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at p/162/69 p157
Records checked –
WHC
checked – 1764-66; 1767-69; 1770-72; 1773-76;1777-1781;1782-85;
1786-88; 1789-92; 1793-95; 1796-1800
Fort
William House Correspondence, Vol IV 1764-1766 Ed CS Srinivasachari, Government
of
73. In August last
we received a letter from Mr Marriott, chief of the factory at Benaris,
containing a representation and complaint against Mr Bolts, the second, in
consequence of his having of his own authority confined a merchant of the city
in his house for two days. Mr Bolts immediately gave in his answer and at the
same time set forth many circumstances in complaint against Mr Marriott and his
banian, particularly for renting the mint and exercising the offices of aumeeny, phousdarry and cutwall
contrary to the orders of the Board.
75. Messrs
Marriott and Bolt having accordingly repaired to Calcutta, were summoned before
the Board and interrogated particularly on the subject of the charges exhibited
against each other; the Board thereupon reconsidering the whole proceedings
unanimously agreed that Mr Marriott was blameable in renting the mint knowing
not only that it was against the orders of the Board for a servant of the
Company to hold any post or employment under the country government but that it
was included in the King’s grant of the Benaris country and therefore that he
should bring to the Company’s credit the money he paid for it to the King
together with the advantages arising on restamping the specie…
ibid
p490
1. ‘treaty you
have made with him’ – A farman was issued by Shah Alam on 29 December 1764,
assigning to the Company the Zamindari of Ghazipur, Benares etc, held by Raja
Balwant Singh, the Company having undertaken to put Shah Alam in possession of
the kingdom of Oudh..
WHC Vol V 1767-1769 p398. Letter dated 28 March 1768 to Court of Directors
…The expeditions
of the Shah Abdally succeeded, which though neither so extensive destructive or
bloody as those of the Mahrattas still conduced greatly to exhaust a declining
state; and though his sphere of action was chiefly confined to the Punjab and
confines of Delhi yet the vast sums he levied must have been severely felt
throughout a country which produces no silver & but very little gold … yet
in the most flourishing interior parts such as Benares, Mirzapoor etc, the fact
is notorious and beyond dispute.
WHC Vol VI
1770-1772. Notes p481. Notes
By article 5 of
the Treaty of Allahabad,
WHC
Vol XI 1789-1792. Notes p419. Letter from
140. Our
proceedings on the 1st of June, contain an application from the
Resident at Benares by whom it has been proposed to put the mint of that city
on the same footing, with respect to duties, as the mint at Calcutta, or if
that measure should not be thought expedient, a compliance was recommended with
the suggestion, of the principal officer of the mint, that the duties on gold
and silver respectively, which had varied according to the different
descriptions of either metal offered to the mint for coinage, should be reduced
to one uniform standard for each.
141. Until we
should decide upon the propriety of acceding to the former proposal, (which we
referred immediately to the Mint Master, as we have also done with respect to a
subsequent application made to us by the Resident at Benares) we authorized the
Resident to comply with the latter, as suggested by the Native officer
superintending the mint of that city. Whatever determination we may hereafter
come to on this subject you will be apprized of in out future dispatches.
Letter from Mr
Barlow to
8 Chowuls or grains
of rice make 1 ruttee
64 Chowuls make 8
rutte 1 Mdaste (Maashah??)
768 make 96 ruttee 12 Mdaste 1 tola
9.6.6 or 630 chowuls make 1
…In order to explain
to your Lordship the cause of the great quantity of old and debased coin which
is still circulating in this and every other part of the Company’s dominions, I
have thought proper to give a short history of the Benares mint from its first
establishment to the present period
Mahammad
Shah
A mint was first
established at
Appendix 1
Duties
etc on the coinage at the first establishment of the
Gold Mohurs (Benares
weight 9m 4r - Assay 5 Ruttee per Tolah,
the same as the Delhi mohur and passing current at that time for 12 sicca
rupees)
Ingots of gold, gold
coins of Persia, Sooram, Ispahan, Romania, Syria & Europe coined into
mohurs of the above weight and fineness
To Government 9-0-0
Fees to the officers
of the mint 2-4
Ditto to the coiners
& artificers 0-15
On old gold mohurs
bearing the stamp of the kings of Hindoostan and having once before paid duty,
recoined into mohurs of the above weight and fineness
To Government 4-8
To the officers of
the mint 2-4
To the coiners etc 0-15
Rupees (assay 22 chawuls, weight the same as the
On bullion, the
coins of
To Government 0-12
To the officers of
the mint 0-3
To the coiners 0-6
On old rupees
bearing the stamp of the Hindoostan etc etc
To Government 0-6
To the officers of
the mint 0-3
To the coiners 0-6
Ahmud
Shah
During the three
first years of the reign, the mint was under the charge of Rajah Bulwant Sing,
who increased the duties on the coinage by attaching the fees of the officers
of the mint, and establishing new ones to the same amount (Appendix 2). In the
first year corresponding with 1161 Higeree, the assay was kept up to 22
chowuls, but in the 2nd and 3rd year the Rajah farmed the
mint to Nundram who, to increase his receipts, debased the coin to 24 & 32
Chowuls.
The farm of the
Jowahur Khanah or duty of 3-2 per cent on all precious stones purchased in the
city of
From the beginning
of the fourth to the end of the 6th and last year of the reign of
this king, the mint was under the charge of Agah Assud Beg, kelladar or
governor of the fort of Chunar. The assay of the rupees was from 26 to 32
chowuls
Appendix 2
Duties on the
coinage of the
Gold mohurs (weight
9-4). Price 14 rupees
To Government
Old
duties 9-0-0
Increase
by Bulwant Sing 2-12
11-12
Fees of
the officers attached 2-4
14
To the officers of the mint
The Assay Master 1
The coiners, artificers
etc 0-15
1-15
15-15
Rupees
On the recoining of
old rupees
To Government
Old duties 0-6
Increase 0-3-6
Fees of the officers attached 0-4-6
0-14
To the
officers of the mint
The Assay Master 0-1
The coiners, artificers
etc 0-4-6
0-5-6
On bullion mixed with
old rupees per cent 0-5-6
Alum Geer
the second
At the commencement
of this reign, the mint fell into the hands of the late Vizier Sujah ud Dowlah.
During the two first years the assay of the rupees was from 26 to 28 chowuls.
In the second year, the Sourb Mohaul, or exclusive priviledge of selling lead,
and the Bytul Maul, or office of echeats was added to the mint.
In the 3rd
year Sujah ud dowlah made over the mint in jaghire to his brother in law, the
late Mirza Ally Khan, who farmed it to Sobham Chund. The assay of the rupees
was from 24 to 32 chowuls.
In the 4th
year, Mirza ally Khan gave the mint in farm to one Moorlydhur. This man, though
the ostensible farmer, was in fact the agent of a late eminent banker in the
city of
In the 5th
year the mint was farmed by Newauzud deen Mohummud Khan. The rupees were raised
to their proper weight of 9 Maasheh 7 rutees (or 632 chowuls) but continued at
the debased standard of 40 & 48 chowuls.
In the 6th
and last year of this king’s reign, Mirza Ally Khan farmed the mint to one
Deeda Mull. This man abused the trust reposed in him by his prince even to a
greater degree than the farmer of the 4th year, for he debased the
rupees to 100 chowuls assay (that is 535/630 parts silver and 95/630 alloy) and
half a ruttee in weight. Complaint being made to the Vizier, Deeda Mull was
thrown into confinement at
Shah
Aulum
Sujah ud dowlah,
finding that the farmers of the mint continued to debase the coin
notwithstanding their engagements to adhere to the established weight and
fineness, appointed a person on his own part (Amanei) to superintend the
coinage. Sellah ud deen, a man of credit was accordingly deputed, who restored
the rupee to its former weight of 9-7 and to 26 chowuls assay.
In the 2nd
year the Vizier gave the mint in jaghire to his minister, Rajah Benee Bahadur
Noorul Hussun Khan, his naib, or deputy, residing at
In the 3rd
year Tarnce Mull and Ameen Chund obtained the farm of the mint and continued
the assay at 40 chowuls
In the 4th
year Gopaul Doss procured the farm again through the interest of [Noorel
Messian Cawn] and the assay remained as in the former year
In the 5th
year Balgovind obtained the farm and continued the assay of the two preceeding
years. The present assay master of the mint was concerned in the farm with
Balgovind and gave me an account of their reseipts and disbursements, a
translate of which I have inserted in Appendix No 3, conceiving it to be a
record which will throw considerable light on the mode of conducting business
in those times.
Appendix 3
In the 6th
year his present Majesty farmed the mint to one of his dependents, and the
rupees remained at 40 chawuls assay
In the 7th
year Sujah ud Dowlah gave the mint in farm to Mirza Husseen who made no
alteration in the assy of the former year
In the 8th
year Sujah ud Dowlah, at the recommendation of Lord Clive, resolved to reform
the coin throughout his dominions. The
In the 9th
year the mint was farmed to
The same farmer
continued during the 11th, 12th, 13th & 14th
years, but lowered the assay of the rupees to 28 chowuls.
In the 15th
year Shaih Tahur held the mint (amanee) on agency on the part of the Vizier, and
continued the assay of the former year. Doolum Doss again attained it in farm
on the following year, and coined rupees of various assay.
In the 17th
year the mint was transferred by the Company to Chyte Sing. The Rajah engaged
to coin rupees of 9m 6r 6Ch weight and 18 chowuls fine, and to continue the die
of the 17th sun, in order to put an end to the confusion in the
currency of the country occasioned by the annual alteration of the value of the
coin.All rupees therefore, coined in the Benares mint since the 17th
year of the present reign ought to be of the same weight and standard and to
pass current as siccas of the present year.
Upon the expulsion
of Rajah Chyte Sing in the 23rd year, the mint remained for a month
and a half under charge of Rajah Mahae Narain, after which it was delivered
over to the Resident under whose superintenance it at present continues.
The duties on the
coinage and on other articles under the jurisdiction of the mint, as collected
since the 17th year of the reign appear in appendix No 5
The rupee current in
the district of Benares may therefore be classified under the general heads of
sunaat & sicca, the former coined under the Moghul provinces, and the
latter since the 17th year of the reign of Shah Aulum, when the mint
was ceded to the Company by the Vizier & then transferred to Chyte Sing
There then follows a
table showing the weight and assay of the rupees from RY15 of Muhammad Shah to
RY28 of Shah Alam. It also contains a list of quantities coined for some of the
later years, also the common names for the different rupees
|
Ry of
Shah Alam |
No
struck |
|
5 |
292,148 |
|
9 |
855,624 |
|
10 |
1,865,875 |
|
11 |
1,577,380 |
|
12 |
1,240,980 |
|
13 |
1,646,190 |
|
14 |
118,684 |
|
15 |
1,465,387 |
|
16 |
1,044,487 |
|
17 |
1,693,421 |
|
18 |
1,078,012 |
|
19 |
988,118 |
|
20 |
965,757 |
|
21 |
447,180 |
|
22 |
669,764 |
|
23 |
2,209,544 |
|
24 |
252,614 |
|
25 |
1,784,178 |
|
26 |
1,350,330 |
|
27 |
1,144,804 |
|
28 |
49,370 |
At the commencement
of the reign of Ahmud Shah, when Rajah Bulwunt Sing obtained the farm of the
mint, he destroyed the records and removed the canongoes and public officers.
