordship’s inspection a comparative
statement of the coinage and charges of the However
favourable the statement may appear on the whole, there are some losses and
charges which I have reason to hope will be much reduced in my future
accounts, that is whenever I may have an opportunity of erecting the new
furnaces for melting and refining, which your Excellency authorised, but have
hitherto been delayed on various grounds, particularly on account of their
having been merely adapted to the then circumscribed limits of the mint. I
have now to solicit your sanction to my erecting on a more enlarged plan, so
as to provide for the utmost probable pressure of business, as is the case at
present. The difference between the expense of building them on the new
enlarged plan will not bear any proportion to the advantage from it, and I
pledge my honour to adhere to the strictest economy. I cannot at present
state the precise sum it will cost, as the materials themselves are not
procurable in the market, but must be prepared on purpose, particularly the
firebricks. Mr
Hughes, who had been a key player in mechanising the mint from the very
beginning, came in for particular recognition: In submitting the
present account, I feel it my duty to point out in a particular manner to
Your Excellency’s favourable notice, Mr Hughes, the foreman of the mint, as
the person to whose indefatigable application and professional skill I am
entirely indebted for being able to effect the saving which appears on the
face of the accounts, for introducing the business of refining in the mint
could not but necessarily impose a very considerable encrease of labour on
him, yet I found him most heartily disposed to further my views and render me
every assistance in his power to effect this and every other beneficial
alteration which has taken place in conducting the duties of the different
branches of the mint. I
likewise beg leave to add that exclusive of this additional duty which he has
so voluntarily taken on himself he has been required by Government to
construct and prepare machinery for the Madras Mint, which has proved a very
heavy and laborious charge and I have the satisfaction to say that the best
mechanicks in Calcutta who have from time to time inspected the work,
admitted it to be executed in a masterly manner, and I am fully persuaded
will meet the approbation of Government. I
trust your Lordship will consider his superintendance of it as an extra duty
not necessarily connected with his situation as foreman of this mint,
independent of there not being any single tradesman in Calcutta capable of
contructing the different parts of it as it embraces at least three or four
distinct professions. I am confident no tradesman in As
the refining the bullion in the mint is now fully established and will prove
a permanent saving to Government, so it will continue a constant addition to
the foreman’s personal labour. I therefore humbly beg leave to recommend the
circumstance to your Excellency’s liberal consideration, not doubting if he
meets encouragement from Your Lordship, he will exert his best endeavours to
carry the improvements which the business is still capable of receiving to a
very superior degree of perfection. The
mint committee was not impressed with Mr Forster’s claims about having made
improvements to the operation of the mint, although they agreed that Mr
Hughes was a great asset and worthy of reward [57]: We have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of Mr secretary Dowdeswell’s letter of the 12th
ultimo, enclosing copy of a letter from the Acting mint master, and a
statement of the coinage and charges of the Calcutta mint from May 1802 to
April 1804, compared with the average of the three preceding years, and
directing us to report our sentiments thereon, as well as on the various
propositions submitted by Mr Forster. With
regard to the statement, we are of opinion that if it was intended to exhibit
the decrease in the charges of coinage since the introduction of the new
machines, the comparison of the charges of the mint during the time it has
been under the superintendance of Mr Forster, should have been confined to
the year preceding his taking charge (Vizt 1801/2), when the laminating
machines and cutters were first introduced. We
beg leave to observe that when the present mode of coinage was recommended
for introduction by the late mint master, Mr Mure, he stated that a
considerable reduction of the fixed expense would be effected and a better
wrought coinage produced by the use of machinery, than was delivered to the
public by the method then practiced, and that the committee in their report
on Mr Mure’s plan also stated their expectation that the dismissal of the
duraps would occasion an immediate reduction of charge, and that a further