From that period to the 17th of Shah Aulum, no records were kept in
the mint. The farmers carried away their books in order to conceal the profits
they reaoed from debasing the coin. From the report, however, of Kinndoss, the
present Assay Master, I understand that the annual amount of the coinage was
never less than 20 lacks, nor than 30 except in the 3rd,
4th & 5th year of the present reign, when it amounted
to near 50 lacks per annum. Sujah ud Dowlahwas then employed in the invasion of
Behar, and sent the greatest part of the money he extorted from Cossimally Khan
to be recoined in the mint at
The rupees of the 4th,
5th & 6th year of this reign [ie Alamgir II) are also
called Tirshoolees from having the tirshool, or trident, of the Hinoo deity
Mahadeo stamped upon. They are current principally in the district of Gazipore.
[rupees
of RY 2-7 of Shah Alam are] called also Thomka Gohur shahees, Thoomka
signifying small, and Gohurshah, the name of the present king previous to his
accession to the throne
[Rupees of RY8-12 of
Shah Alam are] called chowrah or broad Gohurshahees, to distinguish them from
the Thoomka, or small ones, which Sujah ud Dowlah at the desire of Lord Clive,
ordered to be discontinued.
[Rupee of RY 13-14
of Shah Alam are] called Ihardar from a mark or [branch] stamped on the coin
[Rupees of RY 15-16
of Shah Alam are] called Phooldar (bearing a flower) have a lotus stamped on it
[Rupees of RY 17-28
of Shah Alam are] sicca rupees, of the same weight and fineness & which ought
to pass current at the same value. They are distinguished also by the
appellation of mutchlydar, from a head of a fish being stamped on the coin.
A reference to the
records of the mint enabled me to ascertain the number of rupees coined since
the 9th year of Shah Aulum, but no accurate judgement can be formed
of the quantity of any particular species in circulation previous to the time
of Farruckseer. All rupees coined under the reigning king were considered as
sicca, and passed at their original value during his life. At the accesswion of
a new king, the rupees of the former reign were subject to a batta and were not
received into the royal treasury. The system of farming out the mint (first
adopted by Rullon Chind, dewan to Furruckseer) at length introduced the custom
of changing the value of the rupees every year. Those who had payments to make
were in consequence obliged to carry their old rupees to the mint, to have them
recoined into siccas, the appellation given to the rupee of the current year.
From [that] period the farmers made use of every expedient to draw the old coin
into the mint, in order to debase it, or to increase the amount of the duties
at Benares, From the commencement of the reign of Aulum Geer the second, to the
17th year of Shah Aulum, the exportation of all rupees, excepting
siccas, was prohibited under pain of confiscation, and from the account of
Bolgovind inserted in Appendix No 3, it appears that the law was rigidly
enforced in the case of Gopaul Doss. When the farmers of the mint in the 4th,
5th & 6th years of the reign of Aulum Geer, debased
the coin thirteen per cent it is to be supposed that they melted down as many
of the best sunaat rupees they could procure, and the low state of the coinage
from the 2nd to the 7th year [presumably of Shah Alam],
had no doubt the same effect. In addition to the above reasons, I understand
from one of the oldest officers of the mint, that when the Shahzad (the present
Shah Aulum) invaded the
The great infuence
which the bankers have acquired over the circulation of the country is founded
on the fluctuation of the current value of the sunaat and sicca rupees. This
value is regulated not only by the quantity of silver contained in the coin,
but also by other adventitious circumastances, which the bankers, through the
medium of their agents residing in every part of the country are enabled to
convert to their own advantages.
The loss and
inconvenience resulting to the public from the currency of these various kinds
of rupees, early attracted the notice of Government. The superintendents of the
mint were accordinly directed to continue the same die (at Calcutta the 19th
and at Benares the 17th sun) it being imagined that in a course of
time all the old rupees would be brought to the mint and be recoined into
siccas. This measure, tho’ highly expedient, was of itself inadequate to the reorm
of all those abuses which had introduced themselves into the coin durin gthe
later periods of the Mogul government. In consequence, every part of the
community is still subject to the impositions of the shroffs, whose exhorbitant
gains may be reckoned amongst the greatest impediments to the general
prosperity of the country.
In order to explain
this more fully, it is necessary to mention that in almost every pergannah or
district in the Company’s dominions, a particular species of rupee is current
in which the Zemindars and husbandmen pay their rents to the farmer appointed
by Government. In Gazipore, the revenues are collected from the ryots in the
old debased rupees of the 4th, 5th & 6th
of Aulumgur the second. In some parts of Behar, 10 sun rupees are current, in
others, seven five, 11 & 12 suns. These rupees, though sonaats of a very
old date, being in constant demand for the circulation of these particualr
districts, always sell there for more than their intrinsic value. This value is
in fact put upon them by the bankers, who by means of their agents buy up these
sonaat rupees in different parts of the country, and send them to the districts
where they are current. The ryot being obliged to pay his rents in the
particular species of rupee current in his pergannah, the banker is enabled to
rate it at what value he pleases. If the farmer has engaged to pay his revenue
to Government in siccas, the banker charges him nearly the actual difference
between sunaats and siccas. If in sunaats, the banker takes the same batta from
the Collector for bills on Calcutta in siccas.In both cases the rupees are sent
back again to the pergannah from whence they came, where the bankers agent
again disposes of them at an enhanced price to the ryots.
Whenever one species
of rupee is collected from the ryot & another paid into Government, the
aumils banker, who has the exchanging of them, will always contrive to take a
considerable advantage for himself. The aumil being generally in his debt fro
kists advanced to Government, & ryots for money to pay the aumil, the whole
circulation of the country is in his power. Such is the excess to which the
shroffs have carried this trading in coin, that if a rupee is bought from a
banker and sent to him for sale immediately after, he will receive it back
without demanding a profit between the sale and purchase. Accordingly in the
Nirhnamahs or price currents of the markets, there are two prices for rupees
inserted, the price of purchase (what the banker will give), and the price of
sale (the rate at which he will sell). So long therefore as the bankers are
enabled to make such large profits on the buying and selling of sunaut rupees,
ir cannot be expected that they will ever carry them to the mint, where the
quantity of alloy in the coin, and the duties on the recoinage would subject
them to a heavy loss.
Government however
sustain still greater losses by the currency of a variety of rupees. The
principal of these is in the remitting of the revenue to the Presidency.
Copper
Coin (p995)
The price current in
the city and district of Benares previous to the stablishment of the mint, were
coined most at Gooruckpore in the subah of Oude from a species of copper called
sungeree which is brought from the northern hills.
The first coinage of
pice at
From that period to
the end of the 4th year of the present king’s reign, no pice were
coined in the
The coinage of pice
was [again] discontinued till the 17th year of Shah Aulum, when
Doorgah Chund Metre obtained permission from Rajah Chyte Sing to re-establish
it. The new pice were 10 maasheh 3 rutees in weight, and passed current in the
bazar at about 50 or 51 per rupee.
In the 18th
year, Kashmiree Mull brought a large quantity of copper from
In the 19th
& 20th year the coinage was declared free, and those who brought
copper received pice in return, after paying the customary duties. For one
maund of Kodaleah copper (Benarain weight) 84-6 to the seer, the merchant
received back from the mint 3250 pice each weighing 10-3 after deducting all
charges, which amounted to 7-12 per maund (Appendix No 4).
In the 21st
year a considerable revolution took place in the copper coinage. The Nawab
Vizier issued orders to the officers of the
In the 22nd
year, Rajah Chyte Sing, at the representation of his Mint Master whose profits
were diminished by this discontinuance of the copper coinage, ordered pice to
be coined of the same size and weight as the
In the 23rd
& 24th year, after the expulsion of Chyte Sing, the same weight
of 9-2 was continued, and the price of pice continued to fall till the late
famine in the 25th year, when they sold at 93 for a rupee. About
this period Mr Hastings arrived at
In the 27th
year the late Resident, Mr Grant, forbid the currency of the old pice of 9-2,
and prdered that no pice should be issued from the mint under 10 maashees 3
rutees, and that Goorackpore pice weighing from 10 maashees to 10-3, and
Benares pice of 10 maashehs 3 rutees, should pass at the same value. The price
immediately rose to 58 rupees.
In the 28th
year, when it was supposed that a sufficiency of the new pice had been coined
for the circulation of the city, the Goorackpore pice were also forbidden, and
only the new Benares pice stamped with the tirshool or trident and weighing
from 10 maashehs to 10-3 and the Goorackpore pice restamped and not under 10
maasheh, were declared current. From the commencement of this year to the
present time, the price of pice has fluctuated between 56 & 58 per rupee.
These regulations have not yet extended to the interior parts of the country,
where the old pice of different weights are still current.
Weight,
Quantity etc of Pice Coined in the Benares Mint
|
RY of
Shah Alam |
No |
|
17 |
2,307,500 |
|
18 |
11,421,250 |
|
19 |
4,858,000 |
|
20 |
319,500 |
|
21 |
94,250 |
|
22 (9
months only) |
2,854,300 |
|
23 |
1,865,150 |
|
24 |
- |
|
25 |
2,737,500 |
|
26 |
27,056,950 |
|
27 |
5,690,750 |
|
28 |
384,800 |
At present the
coinage of pice is almost at a stand. The Kodaleah copper
from which they are made, now sells for about 56 rupees per maund and the
market price of pice is 58 per rupee, so that the dealers in copper would
sustain a considerable loss by sending it to the mint.
[there
is then a calcuation to support this]
Should the price of
copper fall, or the value of pice rise, the merchants
will agin bring their copper to the mint. This fluctuation however in the
copper coin is a constant source of oppression to the poorer part of the
community. In order to explain this it is necessary to mention that the rupee
is considered as the measure of value of all other metals and articles of
merchandise. When grain therefore sells for 50 seer
per rupee, and pice pass current in the market at 50 for a rupee, the labourer
who receives four pice per day can purchase two seer of grain with the produce
of his days work. But if pice should fall to 75 per rupee, he can only purchase
half that quantity. During the late famine in the year 1783, grain rose to 15
seer for a rupee, and pice (owing to the deficiency in the weight, and
circulation being over stocked) fell to 90, so that the calamities of the
faminewere much increased by the diminution of the value of the copper coin.
From the above
account, your Lordship will perceive that the pice, instead of being a medium
of commerce, are more variable in their value than the articles they are made
use of to purchase. The shroffs who trade in the coin are the only gainers.
Government itself often sustains a considerable loss on such part of its
revenues as [are] collected in the pice, but the poor on whose ease and
happiness the prosperity of the country must depend, are the great and constant
sufferers.
In order to remedy
these evils, I beg leave to submit the following regulations to your Lordships
consideration:
More on copper
coins, particularly his proposals to Government
Gold Coin
The gold coin
fluctuates in its price in the same manner as the copper, the princes of
The component parts
of the gold weights are the same as the silver. Gold however is bought and sold
by the tola. Silver, since the time of Chyte Sing, by the
[bhurrce] or its own sicca weight. In the
The weight of the
gold mohur at the institution of the mint was 9-4. The present weight is two
chowuls less, or
It contains an alloy
of 7 rutees per tola or per gold mohur 5 ruttees 6 chowuls, that is in one gold
mohur weighing 606 chowuls is 560 chowuls of pure gold & 46 of alloy of Ľ
copper and ľ silver
Weight
etc of Gold Mohurs coined in the
|
RY of
Shah Alam |
No |
|
5 |
11,463 |
|
9 |
24,782 |
|
10 |
32,496 |
|
11 |
25,899 |
|
12 |
9,332 |
|
13 |
7,560 |
|
14 |
6,074 |
|
15 |
11,171 |
|
16 |
12,429 |
|
17 |
16,108 |
|
18 |
3,719 |
|
19 |
15,469 |
|
20 |
10,122 |
|
21 |
7,131 |
|
22 |
7,141 |
|
23 |
14,988 |
|
24 |
5,333 |
|
25 |
15,716 |
|
26 |
19,909 |
|
27 |
7,117 |
|
28 |
3,206 |
This part of the report ends:
From the above
account, your Lordship will perceive that the disorderly state of the coin has proceeded from four great causes, First the farming of the
mint. Second the annual alteration of the value of the rupees. Third the proportions
between the three metals in coin not being fixed and enforced by Government. And lastly the receiving engagements from the farmers of the
revenues in other species besides the established currency. I have
endeavoured also to shew that it is for the interest of all orders of the state
(the shroffs excepted) that one uniform currency should be established
throughout the country, that there should be but one species of gold mohur,
rupee & pice, and that the proportionate value of each should be fixed by
Government. That the Company and their subjects have suffered by the debasing
of the copper coin. That it is an advantage of the state that the money should
be kept up to its proper weight & standard, and that the mint should never
be looked to as a source of revenue. The measures I have presumed to recommend
for remedying these evils have been founded on the principles of doing justice
to the public, & which I trust will be a sufficient apology for any errors
I may have committed in treating of a subject of so much intricacy and
importance.
Letter
from the Resident at
The mint receipts
at this place have fallen this year so very short of what they have generally
amounted to that I think it my duty to apprize the Board thereof that such
orders may be passed upon the subject as may appear proper.
This diminution in
the receipts being of course solely owing to the little recoinage and still
less bullion that has been of late brought to the mint. This is again
attributed by the natives to the difference that has taken place in the course
of exchange and to the merchants finding their profit in carrying in their
money and bullion to Nagpore and other places.
However this may
be, I found it necessary in January last to make a considerable reduction in
that part of the Mint Master’s establishment that is paid in ready money to
admit to the receipts of that department at all keeping pace with the required
disbursements.
But this has only
proved a partial alleviation of the evil, for most of the workmen in the mint
are paid by a participation in the duties on the coinage from the almost entire
suspension of which they have with their families fallen into the greatest
distress, in so much that they lately by their importunity prevailed in
Bhewanny Doss (one of the most respectable bankers of Benares) to propose as
the means of inducing the owners of bullion to bring it for coinage to this
mint, and thereby to supply the workmen with their usual subsistence, that the
coinage duties should be wholly given up in the manner that will be found
particularized in the voucher No 1, to which the Mint Master having replied (as
[per] the voucher No 2) it thereon rests with Government to adopt such
resolutions as may be most suitable.
As however all
duties on the coinage at the Calcutta mint are, I believe, excused, and as more
bullion appears by the intimation in the late gazettes, to be brought to it
than can readily be coined, it may perhaps be worthy the consideration of
Government how far the 2 mints at the Presidency and at Benares should be
placed on a footing with regard to the charges of coinage to individuals.
This was all
passed to the Mint Master for his assessment. In the meantime some redustion
was made in the charges.
Letter
from Duncan (Resident at
I have
been favored with your letters of 1st June and 6th July
respecting the mint at this place.
As the
former only authorised me “to adopt and carry into execution the measure
suggested by the native Mint Master till such time as the Governor General in
Council shall have come to a final resolution of putting the mint at Benares
and of Calcutta on an equal footing” I am not certain whether your last
intimation of the 6th is to be considered as the final resolution
thus referred to, and must therefore beg to be favored with information on the
point, since if it be, the establishing “of the average of the present duties”
may be considered as no longer permitted. But at all events, I have not yet
acted upon the said permission, and if it be still in force, I beg leave to
state for the Board’s consideration that the future rate of the gold coinage
will be thereby reduced to 12 rupees-0-9pies, and the silver to 15 annas 4 pies
per cent, and if the suggestions of Khan Dass, the late Assay Master were (as
contained in the accompanying translation thereof) to be adopted, the signorage
or duty on the gold coinage would be reduced to 6 Rs 12 As and the silver to 9
annas per cent, these last being the medium of the rates of coinage that were
established on the first institution of the mint in Benares, as will appear by
Mr Barlow’s report and my own preceding correspondence already in the
possession of Government.
The
adoption of either of the above mediums and the preference worthy to be given
to one before the other, depends so much on considerations relative to the
state of the money and paper circulation at the Presidency (as mentioned in Mr
Harris’s letter of the 9th ultimo) and on the cost of similar
coinage there, with neither of which do I possess the means of being dult
acquainted, that I beg leave to submit the determination as to the future rates
to be taken in the mint here to the Governor General in Council, and ‘till I
hear farther from you, I shall not make any further alteration whatever in the
mint establishment at Benares, altho’ no doubt the workmen’s necessities will,
unless their business increase, require some such alleviation as your letter of
the 6th refers to.
PS Khan
Dass, the Assay Master above named, growing old and being earnestly desirous
that his sone who has learned the business under him, should be his successor,
I have nominated him, subject, of course, to the approbation of Government.
Letter
from Herbert Harris (Calcutta Mint Master) to
I have
received your letter of the 20th July inclosing copy of a letter
from the Resident at
The only
objection that occurs to me in putting the mint at Benares on the same footing
as [the] mint at the Presidency is that whenever bullion silver is near par in
the Calcutta market, the sicca rupee of Bengal will find its way to the Benares
mint and the most probable means of checking this evil would be to extend the
duty which is paid on coarser bullion to fine silver. Also the prohibiting the
Calcutta siccas from being broke up at the Benares mint would not be sufficient
as they might be melted down into ingots and then carried [to the mint]
This was
sent to the Mint Committee requesting a report about whether or not the
Revenue Consultations for 1800 also contains Mint Consultations, but all
seem the same as those found elsewhere
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
Letter
from the Revenue Board to
I am
directed by the Board of Revenue to request you will lay before the Most Noble
the Governor General in Council the accompanying copy of a letter of the
Collector of Benares regarding abuses alledged to have been practiced at the
mint at Benares together with a copy of the instructions which they have in
consequence issued to the Collector, for his Lordship’s information and any
further orders that he nay think proper to pass on the subject of them.
Letter
from J Routledge, Collector of
Enclosed
I beg to transmit to you a copy and translate of an arzee presented to me by
Deriaoo Sing Chowdry of the mint and others belonging to that department.
On receipt
of this representation I appointed an aumeen to enquire into the circumstances
stated therein, and from his reports to me the greatest irregularities appear
to have been committed by the Mint and Assay Masters, but I find without
melting down some of the rupees it cannot be ascertained if more than the
prescribed quantity of alloy has been mixed with the bullion, and for this
purpose I am humbly of opinion that a scientific man should be deputed to
Benares by Government, or that I may be allowed to send some of the rupees to
Mr Blake, the late mint Master at Patna, for his report on them.
Should it
be thought necessary to appoint an European Gentleman to the charge of the mint
at Benares, I beg leave to suggest the advantage that in my opinion would ultimately
result to Government by having rupees coined here of the same standard as the
Behar sicca rupees. At present a batta of rupees 4-0 is paid on all civil and
military bills, and which in the course of a year amounts to a considerable
sum. Under the present system almost any abuse may be practiced without much
risk of a discovery, and which is a great discouragement to monied men from
bringing bullion to be coined into rupees, for I am informed that the greatest
part of the dollars imported into this province, instead of being brought to
the mint here, are exported into foreign countries. In my humble opinion these
two considerations alone are deserving of the attentio of Government, and as a
further reason for recommending it to their consideration, I beg leave to state
that the degree of authority I possess, so far from being sufficient to
controul the native officers, does not even enable me to procure from the mint
office such accounts as the aumeen requires as absolutely requisite for the
execution of the duties of his appointment, and which appear to me to be of so
serious a nature as ought only to be entruasted to a man possessing the
abilities and experience of Mr Blake.
Arzee of
Deriaoo Sing Chowdry of the mint and others
You being
desirous that no acts which may be for the disadvantage of Government be
practiced in opposition to orders, on the contrary that in every case their
advantage be considered, and I being an old and grateful servant with a view to
their good, I now lay before you the following representation. That Omba
Shunker, daroghah of the mint at Benares, Govind Doss, assay master, Bunseedhur
Coiner (durab), have collusively peculated and embezzled public money to the
amount of thousands of rupees and still continue such practices. The fact will
appear in the following statement. I therefore hope that you will have the
goodness to appoint a trusty aumeen together with your petitioner for the
purpose of regulating the business of Government, and of enquiring into the
abuses which have been committed and your petitioner will prove the amount of
the money embezzled by the daroghah and the assay master as below stated, to
the aumeen who will give a full report upon the case to you.
|
1st
Amount of the tax arising from the coiners workshops lately established by
themselves in addition to the former number which they have collected and not
brought to the credit of Government – 8 shops at 50 rupees each |
400 |
|
|
Amount
of tax collected from assistant coiners – 200 at 18 rupees each |
3600 |
|
|
|
|
4000 |
|
2nd
about 200 rupees in nazarana and bribes from the coiners and other workmen |
200 |
|
|
3rd
About this time Govind Doss fraudulantly weighed out an overplus of 25 rupees
of bullion of the property of the beoparies to Chitroo Sing, in consequence
of which Purshaud Chashin eegur having seized him publicly declared the
circumstance in the cutcherry, upon which the assay master said that in that
business he was master and that if any questions were asked he was
responsible. Sir, such have always been and such still continue to be the
abuses practiced in the department of the mint. Government in this manner
suffer a loss of rupees. The beoparries also are liable to hardships and
impositions in consequence of which many of them have discontinued to send
bullion for coinage. |
||
|
4th
Since the time of Mr Fowke it is a standing order that 16 grains of rice (of
alloy) be put in one rupee, and there exists also a penalty bond executed by
the officers of the mint not to exceed 18 grains. Contrary to the established
order, in some rupees they have mixed 22 grains, in some 24 and in others 28
grains, and thousands of rupees. The amount of the difference they have
embezzled. The rupees above mentioned are in the hands of several bankers in
the bazar and I will fully prove this fact to the aumeen of Government. It is
now a month since the coinage of rupees of the above description has been
discontinued. At present rupees are coined according to the regulated
standard. |
||
Letter
from the Board of Revenue to the Collector at
I am
directed by the Board of Revenue to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of
the 12th instant with its enclosures, and to acquaint you that they
desire you will forward to them by dawk samples of the rupees which are
supposed to have been coined with an undue proportion of alloy in them, in
order that they may be assayed at the Presidency.