reduction might be expected when the workmen became familiarized to the new
mode of coinage. The attention paid by Mr Forster to the duties of his
office, and the improvement suggested by Mr Hughes, the foreman, have
doubtless contributed to perfect the introduction of the machinery, and thereby
fulfill those expectations, but the apparent reduction in the charges for the
year 1803/4 may in part be ascribed to the large coinage in that year, for a
considerable part of the expense of the mint being a fixed monthly charge,
the decreased rate per cent of the expense of coinage will in a great degree
depend on the amount coined. In proof of this we beg leave to refer to Mr
Forster’s statement, by which it appears that in the year 1799/1800, during
Mr Mure’s administration when bullion was not refined in the mint and the new
machinery not used, the rate per cent of the charge of coinage was, in
consequence of the large amount coined, less than in 1802/3, when the
machinery was used. We
are not aware that the purchase of Mr Gillett’s premises has yet contributed
to lessen the charges of the mint, because the refining furnaces are not yet
erected thereon. A large quantity of bullion has been refined in the mint in
the ordinary process observed by the natives, and the conducting the
operation there, is attended with advantage to Government, and expedites the
business of the mint. Additional labour has certainly devolved on the
foreman, whose exertions and skills are highly commendable, and when the
furnaces are erected further savings in the expense of the mint may be
expected. We
concur in opinion with Mr Forster that the furnaces to be erected for melting
and refining should be calculated to meet any pressure of business that may
be expected to occur, and altho’ it may not be practicable to state the precise
sum necessary to be disbursed, yet we beg leave to recommend that an estimate
of the probable expense to be incurred, may be submitted to Your Lordship in
Council, previous to commencing the furnaces upon the proposed scale. When
the whole of the machinery for the Mr
Forster does not seem to have been very popular with the mint committee. We
have already seen how his ideas to produce square pice were rejected, and his
views that lower weight pice would lead to the immediate withdrawal from
circulation of the existing pice, were proclaimed to be wrong. Now his claims
that he had reduced the costs of running the mint were also not accepted. In July 1807, Mr Forster again wrote
to the mint committee, which was composed of R W Cox, W Egerton, J W Sherer
and Geo Davidson, extolling his own virtues as mint master [58]. His
letter concerned the coining of silver and started by comparing the
production of silver coins from Spanish Dollars in Melting: This loss is
very considerable and has been incurred since the introduction of the new
machinery. We cannot however concur with Mr Forster in his proposition to
revert, in consequence of it, to the old method of coining by Duraps, nor are
we of opinion that the actual loss which has hitherto been incurred in the
process of melting, may be lessened and the rates reduced, but the necessity
of remelting so much bullion may in great measure be obviated by care and
attention. The
small ingots cast by the duraps in the native mode are divided into pieces
intended to weigh one sicca rupee. The workman is guided solely by his eye in
cutting the ingot, and scarce any one piece is cut of the exact weight,
though by use and experience the duraps come to it. By this mode plugging is
more frequently resorted to than when the machinery is used and experience is
requisite to fabricate the coin well by duraps. If a large quantity of
bullion is required to be converted into coin on an emergency, where are
expert workmen to be procured? In using the machinery with an expert foreman
and assistant, the whole of the machinery may be employed by the addition of
extra workmen who do not require any extraordinary skill. It is true that an
adept will cut out thirty blanks in a minute, and one who is not used to it
will fall rather short of that, but by the employment of all the cutting machines
and changing the workmen, it is practicable to cut out 300,000 blanks in
eight hours, the usual working period in the mint, and the numbers might
nearly be doubled by working twice that time. On extraordinary occasions when
the duraps were employed we are informed that working night and day with the
greatest number of them that could be collected, the coinage did not exceed
80,000 rupees, while by the present establishment a lac has frequently been
coined. In
1810 it was discovered that various spurious transactions had taken place
with the mint accounts and the mint master, Mr Forster was asked for an
explanation. At first he simply failed to reply to the letter but when chased
he explained that he had not replied because he needed information from the
mint officers and these people had been fully occupied with the Company’s
attorney. However, he hoped that he would have access to these people soon. The advocate general was ordered to
proceed immediately to take whatever measures were necessary without waiting
for Forster’s explanation [59]. In July, Mr Forster finally provided a
detailed reason for not having replied to the accusations made against him [60]: When I acknowledged on
the 25th ultimo the receipt of your letter of the 23rd,
and explained the cause of the delay in replying to yours of the 24th
May, down to that period I was in hopes of being immediately enabled by the
attendance of Ram Sunker Neugye, the late bullion keeper, to have obtained
from him the necessary information, but I have now to state for his
Lordship’s information and orders, the steps instantly took and what has been
the result and have to hope I shall stand acquitted not only for all blame
for the delay, but freed from the ill consequences held out in your letter of
the 23rd ultimo in case of any further procrastination on my part,
as it would be a severe hardship on me to be subjected to a prosecution thro’
the capricious default of another. I therefore beg leave to represent that
immediately on my receipt of your last mentioned letter, I sent word to Ram
Sunker Neugye to meet me at the mint, which he did on the 26th and
I stated to him the nature of the call that had been made on me and the
points on which I required an explanation and urged his speedy compliance. To
this he readily acquiesced and only required a day or two to give it. But
after a second and third delay and ultimately a positive refusal, I told him
I found myself under the necessity of applying to one of the magistrates to
ascertain whether I could not compel him to give the information required,
and went accordingly to the police office to state the circumstances, but as
it was then late, the office was shut, and before I could make the
application, the next day, late in the afternoon, I received a note from the
Honble Company’s attorney dated 3rd July acquainting me that Ram
Sunker Neugye had several times represented to him that I had threatened to
put him under charge of peons to force him to make his deposition at my house
and that tho I had assured him I could not think of adopting such a measure,
still he could not remove his alarm and had therefore written to me on the
subject, in reply to which I requested he would desire Ram Sunker to attend and I would call next day, which
I did, when he entirely explained away his former representation, and before
I left him agreed to give me the information sought for and attended the next
day at the mint for the purpose, but from motives unknown to me he returned
home without furnishing a single explanation. Under
these circumstances, I am compelled to solicit the interposition of his
Lordship and that orders may be given for him to attend me at the mint and
that no steps in the meantime may be taken to my prejudice, as my answer is
delayed solely for want of his explanations. From
the expression several times in Mr Taylor’s note, it is clear Ram Sunker
Neugye had previously determined on withholding an explanation, tho’ he
continued to amuse me with promises thus unnecessarily extending a delay
already too long tho’ he was aware of the serious consequences it might be to
me. and
he summarised the charges against him, pleading guilty to some of them [61]: …The charges of an
abstract nature relate 1st , to my
having a howalut or running account 2nd, To the
transactions with the house of Muthoor Mohun Sane regarding their detention
for a length of time of the bullion committed to them to refine and
ultimately paying in cash instead of returning bullion 3rd, Allowing
the above house to have a howalut account to a considerable amount 4th, the same
respecting Shib Chunder Mitter The other matters
involve matters of suspicion, Vizt 1st arising
from the mode in which my howalut is stated to have been closed on 2nd the
transactions respecting the debits and credits of 75,172 Rs 9 As 10 P, in the
names of Huboo and Tilok in December 1808, January and February 1809, whilst
the money was only received from the house of the said Sanes in the following
July and August and that false entries were made with my privity. The advocate general pushed for a criminal case to be
brought against Mr Forster [62]: …I request you to assure
the Right Honble the Governor General in Council from me that all due
attention shall be paid to the interests of the Honble Company in regard to
their claims of a civil nature against the several individuals implicated in