With
respect to the other abuses which are stated to have been practiced at the
The Board
will report the instructions now issued to you to Government for any further
orders which His Lordship in Council may think proper to pass on the subject of
them.
Resolution
That the
Acting Magistrate of the City of Benares be directed to send down to the
Presidency specimens (taken indiscriminately) of the coin at present in
circulation at Benares, transmitting three or four of the coins issued in each
year for some years past…
Revenue Consultations for 1801 also contains Mint Consultations, but all
seem the same as those found elsewhere
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
On
He goes
on:
I request
you will inform the Board that I shall with as little delay as possible report
to them my investigations into the other abuses stated in Deriaoo Sing’s arzee,
but I think it necessary to mention that, from an apprehension of interupting
the currect business of the mint, I find great difficulty in procuring from the
office the necessary papers and documents applied for by the aumeen.
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
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 Benares, and to inform you that His Lordship
desires you will instruct the Collector at Benares to correspond with the
committee on all matters relative to the coinage of that province.
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
Letter
from the Acting Magistrate at
Sent
specimens of rupees coined at
Letter
from John Mackenzie, Assay Master at
Assay
report on the 2 lots of 5 coins sent by the Collector. Both lots are about 1%
worse than the standard set in 1793.
There
then follows a series of papers from the Collector at
The Mint
Committee are asked to investigate the mint at
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
Letter
from the Collector of
More
papers about the alledged fraud. The Collector states:
…but I am
still of opinion that some regulations ought to be formed for the mint
department and beg leave to take this opportunity of representing that the
imperfection in the construction of the Benares rupee and the coarseness of the
workmanship of its die greatly facilitate the means of introducing adulterated
rupees into circulation, and it therefore appears necessary that the same
precautions which were adopted at the several mints within the Provinces in
respect to milling etc, the 19 sun rupees, should hereafter take place in
regard to the Benares gold and silver coinage.
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
The
Calcutta Mint Committee requested that a committee be established at
Resolution
Resolved
that Mr J Neave, Mr JT Grant and Mr JD Erskine be constituted a committee for
the purpose of corresponding with the committee appointed at Calcutta to report
upon the state of the mints of the Presidency & at Benares & for the
purposes of obtaining and furnishing such information regarding the Benares
mint as the committee at Calcutta may require.
Resolved
likewise that the Collector of Benares be instructed to furnish the committee
at
Revenue Consultations for 1802 also contains Mint Consultations, but all
seem the same as those found elsewhere
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
Letter from J Neave (Acting Agent to the
Governor General) at
I request
you will inform His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General of the death
of the Mint Master of
I am not
exactly aware from what department this communication ought to be made, as the
office of the mint has never been put under any one specifically, since the
abolition of the Residency. I therefore assume the liberty of soliciting his
Lordships commands.
Ordered
that the Mint Committee at Benares be directed to make such temporary
arrangement for conducting the business of the mint as they may think most
convenient for the public service, reporting the arrangement to the Governor
General in Council for his information.
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
Letter from the
Mint Committee to Government dated
…On the origins of
the Benares mint in the Higeree year 1145, and on its progressive management down
to the English year 1787, when the state of the coinage and of the commerce of
Benares attrated the attention of Government, we beg leave to observe that your
Lordship has already before you an historical report made by Mr Barlow, who was
deputed to enquire into those particulars, and as the same report minutely
describes the different sorts of gold, silver and copper coins struck at the
Benares mint, and in circulation in the district of Benares, it is unnecessary
for us to offer any information on those particulars, farther than to observe
that the same species of coin has continued to be struck and to circulate in
Benares, and that no alteration has been made in the mode of conducting the
business of the mint, except in regard to the abolition of some inconsiderable
duties, which reforms introduced by the late Resident, Mr Duncan, will be found
fully detailed in the report of that Gentleman’s proceedings made to Government
under date the 11th August 1789.
For an account of
the present state of the mint, we beg leave to refer Your Lordship to the
accompanying letter from the Committee at Benares, which describes the number
names and respective duties of the officers employed in conducting the business
of it. It appears from the Committees report and from their correspondence with
the Collector, that these officers have since the abolition of the Residency,
been left without the superintendence of any European officer of Government,
and as this created a solicitude in us to ascertain the state of the coin struck
since that period, we thought it advisable to procure a specimen of it on a
large scale. For this purpose we procured to be sent down from Benares, sicca
rupees 50,000 in a manner unlikely to lead to any suspicion of the use for
which they were intended, and as these rupees were taken indicriminately from
the Collector’s treasury, and a sufficient number of each year were selected
for trial, the result of the assay may be considered a fair test of the coinage
of the several years to which the trial refers. The result as reported to us by
the Assay Master will be found in the accompanying paper No 1 and though it
represents the coin from Ľ to ˝ per cent below the proper standard, it does not
represent to have been lowered since the superintendaqnce of the late resident
over the mint ceased in 1795, and considering that the native officers of the
mint have since that time been left to themselves, we shall not have been
surprised to have found a greater variation in the value of the coin. It does
not from this specimen appear to us that the state of the coin is so far in
point of standard worse than it ought to be, as to require the interference of
Government to correct what is in actual circulation, but we deem it of the
utmost importance that measures should be taken to prevent its further
debasement, and to keep up the coinage to its proper standard in future.
Were the same
species of coin current in Benares, which circulates through Behar and Bengal,
we apprehend that the whole coinage necessary might easily be supplied by the
same mint, at whatever place that mint might be established, but as long as
money of a different standard and value shall be required for Benares, we are
of opinion that it can no where with so much public convenience be coined as in
the district where it is to circulate. We observe in Mr Barlow’s report above
mentioned, a proposition for introducing the same coin into Benares as
circulates through the lower provinces, and for abolishing the circulation of
all other coin, but this not having been then adopted, and a permanent
settlement having since been concluded with the landholders under engagement
for the payment of their revenue in the Benares coin, we apprehend that the
measure recommended by Mr Barlow in 1787, could not with equal facility be
introduced now; and therefore under an idea that Benares rupees such as are now
in circulation, will still be wanted, we recommend that they continue to be
coined at the Benares mint.
In recommending a
continuance of the Benares mint as long as a particular species of coin may be
required for that district, we no doubt meet the wishes of the merchants and
bankers of the very flourishing and opulent city of Benares, who would
experience great inconvenience in having to send their bullion for coinage to a
distant province, but besides this a connexion (sic) has always subsisted
between the mint and the manufacturers of gold and silver wire and thread, and
the weavers of the rich cloths, and embroideries made at Benares, on which the
prosperity of the trade in those articles appears so much to depend, that in
the event of the abolition of the mint, the manufacturers might require some
similar establishment to supply its place. The nature of this connexion is
explained in the annexed copy of a letter from the committee at Benares, and
your Lordship we think will observe that the motives which induced this
connexion may have been similar to those which suggested the incorpoaration of
artists and manufacturers in many towns in Europe, and that the object of both
institutions is the same, namely to prevent the intrusion of improper persons
who might debase the materials and injure the trase; and though in the existing
usages at Benares some particulars may appear superfluous, or susceptible to
reform, as the committee have suggested, we are so far from believing that the
inhabitants of Benares, who are in any wise concerned in the prosperity of the
manufactures alluded to, are desirous that the connexion in question should
cease, that we conceive any idea of its abolition would be to them a subject of
alarm, and that their business would suffer interruption until something could
be established which might answer the same purpose. In these sentiments we are
conformed by the report made to us by the Committee at
Being of opinion
as above expressed, that the continuance of a mint at Benares is at present
indispensible, we proceed to offer our sentiments on the establishment necessary
for conducting the business of it.
For conducting the
business of the mint while the same kind of specie which now circulates in
Benares is coined there, the present establishment of native officers appears
to be fully adequate, though we are of opinion that European superintendance is
necessary over the officers of the mint, and this we think might be introduced
without any additional expense to Government. In the event of an improved form
of coin being introduced by the European process such as has been introduced in
Calcutta, a very different establishment would be necessary, and instead of
Government deriving a profit from the mint as at present, a heavy expense would
unavoidably be incurred although the duties and fees should continue to be levied
at the same rate as at present. We have endeavoured to estimate what this
difference of expense might be, and on finding that it will be considerable (as
will appear in the accompanying paper No 2) we cannot recommend that it should
be incurred for the sole purpose of obtaining a coinage certainly preferable in
point of form and workmanship, but no wise different in its intrinsic value. In
other words we do not think the difference in appearance between the Calcutta
and Benares coinage is such as to be worth purchasing, at so high an expense,
and in regard to the advantage the Calcutta coin has over the Benares coin in
being less easily counterfeited, and less easily excavated and filled up with
lead, we think the same advantage might be given to the Benares coin by having
the dies cut in Calcutta, and the coin made so much broader and thinner as to
receive the whole impression of the die upon its surface.
With respect to
the duties levied on the coinage, and the established fees paid to the officers
of the mint, as detailed in the accompanying letter and its enclosures, they
appear to be the same that were authorized by the late Resident, Mr Duncan. Out
of these the expenses of the mint are defrayed, and an annual surplus,
averaging about 10,000 rupees per annum, has been derived by Government.
Although bthe support of establishment by fees is not a mode that has commonly
been resorted to, yet in the present instance we are not aware of any important
objection of the continuance of this mode, to which the merchants and bankers
at Benares who send bullion to be coined, have so long been accustomed,
provided means be adopted which we think might easily be devised to prevent any
undue exaction of them.
For ensuring the
due execution of the duties of the mint, and for guarding against the issue
from thence of coin defective in workmanship or deficient in weight or
standard, it appears to us that the European superintendance which ceased on
the abolition of the Residency, should be restored.