the transactions of the mint. But there is another question concerning Mr
Forster. He stands affected with strong proofs of a breach of public trust,
for which, unless he can clear himself, I suggest he should be prosecuted criminally,
and it is with relation to that measure that I beg leave respectfully to call
the attention of Government to his letters of the 25th ultimo and
6th instant. Mr
Forster was informed by your letter of the 24th May that in the
course of an investigation into certain transactions at the mint, grounds had
appeared for charging him with having, in different instances which were
pointed out, made use himself, and allowed others to make use of, the public
treasure under his charge for private advantage. He
was informed that the books and accounts of the mint and such other accounts
relating to the matters in question as had been kept by the late native cash
keeper, would be open for his inspection and that those accounts exhibited
the particulars of the transactions in which he appeared to be implicated. I
think it clear that the charges against Mr Forster are such in their nature
that a public officer ought to be able to give an answer to them at once from
his own consequence and his own recollections. Such an answer at least as he
is alone called upon by Government to give. For he has not been required, nor
would it be fit that he should, to go into proofs, but merely to tell his own
story, which must consist of course either in a denial of all knowledge of
the practices imputed to him, or in the admission and explanation of the
whole or part of the facts. In the former case he cannot have the least
occasion for any reference to others, and in the latter it must be supposed
that he is sufficiently in possession of a story which concerns him so
nearly, to be able to state it, if not with entire precision, yet fully
enough to enable Government to make such further enquiries as may be
necessary for his vindication and its own satisfaction. This is all he is called
upon to do, and even this it is of course in his option to do, or to decline
it. But I can see no reason whatever for the interposition of Government in
the way in which he asks it. It would be irregular as an exercise of
authority, and it is at least unnecessary till Mr Forster states what are the
points upon which he requires explanations from the Bullion Keeper, and shews
in what way he can be prevented by the want of them from saying whether he
did or did not, or if he did upon what grounds he did, himself make use of,
or permit others to make use of the public treasure for their private
purposes. I
therefore submit that Mr Forster should be required either at once to submit
what he has to say in his vindication, or to state that he declines so doing,
and reserves his defence for a court of justice. It may be proper at the same
time to inform him that he is at liberty to take the latter course without
the least prejudice, and that in calling upon him for an explanation,
Government has no intention to exact a disclosure which may commit him, but
to give him the opportunity of averting a public prosecution if he has the
means and inclination to avail himself of it. The delay which has already
taken place will render it impossible to bring the matter forward in the
Supreme Court (should it be ultimately necessary) before the next term. There
would be nothing to regret in this if any sort of progress had been made by
Mr Forster towards his own vindication upon any one point of the charges, but
I cannot help saying that the time appears to me to have been merely wasted
on his part. And without taking anything for granted, I submit that the
evidence is so strong as it stands, that Government cannot consistently with
a due regard to public example refrain from acting upon it without very
serious proof on the part of the accused of a disposition to clear himself. Mr
Forster will have every opportunity of being heard in a court of justice, and
if he does not think fit to avail himself with the least possible delay of
the opportunity which has been afforded him, I think he should be heard in a
court of justice only. Mr
Forster continued to try to explain why he had committed the fraud, and to
complain that he couldn’t get all the information that he felt he needed to
defend himself [63],
even offering to pay the interest due on any monies that he may have
misappropriated [64]. He
was allowed the salary of an unemployed civil servant [65], because,
of course, he had been removed from his post, with Mr Davidson being
appointed firstly, acting mint master, and later mint master at Calcutta [66]. But
the advocate general continued to pursue the case [67] and
requested that 190,655 rupees should be transferred to Mr Forster’s personal
debt as a result of the fraud [68].