This might be effected without any expense to
Government either by vesting the authority formerly exercised over the officers
of the mint by the Resident, in Your Lordships agent at
In the event of
your Lordship’s approving the above suggestion for the regulation of the mint,
we might undertake to draw up rules for the observance of the superintendant,
or the Committee, unless your Lordship should deem it more advisable to leave
those officers to frame rules for themselves, founded on their own local
knowledge, and to be submitted for your Lordship’s consideration and approval.
The charges
brouhgt against the principal officers of the mint at
1st
embezzlement of part of the duties receivable by Government
2nd
debasement of the coin by the admixture of an undue proportion of alloy
The Collector was
directed to institute an enquiry into the truth of these charges, and from an
attentive perusal of his report under date the 5th March, and of
another report from the Acting Collector under date the 21st April,
it appears to us that the several sums specified in the first charge, were
either accounted for by the principal officers of the mint, and claimed by him
by virtue of his sunnud, or not sufficiently established on evidence to fix any
criminality on the persons accused. It mus however be observed that the Acting
Collector has acknowledged ‘his inability to prosecute the enquiry to a
decisive result’, owing partly to the intricacy of the accounts kept at the
mint, and the irregularity with which the business of the mint has of late been
conducted, and partly to the disinclinationto come forward shown by those from
whom evidence was expected in support of some of the charges.
The charge of
debasing the coin was not proposed to be establsihed by a reference to any
transaction known to have taken place at the mint, but by an examination of
some coin ascribed to the
There then follows
all the enclosures mentioned above. No 11 is of interest:
Entrance money
paid at the mint by various workmen Viz:
Derrab Dookandar
Government 40-0-0
Darogha & Rowenna
Assay Master &
Wozunkush
Tekveeldar 0-13-6
Mushriff 0-13-6
Rs 50
Derrab Assamy 18 and 10
Rupees
Government 15-0-0
Darogha & Rowenna 1-4
Assay Master & Wozunkush 1-4
Tehveeldar 0-0-4
Mashriff 0-0-4
Rs
18
Government 7-0-0
Darogha & Rowenna 1-4
Assay Master & Wozunkush 1-4
Tehveeldar 0-0-4
Mashriff 0-0-4
Rs
10
Gudasgeer
Government 100-0-0
Darogha & Rowenna 6-4
Assay Master & Wozunkush 6-4
Tehveeldar 1-4
Mashriff 1-4
Rs
115
Punna Saz
Government 20-0-0
Darogha & Rowenna
Assay Master & Wozunkush
Tehveeldar 0-6-9
Mashriff 0-6-9
Rs
25
Tickleesaz the whole to
Government
12-8
No 16 Resolution
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
The
Collector at
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/34.
The Banares Mint
Committee appointed Sheikh Ally Ahsun as temporary Mint Master
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Magistrate at
Discusses the
Darogah and Assay Master at
Revenue Consultations (opium etc). P/89/35.
Appointment of Mr
Burges as Assay Master of Benares
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Translation
of a representation from Dureeao Sing Choudree of the city of
From my
good wishes to the Honble Company in the year 1800 I preferred to Mr Routledge,
the Collector of Benares, a charge to a large amount against Gobind Doss, the
Assay Master, Dut Sunker, the Darogha and Bunsee Dhur, the Examiner ( officers
employed in the mint at Benares), for embezzling the property of the Sircar,
and for using a proportion of alloy exceeding the legal standard of the Benares
coinage.In consequence of this representation, Ally Mozuffer Khan was appointed
ameen by Mr Routledge with a salary of 100 rupees per mensum, to examine into
the merits of the said charge. That ameen in the spacew of six months, having
ascertained the state of the case, transmitted a report of the same to the
Collector, together with proofs of embezzlement to a large amount. He also
addressed a representation to the Colector requesting gentleman to cause the
proportion of alloy to be ascertained in his presence.
In reply
to this application the Collector wrote to Munohur Doss Seth desiring him to
ascertain the quantity of alloy. That person assembled at his own house all the
bankers and respectable inhabitants of Benares and in the presence of those
bankers and of the ameen appointed by Government, entered into an examination
of the quantity of alloy in the Benares coinage, and transmitted the result of
that examination under his own signiture to the Collector. According to the
report thus transmitted by Monohur Doss Seth, the persons accused appear to be
chargeable with the payment of the sum of sicca rupees 92,978-12 (ninety two
thousand nine hundred and sixty eight sicca rupees twelve annas) in favour of
the Honble Company ( as will appear in the detailed
statement annexed here unto), on account of the proportion of alloy which they have
used exceeding the legal standard of the Benares mint.
From the
time when Mr Routledge was removed from the Collectorship of Benares, no
investigation has taken place either by orders from the Supreme Government, or
from the office of the Collector of this district. I have accordingly repeated
the above representation accompanied by evidence in support of the charge. The
records of Mr Barlow and of Mr Duncan as well as the mochulkas (penalty bonds)
of the officers of the mint, which are now in the office of the Collector, will
tend to corroborate the evidence. I have already produced proofs of the
embezzlement of large sums of money previously to the investigation of ally
mozuffer Khan and the report Monohur Doss Seth, and I am prepared not only to
support that evidence but to prove that Gobind Doss continues the same
practices to this very time. I have in my possession also two rupees, one of a
former and one of the present coinage.
Exclusive
of the above charges, I am prepared to prove as well by the books of the
bankers as by other means, the further embezzlement of lacs of rupees, let not
this be overlooked.
Under
these circumastances I am hopeful first that the above emntioned Gobind Doss be
dismissed from the assay mastership and Bunseedur the Darab from the Karkhanee
and that they be required to deliver in Mochulkas (penalty bonds)…
This is
sent to the Mint Committee at
Revenue Consultations for 1804 also contains Mint Consultations, but all
seem the same as those found elsewhere
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Letter
from Mr Burges (Assay Master at
I have
the honor to inform you that I gave over charge of the Dinapore pay office to
Captain Palmer about the 6th or 8th of May last and that
I arrived at Benares in the month of August, but as from the date of your favor
of the 13th Octoner 1803, announcing to me the honour that His
Excellency the most Noble the Governor General in Council had conferred upon me
in appointing Assay Master to the mint of Benares, to the present period, I
have not received the smallest intimation in regard to my salary, or
establishment. Will you therefore have the goodness to submit this
circumastance to his Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council.
Allow me
further to request you will do me the favor to solicit for me His Excellency’s
permission to attend the assays at the Calcutta mint for a little while, before
I commence upon the duties of the Benares mint, and as I am now on the river
for the benefit of my health, pray indulge me with His Excellency’s sentiments
at the first convenient opportunity.
Resolution
The
Governor General in Council on a consideration of the foregoing letter is
pleased to fix the salary of the Assay Master at
With
respect to the establishment of the mint mentioned in the foregoing letter,
ordered that the Assay Master be informed that the Governor General in Council
desires that he will enter on a revision of that establishment and that he will
submit his sentiments on the subject to Government thro’ the Mint Committee at
Benares.
Ordered that the Assay Master be at the same time informed that the
Governor General in Council trusts that it will be found practicable to effect
a considerable reduction in the present expense of the establishment.
With
respect to the application contained in the foregoing letter from the Assay
Master for leave of absence from his station, ordered that Mr Burgess be
informed that the Governor General in Council deems it essential that he should
take charge of the office to which he has been appointed without loss of time,
and that under these circumstances, the Governor General in Council is
precluded from complying with the Assay Master’s application for permission to
be absent from his station.
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Letter
from
Concerns
rupees coined in Rewah with the same appearance as those of
…The
Governor General in Council however, desires that you will take this case in
your consideration and that you will submit to Government such information as
you may possess respecting the Rewah rupees. You will in particular be pleased
to ascertain whether the rupees in question (specimens of which are herewith
transmitted to you) are the established currency of the country of Rewah. You
are likewise desired to ascertain whether that coin passes in circulation in
the
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Letter
from D Burges (Assay Master at
I have
the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your favor of the 6th
instant. Agreeable to your instructions I will immediately take charge of the
mint department of this city and endeavour to adopt such measures as I conceive
are most likely to meet the intensions and approbation of His Excellency the
Most Noble the Governor General in Council.
As soon
as I am able to ascertain the nature of the department and the full extent of
the business connected with it, I will do myself the pleasure of addressing you
on the subject.
Permit me
to take advantage of the present opportunity to mention that the house hitherto
employed by the natives for the mint, is not a place where an European could
exist in, in the hot weather, and not accessible to a carriage at any time or
season, and one part of the road to the native mint office is not even passable
for a palenkeen. The streets in general are extremely narrow, and to add to the
inconvenience, the lanes and small passages are all without drains and very
much annoyed by rubbish, filth and nuisances of every description. Of course,
in the hot weather and rains, they must be proportionably offensive and
oppressive, and prejudicial to the health of an
European to be obliged to pass daily through them or to breath for any time the
air of their vicinity. Moreover those passages are so continually thronged with
such an astonishing number of people of all ages and sexes, that it is very
difficult to pass through them during the hours of business and particularly if
there happens to be any ladened carts or cattle in the way, which causes a
general halt from one end of the street to the other, and sometimes to those
immediately connected with it of course liable to accidents, and a great and
mortifying loss of time. These circumstances compelled me to secure a house
that both the native merchants and myself could have access to, at least during
the dry season, and I consider myself fortunate in having met with one
belonging to a native that I am in hope will answer the purpose at one hundred
rupees per month from the 13th November. This sum added to the 200
rupees per month I pay for the only house at [Secrole] that was not occupied on
my arrival in August last, makes my regular disbursements for house rent, in
consequence of my new situation, 300 per month, an unavoidable tho’ unforseen
disbursement, and unfortunately as none are to be had at this station that
would answer the purpose on easier terms (a dwelling house and a public office
with a sufficient number of outhouses to accommodate some hundred workmen of
every description, being indispensible for the duties I am ordered on), I
therefore trust that the measure will meet with the approbation of His Excellency
the Most Noble the Governor General in Council.
Letter
from D Burges to the Mint Committee at
I have
the honor to inform you that I have this day taken charge of the mint office,
and have received from the darroga and assay master the undermentioned
articles.
I have
informed Baboo Govindoss, the late assay master, that the commencement of my
authority terminated his, & that his services are no longer required in the
mint department.
I have
also informed the darroga that he may remain in the office till the pleasure of
the Most Noble the Governor General in Council is known in regard to him,
provided he conduct himself with the utmost propriety.
There
then follows a list of articles in the mint (mainly weights and scales)
Letter
from Calcutta to Calcutta Mint Committee, dated
On
I am now
directed to transmit to you the enclosed copies of two letters with their
enclosures from the Mint Committee at Benares, and to acquaint you that His
Excellency in Council desires that you will submit to Government the draft of
such rules as you would propose to be adopted for defining the powers and
duties of the Assay Master in the discharge of the duty of the office to which
he has been appointed.