Eventually, in March 1811, he was found guilty of a breach of trust and sent
to prison although the other charges against him were dropped [69]: I beg to report for the
information of the Right Honorable the Governor General in Council that on
the 10th January last an information was filed in the supreme
court against Henry Pitts Forster Esq, [late] mint master of the Honourable
Company’s mint at Calcutta, for a misdemeanor in having while in charge of
the duties of that office been guilty of a breach of trust by converting to
his own use certain bullion, the property of the Honourable Company. On
the same day another information was filed against him for a demeanor in
having while holding the same appointment leant to Netoy Churn Sean and
Mothoormohun Sean, bullion also the Honorable Company’s property; to both of
which informations he on the 15th of the same month pleaded not
guilty. On
the 5th instant, Mr Forster was tried upon the latter information
and found guilty of a breach of the trust and duty of his office but without
a fraudulent intention and was this day brought up to receive the judgement
of the court. He was sentenced to pay a fine of 100 rupees to the King, to be
imprisoned in the common jail of On
the 11th instant Mr Forster was tried on the other information
above mentioned but no evidence being adduced on the part of the prosecution
(in consequence as I have been informed by the Advocate General [of] a
communication to him that such was the pleasure of Government) the defendant
was acquitted. Finally,
further action was stopped because Forster simply could not afford to repay
the money that he owed [70]: The notorious insolvency
of Mr Henry Pits Forster, the late mint master, and his being now in gaol
under execution for a debt of upwards of seventy eight thousand rupees induce
me to submit to His Excellency the Vice-President in Council whether it is
worth proceeding against him in the Supreme Court for the interest of the
money which he appropriated to his own use and the loss sustained by his
permitting Jubboo and Tillockram Ghose, two of the mint refiners, to take
bullion out of the mint for the purpose of refining it without obtaining from
them adequate security… In
reply: …His
Excellency in Council concurs with you in opinion that it would not be
expedient to proceed against him for the recovery of those sums for which the
Honourable Company have a claim upon him… In
March 1800, a Mr John Mackenzie was appointed assay master at Calcutta, and
Mr Davidson, who had been the assay master at Dacca, was asked to move to
Calcutta as assistant assay master [71]. Mr
Davidson was subsequently to become the In January 1801, Mr Spalding, foreman
of the mint, asked if he could retire and that he might receive a small
pension. Mr Hughes was appointed in his place [72]: Permit me to inform you
that in the year 1789 I was called to the mint by Marquis Cornwallis for the purpose
of completing the machinery for the new coinage. His
Lordship having approved of my abilities and conduct in the mechanical
department of the mint, was pleased the year following to ratify my
appointment in Council. My
length of service together with the nature of my employment in this hot
climate has so much injured my constitution that I am advised to return
immediately to Europe for the recovery of my health. I have therefore to beg
the favor of you to state my case to the Most Noble the Governor General in
Council, with the hope that His Lordship will be pleased to permit me to
resign my employment in the mint. I
am fully aware that egotizm is unbecoming and indelicate. Permit me however
to remind you of at least one considerable saving and improvement which I
have made in the mint. At
the time Government ordered the provincial mints to be established it was
their intention to employ native die sinkers at each of the mints, which I
perceived would be attended with an expense to Government of at least eight
hundred rupees per month, including the native die sinkers then employed in
the Calcutta mint. I recommended and undertook to get the dies sunk for the
Calcutta and the three provincial mints in the European manner for the
trifling sum of seventy five rupees per month, which was accordingly done,
and an expense prevented to the Company of full seven hundred rupees per
month, and that saving took place from the time the provincial mints were
established untill they were abolished, a period of about six years, and even
now the Company would have to pay several hundred rupees per month for die
cutters but for my having introduced the European method of die sinking, as
stated above for the trifling sum of seventy five rupees per month. My
health is bad and I am rather advanced in years, and the little [money] I
have been able to save is far from being sufficient to enable me to live
comfortable in my old age on that account, and as a compensation for past
services I humbly beseech the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to
be pleased to grant me a small pension. Whatever His Lordship may be
graciously pleased to confer will most gratefully be received as an honorable