You are
at the same time desired to report whether it would in your judgement be
advisable that Mr Burges should be appointed Mint Master, or whether it would
be preferable to commit the former duty (as at present) to a native officer.
On a
reference to the book of fixed establishments made up to the end of April 1803,
the establishment of the mint at
The
necessary orders will however be issued to the proper officers for the
insertion of that establishment in future.
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Letter
from D Burges (
As I have
no guide before me for forming a mint establishment, will you have the goodness
to request the favor of His Excellency’s the Most Noble the Governor General in
Council, directions to the Mint Master in Calcutta to furnish me with a copy of
the establishments of the provincial mints at Dacca and Patna. It likewise may
be of material use to me if his Excellency will also order me a copy of the
instructions that was sent to Mr Blake and Doctor Davidson on their first
taking charge of the provincial mints of Dacca and Patna, with a list of the
English writers and workmen allowed, and the names of the workmen if they
happen to be in the Calcutta mint office, to enable me to find them out in case
I should have occasion for their services. Also a lsit
of the machines, engines and coining implements they were furnished with, with
a lst of the articles they were authorized to indent for, and the form of the
indent, with the name of the person or office on whom the indent is to be made
with the allowance of, or for stationary.
As the
mode of assaying gold and silver may materially differ in different mints, allow
me to request an exact statement of the mode that is used in the Calcutta mint
and the means of ascertaining if the lead is of a proper quality for assaying,
and has never been used in that way before, and what sort of lead the
preference should be given to, for I find the lead procured in this city does
not always give the same result, and as the merchants furnish their own lead,
they may play some tricks with it that may be out of the power of the Assay
Master to forsee or to guard against, and if it meets with the approbation of
His Excellency, I would recommend that this mint should be furnished with lead
from Calcutta, but also with every article that Mr Blake was supplied with at
Patna, which if not expended can always be returned to the public stores, and I
understand Mr Blake when his appointment was annulled, returned to the Calcutta
mint office every article that was sent to him. Of course, I conceive no
difficulty or inconvenience can arise in furnishing this mint with the articles
he returned.
I trust
His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General will have the goodness to
pardon my mentioning that without particular instructions and a knowledge of
the manner in which the various branches of the business of the mint is
conducted in Calcutta, as well as other mints, I feel as if steering without a
compass to direct my course for with the best possible intention and wish for
the welfare of Government, I may be drawn by invisible and unperceived currents
into the track of error, and even my ardour for the wellfare and good opinion
of Government may conduct me further than may be approved of. This makes me
daily more and more sensible of the advantage of being an eye witness and
master of the general mode of conducting business in the
I
likewise wish that a coining, milling and laminating machine may be sent up, as
soon as may be convenient, to enable me to ascertain by a course of experiments
and fair trial what advantage may be introduced by the mode at present used in
Calcutta, or continuing the native method of coining with the hammer only, tho’
the whole figure of the dye is not impressed on the rupees that are made in any
of the native mints.
Allow me
to mention in this place that Rewar Rupees, tho’ of inferior value have to an
inexperienced person very much the aspect of a Benares rupee and are sometimes
passed as such. It may therefore be a matter worthy the consideration of
Government to determine how far they may approve of the millingof
Letter
from D Burges to
As I do
not perceive that there is any mention made in the papers enclosed in your
favor of the 6th instant, of the number of grains of satee rice that
is authorized by Government to be the standard alloy of the gold or silver of
this district, have therefore the goodness to favor me with a copy of any
orders you may have in your possession on the subject ofr my guidance, or
should you happen to have none, do me the favor to address His Excellency the
Most Noble the Governor General on the subject.
If you
have Mr Barlow’s report on the subject of the
Letter
from D Burges to the
Finding
that I could not transact the business of the mint to the advantage of
Government with Saik Ally Ahsun, the old Darroga who declines giving security
for his future good behaviour, or to be answerable for the conduct of any of
the officers of the mint, and showed an unwillingness to meet my wishes on any
occasion, and being apprehensive that his long connexion with the late Assay
Master might induce him to shelter or connive at attempts to introduce similar
practices on some other occasion, I therefore conceive it for the interest of
Government at once to remove him till the pleasure of His Excellency is known,
and in his place and that of the late Assay Master, to appoint a darroga who
would not only give ample security for his own good conduct, but who would
jointly with his security be responsible for the good conduct of the principle
officers of the mint, and, what I consider to be of very material importance,
the new darrowga and his security, engage to be security for the good conduct
of the chowkessy, or head assayer, and to indemnify Government for any loss by
short weight or otherwise, or any excess of alloy above the allowed standard, a
circumstance that is a very great relief to my mind, new and unexperienced as I
feel myself in this department, where practical knowledge is everything.
The
person who I have nominated to the duty of durrowga and superintendent of the
mint is named Lutchmun Doss, a native of this district, by profession a shroff
of some wealth, of opulent connexions and of good repute, and has a banking
house in the city. His elder brother, Rammarain Doss, well known in the banking
line who is also a shroff and of still greater wealth, with a separate banking
house in the city, is his security, and jointly with Lutchmun Dass, security
for the chowkessee or head assayer, and the principal officers of the mint.
The
merchants of the city being exceedingly pressing to have their dollars coined,
to prevent any discontent on their part, or a loss to Government should they
carry their dollars to another mint, I found myself compelled to the present measure,
or to commence business with people who have for years back been in the habits
of acting without control and imposing on Government, of course, in whom no
confidence could be put. I trust His Excellency will be convinced that I have
acted for the best, and that I have selected the most prudent steps that could
be chosen in the press of the moment and under the existing circumstances.
Not to
impede or interrupt the general run of business, I am induced to refrain from
fixing the salaries for a little while and until I can ascertain the opinions
of the different officers of the mint on the subject, and have in consequence
permitted them to receive the usual commission from the merchants till a proper
establishment can be formed.
Letter
from D Burges to
The mint
office being now in a train of business that will admit of a temporary absence
in consequence of a responsible shroff having engaged to be answerable for all
short weight & excess of alloy, as mentioned in my different addresses to
the gentlemen of the Mint Committee, I trust His Excellency the Most Noble the
Governor General in Council will have the goodness to permit me to visit
Calcutta for the purpose of settling some private concerns for the benefit of
my family who embark this season for Europe, and as I have never had an
opportunity of seeing any regular assays, it will be a great satisfaction and
advantage to me if His Excellency will allow me to attend the mint during my
stay in Calcutta.
Doctor
Yeld, a gentleman much esteemed and respected at this station has had the
goodness to offer to act for me should His Excellency approve of the measure
and not think it convenient to appoint a gentleman in the civil service to
superintend the mint during my absence.
Resolution
The
Governor General in Council having taken the above letters into his consideration, is pleased to comply with the application of
the Assay Master at
The
Governor General in Council is likewise pleased to empower Mr Yeld the surgeon
at
Under the
circumstances stated by the Assay Master and the Committee, the Governor
General in Council confirms the dismission of Ally Ahsun from the office of
Darogah of the mint.
With
regard to the remaining points noticed in the letters addressed by the Assay
Master to the Committee, Offered that a copy of the correspondence be
transmitted to the Mint Committee at the Presidency in continuation of the
reference of the 27th ultimo with directions to take the
circumstances stated in the correspondence into their consideration and to
submit to Government their sentiments on the different points noticed in Mr
Burges’s letter
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Benares
Mint Committee acknowledge receipt of letter about Burges going to Presidency
and Yeld standing in
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Burges
handed over charge of the mint to Dr Yeld on
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Petition
of Govind Doss following his replacement in the assay office, asking for a
pension
Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). P/89/35.
Letter
from the Assay Master at
I assayed
the
One
parcel containing 200 Benares rupees said to be taken indiscrininately from the
Benares treasury, varied in weight from 15 annas 6 pie each to 15 annas 5 pie,
of which the average assay was 1 ľ per cent worse than Calcutta sicca standard,
or 96.25 parts fine silver in the 100 parts.
One
parcel containing 200 Benares rupees stated to have been coined for the
Bankers, in league with the mint officers varied in weight from 15 annas 7 pie
each to 15 annas 6 pie, of which the average assay was 1 ˝ per cent worse than
Calcutta sicca standard, or 96.5 parts fine silver in the 100 parts.
Index for Revenue Consultations (Opium etc). 1806, 1807 & 1808 contain no mention of
Index for public Consultations, 1806 contains no mention of Benares
Index for Revenue Board of Commissioners, 1806 & 1807 contains no
mention of Benares
_________________________________________________________________________________
Board of
Directors letter (
Resolution
The Vice President in Council, having taken
the foregoing extract into his consideration, is pleased to abolish the office
of Mint Master and Assay Master at Benares ( as it is
at present constituted) and to determine that the office of Mint Master and
Assay Master at Benares shall in future be held by the head surgeon attached to
the civil station with a salary of 500 Rs per month.
The Vice President in Council is accordingly
pleased to appoint Mr T Yeld to be Mint Master and Assay Master at
Ordered that the foregoinf
resolutions be communicated to Mr Burges, to Mr Yeld, to the Mint Committee at
Letter to
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt
of a letter from Mr George Doweswell, secretary to Government, dated the 13th
instant, announcing to me the abolishment of my appointment as Assay Master to
the mint of
He then goes on to ask that he should be
allowed to continue to draw his salary until a new position is found, but that
was refused.
Letter from Yeld to
List of articles that he needed from
Two
milling engines and some ring forms for making the counters uniformly round
…These
are intended to try how far it will be practicable ,
or expedient, to adopt milling in the
The Mint
Master at
Letter from Yeld to the mint Committee at
Benares, dated February 21st 1806
…On Mr
Burges delivering over chrge of the mint to me on his going away on leave of
absence, he informed me that he had directed a perquisite to be held in
deposit, under the head of Gurreeah Salamee, arising from the bit of silver cut
from each crucible melted down and taken for the purpose of assay to ascertain
whether the bullion is equal to standard, previous to its being struck with the
Ballah Pie or stamp of impression. This, though the property of the person
bringing bullion for coinage has from long acknowledged custom been considered
as a private recompence from the merchant to the darogah…
He asked
if he can keep it
Resolution
Ordered
that the mint Committee at Benares be informed that the Governor General in
Council is pleased to direct that the fee heretofore levied on the coinage at
Benares be discontinued immediately on the recept of the present order, and
that the amount in deposit as stated in the letter from the Mint and Assay
Master be brought to the account of Government.