testimony of my services having been approved. Allow
me to mention to you Mr Hughes, formerly foreman of the Dacca mint, as a
person in every respect qualified to succeed me in office. Mr Hughes’
mechanical abilities are well known to many gentlemen in this country, and in
particuler to Doctor Davidson and his probity and good conduct can be
attested by him and several of the most respectable gentlemen in Bengal. Resolved
that Mr B L Hughes be directed to repair to the Presidency with as little
delay as possible for the purpose of affording his assistance in the Mr Hughes soon showed his value by designing a new
furnace for melting the metal used for coins, in 1803, for which he received
the approbation of both the mint master and the mint committee (see above) [73]. In April 1803, Mr Mackenzie, the assay
master was appointed to another post and Mr Davidson was asked to become
acting assay master [74]. His
salary was reviewed in January 1804 [75]: The Governor General in
Council, having taken into his consideration the arrears of allowance due to
Mr George Davidson, as late Deputy Assay Master and as Acting Assay Master,
is pleased to direct that the acting sub-treasurer discharge the arrears due
to Mr Davidson in the former capacity at the rate of allowance formerly
received by him Vizt 1000 rupees per month from the date on which the payment
of that allowance was discontinued until the date of the removal of Mr
MacKenzie from the office of Assay Master, when the former allowance is
considered to have ceased. His Excellency in Council further directs that the
acting sub-treasurer pay to Mr Davidson the established salary of Assay
Master from the date of Mr Mackenzie’s removal from that situation until the
present period. Ordered likewise that Mr Davidson be authorized to draw that
salary until further orders. Mr
Hughes, the foreman of the mint, died in September 1804 and a lot of
discussion took place about his replacement until finally a Mr Jacobi was
appointed as foreman to the mint master and a Mr Cuthbert as foreman to the
assay master [76]. There are many entries in the records
requesting pay rises or extra money for workers in the mint [77]. Just
to quote one example from Mr Da Costa, who became a key player in the mint
for many years, involved in building the machinery for the mints at
Bānāras, Farrukhabad, Dehli and Madras. He appears to have come
from the orphanage and started as one of the milling boys. He must have been
selected to work as assistant to the foreman, eventually being appointed as
foreman himself [78]: …In the year 1793 Mr
Spalding the foreman of the In
December 1806, I was appointed foreman of the In
December 1809, Mr Cuthbert died and I did myself the honour of prefering my
claim to that situation, as it has in every instance but that of Mr Jacobi
been held by the foreman of the Calcutta mint, and to this day, whenever any
machinery or implements or repairs to machinery have been required, I have
invariably attended to these calls, and have supplied the wants of that
office. Under
these circumstances I humbly trust it will appear to the gentlemen of the
mint committee that I am deserving of the additional allowance of 150 rupees… Mint
masters during this period were Mr Mure until 1802, Mr Forster until 1810, Mr
Davidson until 1813 [79], Mr
Mcleod until 1815 and finally Mr Saunders [80]. As the work of the mint increased, so
more people were required to undertake the work. For instance, the
establishment of the assay office was increased in 1812 [81] and a
Mr James Atkinson was appointed as assistant to the assay master in the same
year [82]. Life
in In
1819, James Prinsep, son of John Prinsep (see chapter 3), was appointed
assistant assay master at Closure
of the ‘Old’ Calcutta Mint With
the building of the ‘new’ I am directed to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter No 2802 dated 13th ultimo
with its enclosures and to acquaint you in reply that the Honble the Vice
President in Council is pleased conditionally to sanction the acceptance of
the tender made by Messrs Joseph Bates & Co for the portion of the old
mint premises advert to, on a repairing lease for two years at a monthly rent
of 220 sicca rupees… but
in January 1833 it appears that the whole site had been let to Mr Stopford [87]: By virtue of the order
of Government on your reference of the 18th August, Mr Wilson the
late Assay Master was permitted to “let the house appropriated to him in the
old mint premises should an opportunity for so doing occur”. The house is
accordingly at present occupied by his furniture and his friends, but I
understand that without any previous reference to the mint officers, the
whole premises have been recently let by the civil architect, Captain Fitzgerald,
to Mr Stopford, a merchant. I presume that there
must have been some misunderstanding with respect to the limits of the
premises so let to Mr Stopford, and beg therefore to bring the matter before
your committee, that I may be informed how far I am to consider myself
authorized to act on the permission granted to Mr Wilson. |
6.9
6.25
8.120
Reference