More
about collecting the Gurreeah
Salamee
Letter from Burges to
He asked
for expenses that he had incurred to be repaid
Ordered
that the sub treasurer be direcxted to pay Mr Burges the established allowance
of a servant out of employment from the date of his removal from the office of
Mint and Assay Master at Benares, Viz the 13th December last, until
the date of his appointment to the office of Collector of Customs at Dacca
Letter from Yeld to the Benares Mint
Committee dated July 9th 1806
My
attention has for some time been engaged into an enquiry into the currency of
this province with a view to a report on the subject in general, but my
investigation having as yet been more immediately confined to the copper
currency, the evident abuses it admits of and which in daily practice, I deem
it my duty to submit to Government without delay, and have to request you will
please to submit this address to the Honble the Governor General in Council in
such manner as you deem most proper.
There is
no regulation for the weight, size, or impression of pice that can be the least
check on any person making them privately without fear of detection, as the
accompanying specimen will clearly evince. A great part of the pice now in
circulation have been made in Oude, the Rewah Raja’s country and other places
out of the district and smuggled into circulation imperceptibly.
The
weight of pice when made being in a great measure regulated by the then current
price of copper, their relative value, instead of being afterwards reckoned by
weight according to the present price of copper, is determined by number, and
this is not only influenced by the price current of copper, but by other
circumstances that will be detailed hereafter.
The
present copper currency is a source of the greatest hardship and loss to that
class of people least able to bear it. Their poverty obliges them to take their
pay daily, which is always reckoned to them in the common divisions of a rupee,
by annas and this is paid to them according to the current price of pice, by
number. When they carry these pice to the bunyahs for the purchase of their
daily food, they will not receive themaccording to the value of them in the
anna, but at a rate by which the retail purchaser is imposed on, never less
than one anna in the rupee.
But it is
seldom the poor coolie who gets his anna and half, or two annas a day, is able
to afford one article to the amount of one pice. He has therefore to undergo
the further imposition of the budleeah, or money changers, by reducing his pice
to gundahs of cowries, whose established custom is to make two pice per rupee
profit. The bunyahs on this again lay a tax, by receiving the cowries at a less
rate than they have be brought at, generally equalling the profit they make by
receiving pice, so that the poorer class of the Honble Company’s subjects in
this district pay from near seven to upwards of thirteen per cent dearer, for
the necessaries of life, than those who are able to go into the market with
silver.
The rich
are also not exempt from the operation of the price of pice on their daily
consumption, since the rate of many things in the greatest demand, milk, eggs,
some kinds of grain, and many other articles are regulated by the current
number of oice in the rupee, but the greatest injury the rich suffer is at the
season of marriages in their families, when if they have not had the precaution
of laying in a stock pof pice necessary for the occasion, the budleeahs and
richer bunyahs make their harvest by previously hoarding their pice and raising
the price of them at this season of the year from four to ten in the rupee.
Altho’ the rich by neglect may suffer equally with the poorer man, yet the poor
one is not less exempt if he has a marriage in his family, as on these
occasions they always borrow to the utmost extent they can get credit for, and
the lender never fails to advance in silver, and receive back in pice, at a
season pof the year they are cheapest.
This
latter being an imposition voluntarily entered into, may not present any very
urgent claims for redress, but the daily sustenance of so numerous a body of
subjects as constitutes the labouring class in this populous province, demands every amelioration that can be suggested for their relief.
Actuated by these considerations, a zealous discharge of the dutiesw of the
office committed to my charge, and that the relief required may be made a
source of profit to Government, I venture to submit to the attention and
consideration of the Honble the Governor General in Council, specimens of a new
copper coinage, with such remarks as have occurred or have been suggested to me
on each kind:
|
|
Number
to the rupee |
Weight Grains |
Diameter
Inches |
|
No 1 A double pice |
32 |
240 |
1Ľ |
|
No 2 A Single ditto |
64 |
120 |
1 |
|
No 3 A half ditto |
128 |
60 |
ľ |
|
No 4 A quarter Pice |
256 |
30 |
6/10 |
In fixing
on these divisions I have been led to enquire into the bunyahs mode of keeping
small accounts and have adopted their subdivisions of the anna as most likely
to be convenient to them, and relieve those dealing with them.
I at
first made but three divisions, from the fear of making the coin too small. The
fourth was made at the suggestion of an intelligent native, who stated that it
would in a great measure all appications to the budleeahs and that recourse to
them only on the lowest division of cowries would be required.
In fixing
on the above rates of weight, I have assumed that the Honble Company are able
to afford copper at forty rupees the factory maund, and have doubled the
expense of making the old pice. This, according to my calculations will give
the expence of a factory maund of new copper pice, fifty five rupees, and the
number made, equal to sixty six rupees, leaving a profit of eleven rupees,
about seventeen per cent. But in the expense of making the old pice, there
being a russoom to Government of one rupee eight annas a maund reckoned, which
on being doubled will add to the profit above stated somewhat above four rupees
eight annas per cent. Should this rate require any reduction, I would recommend
its being made by taking off forty twenty, ten and five grains from each
respective kind of pice.
If the
machinery of the Calcutta mint could be employed in laminating and cutting the
durabs, it would greatly reduce the expence of making the pice, but I would no
means advise the impression being stamped in Calcutta, as the prejudices of the
natives in its being struck at Benares should in my opinion be conceded to, and
the expence would be so little more than it could be done for in Calcutta as
not to be [a] worthy consideration.
In
issuing a new coinage it appears to me a serious object to Government to call
in the old at the least expense possible. This has had its consideration with
me in fixing the weight of the new, and on weighing a rupees worth of new pice,
with a rupees worth of old, at the present rate of forty six to the rupee, the
old exceeds the new at an average of three pice. In taking the old pice,
therefore, at the medium rate of the year, of forty eight to the rupee, a great
inducement would be held out to the holders of old pice to exchange them, and
the loss to Government would not be quite two thirds of the expense of recoinage.
I cannot
acquire any authentic data for the quantity that would be required, and on this
head can only give the general result of various opinions of several
intelligent natives asked on it, which is that three lacs of the different
kinds should be prepared to commence with.
It would
be as contrary to the liberal sentiments of the British Government in
Letter
Requesting
to be sent the average price of copper in
Letter from Yeld to the Benares Mint
Committee, dated October 26th 1806
I have
the honor to acknowledge your letter enclosing a requisition from the Calcutta
Mint Committee of the price current of copper in the Benares Bazar for one year
distinguishing the variation in the price monthly and also the sicca weight of
the seer and maund by which the copper is sold.
The price
of copper and many other articles of general trade in the Benraes Bazar being
regulated by the great mercantile mart of Mirsapore, it appears to me more to
coincide with the spirit of the Calcutta Mint Committee’s enquiry, to furnish
the price current of that mart than to adhere literally to their orders…
There
then follows a table with the price of copper
Mr Burges
expences of Rs 2552-4 ordered to be paid by the Collector at
Letter from the
The
examined Yeld’s proposal and found that the double pice he had sent weighed
|
|
Number
to a rupee |
|
|
A double pice |
32 |
|
|
A Single ditto |
64 |
0-8-9 |
|
A half ditta |
128 |
0-4-4˝ |
The Ľ
pice on the proposed redution of weight we deem too small a coin to be struck
in copper.
We have
the honor to submit specimens of the proposed coins, for which the dies
appropriated to the copper currency of the lower provinces have been used, no
dies being at present prepared for the
We are
decidely of opinion that these coins should be struck in the
We
recommend that the copper sizel of all pice coined in the
The old
copper coins in circulation at Benares should, we think, continue to be
received in paymentat the public treasuries in that province, for such period
after the new coinage may be issued as the Mint Committee there may deem
necessary fo the accomodation of the inhabitants, and as soon as an adequate
supply of the new coinage may be furnished to the Collector, the old coins
should not be reissued, but be melted down and disposed of by public sale.
We beg
leave to suggest that individuals throughout the Company’s provinces,
may be interdicted from coining copper currency, and that the coinage of
Government only be current. From Mr Yeld’s letter it appears that the coinage
of districts not subject to this Government has obtained circulation in
PS On
enquiry we find that there is not any sheet copper in stroe fit for the coinage
of pice. We beg leave therefore to recommend that application may be made to
the Government of Fort St George to send round by the first opportunity as
large a suplly of the above article as can conveniently be spared.
Letter
from
I am
directed to acknowledge the receipt of a letter from you dated the 15th
May last, and to acquaint you that the Honble the Governor General in Council
has been pleased to approve the weight of the double, single and half pice
proposed by you to be coined for the province of Benares, and the rate at which
they are proposed to be issued as stated in Paragraph 6 of your letter. The
Governor General in Council accordingly approves the specimens of the the coins
submitted by you with the exception of that part of the inscription which is in
the
The
Governor General in Council approves your suggestion for coining the pice at
The
Governor General in Council concurs in opinion with you that after the new
copper coinage of Government shall have become current, no other copper coins
ought to be received at the public treasuries.
An
application has been made to Fort St George for the necessary supply of copper.
The Governor General in Council however, desires that the coinage may be
commenced in case copper can be obtained at a reasonable price in
You are
desired to forward a copy of this letter to the Mint Master at
Letter from the
Stating
that the price of copper had increased so much that a new copper coinage should
be issued with the weight of the pice reduced from 12 to 9 annas
This was
approved by Government
Letter from Forster (
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
Benares, and understanding it is intended to coin Forty thousand rupees of pice
for behar, and further that the Committee at length propose recommending a
redution 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 Benares 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 ande 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.
As the whole
of the pice now in circulation will be immediately withdrawn on the smallest
issue of the new pice at a reduced weight, bearing an equal value with the old
ones, and as it will be impossible as above stated to obtain a sufficient
quantity of proper sheet copper, and the public will be subject to considerable
inconvenience by the suppression of so useful a coin, 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.
It is not
however in consideration of the above profit that I take me again to bring this
subject under consideration of Government, but from the circumstance of its
being otherwise impossible to undertake a new coinage of copper although so
much needed, in elucidation of which I beg leave to refer to paragraphs 43, 44
& 45 of my annual report on the coinage for 1806/07 dated the 8th
December 1806, on no part of which I must observe have I yet been honored with
the sentiments of Government, altho’ it contains many poits on which I would
wish to be favored with their decision as being intimitely connected with the
better management of this department in general.
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.
Presuming
the decision on the above proposition for coining square pice, allowing that a
sufficient quantity of copper would be procured for coining round ones would
principally rest on the convenience or inconvenience of their shapes. I beg
leave to repeat the observation in my letter dated […] that no objection is
likely to be started by individuals on this head, nor in fact is the copper
coinage itself so much an object of public importance as convenience.
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 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 then 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 frquently passed at forty eight per rupee.
This was
all sent to the Mint Committee
Letter from the
This is
their reply to Forster’s proposal about the problems of reducing the weight of
the pice, and issuing square pice etc.
Firstly
they do not agree that lower weight pice will cause all existing copper coins
to be melted down and they go on
…we are
of opinion therefore that a coinage to the extent of 2 lacks of rupees for the
currency of the Lower Provinces and 1˝ for the Province of Benares, 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 extimated 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 contamplation, we are conveniced 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 conspicuos 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 fabricationseems 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…
Letter
from Government to the Mint Committee, dated
…is
entirely of opinion that no alteration should be made in the form of the pice.
The Governor General is also of opinon that it is advisable to adhere to the
weight fixed for the pice by the orders of Government of the 4th
September, and to the rate at which the coin should be issued as likewise
adjusted in the orders of that date.
The Governor
General in Council accordingly desires that you will forward a copy of this
letter to the Mint Master with directions to commence the new copper coinage
for the provinces of
Letter from the Board of Revenue to
|
District |
Amount
of pice required for circulation Laks |
Remarks |
|
Bhaugbhon |
30,000 |
|
|
Beerbhoom |
|
Copper
coin not current in this district |
|
Burdwan |
781-4 |
Or
50,000 pice |
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
Copper
coin not in circulation in this district |
|
Dingapoor |
2000 |
|
|
Jessore |
6250 |
Or
400,000 pice |
|
Moorshedabad |
22,000 |
|
|
Mymensing |
400 |
|
|
Nuddea |
|
Copper
coin not in circulation in this district |
|
Purneah |
1562-4 |
Or
100,000 pice |
|
Rajeihahye |
|
Copper
coin not in circulation in this district |
|
Rungpore |
10,000 |
|
|
Sylhet |
|
Report
wanting |
|
Tipperah |
|
Copper
coin not in circulation in this district |
|
24
Pergannahs |
1000 |
|
|
Behar |
|
Cannot
ascertain the extent of the copper coin in circulation |
|
Sarum |
52,000 |
|
|
Shahabad |
30,000 |
|
|
Tirhoot |
36,000 |
|
|
Hidgellie |
5,000 |
|
|
Midnapore |
|
Copper
coin not in circulation |
|
|
700,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Laks |
946,993-8 |
|
Letter from the Calcutta Mint Master
(Forster) to Government, dated
In reply
to your letter of date the 13th ultimo, giving cover of an extract
of a letter from the magistrate of the city of Patna relative to the
inconvenience experienced from want of pice, and requesting I will report what
quantity of the new pice have been coined, I beg leave to observe I was not
furnished with the decision of the Mint Committee prior to the 20th
of the same month, respecting the weight of the different new copper coins for
the province of Behar, and could not consequently commence on the coinage as
formerly directed by Government.
I have
now the pleasure to inform you that I shall be able to remit to the Collector
of Benares, whole pice, four lack, half pice, three
lack and twenty thousand, Quarter pice, three lack and twenty thousand. To the
Collector of Patna, five lack of pice by the 20th of the present
month, and request the orders of Government to inform me what guard is to be
sent with the above pice and by whom it is to be supplyed. At the same time I
beg leave to advise you for the information of His Lordship in Council that I
shall be able to remit to the above stations, from eight to ten lack of pice per mensum
Letter
from Government to the Mint Master dated
…that the pice which have been coined for the provinces of
Under the
regulations passed by Government on the 29th January last, you are
desired to apply to the officer commanding the corps of Calcutta Native
Militia, for an escort for the coins
Letter from Forster to Government dated
I beg
leave to inform you that I shall make a further dispatch of pice to Patna and
Benares on the 8th proximo, and have to request you will be so good
as to take the necessary measures for my being furnished with a sufficient
escort for teo boats, containing each more or less eight lacks of pice. I
should have applied to captain Downie but from the nature of his former letter
I conclude he cannot furnish me with an escort.
Ordered
that the Mint Master at the Presidency be furnished with a guard to escort the
further remittance of pice proposed to be dispatched to
Letter from Forster to
Asks for
guards for the pice for Behar and
Letter from the
In
obedience to the orders of Government we have the honor to transmit the draft
of a regulation for the conduct of the duties of the mint at
We
further beg leave to notice that in conformity to the instructions of
Government communicated in your letter of the 17th April 1806, we
have made enquiries in regard to the tax levied at the mint denominated the
gurreah salamy, and, as we considered it improper, we have directed its
discontinuance in conformity to the orders of Government dated the 6th
of March. Its abolition is provided for under section XII
…With
respect to the silver and gold coinage of the
The
extensive manufatcures of
The state
of the copper coinage, or rather the insufficiency of the quantity to meet the
demand, calls for immediate attention. The distress so universally experienced
falls more particulary on the middling classes and the manufacturers. The loss
they sustain from this cause is the subject of much complaint and vexation.
The Pisa
in currency at Benares, weighing 180 grains, now at the exchange of 44 to the
rupee, were a few years back at 60, but, notwithstanding this material
difference, all payment in pisa continue at the same rate as when they were at
the lowest valuation. This has enhanced the price of labour at least 30 per
cent, whilst the price of provisions has experienced no alteration to
contenance this rise in the price of labour. The complaints are therefore well
founded. A manufacturer now pays for eleven days labourers, the same hire for
which he formerly procurred fifteen.
The grievance
admits of no other remedy than by a coinage of copper
The pise
proposed to be introduced is a broad coin, which cannot be made of any copper
of inferior quality to the
The
Calcutta Mint Committee further objected to the coinage at the
The
specimans sent by Mr Yeld were also made of sheet copper, but I know not on
what copper his estimates were calculated, as there is not any sort to be now
procured at the price of 57 rupees per maund. At any rate the pisa to be coined
required sheet copper, and under existing circumstances, I apprehend that
neither Mr Yeld’s plan nor the plan proposed by the Calcutta Mint Committee can
be executed, for it is stated by the Calcutta Mint Committee that there is no
sheet copper in store, nor could any quantity be procured here, whilst the
Acting Collector reports that the quantity of pisa necessary to be coined for
the supply of this province will amount to nine lacks of rupees. It is
therefore to be considered by what other plan the distress of the community can
be relieved.
From the
enquiries I have made I am of opinion that the lump and bar copper which comes
from Nepaul, [Bootwul?] and from the westward would answer extremly well for
…But the
These thick sort of
It is
likewise to be observed that
It is in
vain to regulate by fixed rules the market price of pice, as their value does
not depend on the relative value of silver, but on other contingent
circumstances not under control.
The
AD 1808
Regulation
A
regulation for the future management of the mint at
There
then follow all the rules about the management of the mint and the coins to be
produced
…XXXVII
The copper coin made at the
XXXVIII
The copper pice shall be struck on one side with the words
XXXIX
Half pice of the same standard and proportioned size and weight are also to be
coined bearing the same impression as the whole
This
draft regulation was sent to the
On
100 boxes
of whole
40 boxes
of half pice each containing 8000, or total 320,000
20 boxes
of quarter ditto each containing 16,000 or total 320,000
Letter from the Mint Committee at Calcutta
to Calcutta Government, dated
…We beg
leave to observe in justice to the former native officers of the mint [at
Benares] that in 1802 complaints were preferred to Government and investigated
by the Mint Committee at the Presidency and that on enquiry it was ascertained
that during a period of eight years when no European superintendence existed, the
coinage was not deteriorated by ˝ per cent…
…With
respect to the provisions contained in the proposed draft for regulating the
copper coinage, we are of opinion that they should be entirely omitted as your
Lordship in Council has already been pleased to determine that the copper money
should eb strck in the Calcutta mint and we see no sufficient reason assigned
by the Mint Committee at Benares for transferring the coinage of pice to the
Benares mint, but great proprity in the coinage of them being executed in the
Calcutta mint…
…The
copper dubs proposed to be made in the mint at
…Copper
is one of the few articles of export from which the Honble Company derive any profit.
Admitting therefore that the coin should in part be melted down, it appears to
us to be of little consequence, whilst the profit which the Company derive from
converting it into coin greatly exceeds the expenses of coinage…
…There
has been already coined in the mint and dispatched to Benares equal to ninety
thousand rupees in copper monay and 20,000 rupees more will be dispatched in
the course of the present month, making altogether sicca rupees 110,000, and
more can be supplied as required in any quantity after the bullion lately
imported from Europe shall have been coined.
Bengal Revenue Consultations.
P/55/25,
Letter from the Board of Commissioners to
We do ourselves the honor to lay before Government copy of a letter from the Collector of
Benares reporting the failure of his endeavours to bring into circulation the
new copper coinage.
Government appears to have been induced to
order the supply of new pice, with which the Collector of Benares has been
furniched, not in the mere view of substituting a new improved currency for the
old pice hitherto in use, but in consequence of a representation of the Mint
Committee at Benares of inconveniences experienced from a deficiency in the
circulation and from the fluctuation sin the rates of exchange, to the great
injury of the lower classes both in the rate of wages and the price of
provisions.
The difficulty of introducing the new copper
coinage into circulation may be ascribed to the following causes operating,
each of them independently, and some of them to a certain degree with united
effect: the new coin not being properly adapted to the purposes of exchange;
the old coin being sufficient to the requisite circulation; and the influence
of the parties interested in preventing the introduction of the new currency.
The ready sale of the whole supply of single
pice, while no demand appears to exist for the double and half pice, would make it probable that coins of the two latter descriptions
do not posses the convenience which the former offers. For altho’ the Collector
reports that these have been purchased not for circulation in Benares, but for
exportation to Patna, we conclude that if the double or single pice had been
equally acceptable as a medium of exchange, the purchase in a view to a profit
which the circulation of them at Patna might afford, would not have been
confined to the single pice.
That the old currency is sufficient for the
requisite circulation, or that the shroffs possess the means of supplying every
deficiency in it, appears also evident, for had the embarrassments to petty
disbursements been such as the Mint Committee conceived them to be, it is
scarcely probable that the public should not have found means of availing
themselves of the remedy offered to it.
With this power of supplying the demands of
the market so far as still to retain the command of it in their own hands, it
is however very easy for the persons interested in excluding the new currency
to effect their purposes. A combination of the
numerous classes who derive a profit from the fluctuating value of an arbtrary
exchange, and whose profit would be anihilated by the introduction of a
currency of established aqnd defined value, will ever maintain its influence as
long as its extortion is not carried to such lengths as to provoke opposition,
and can in its usual operations be only encountered by the strong arm of the
law.
We accordingly concur with the Collector
that some legislative provisions are necessary for giving effect to the
currency established by Government. But his propositions seem to go further
than would be admissable consistently with the received principles and general
practice. The baser metals could not we believe be made a legal tender of
payment beyond the fractional part of a rupee, and to compel the receipt of a
larger amount in so inconvenient a shape would not be reconcilable with either
expediency or justice.
There appears however, no objection to
adopting his proposition of reserving to Government the prerogative of the
copper coinage, and of making it penal in any private person to manufacture and
issue this instrument of exchange, as well as those formed of the more precious
metals, and for this purpose it would probably be sufficient to enact in the
province of Benares the same provisions as have been established by regulation
XLV, 1803, for the copper coinage of the mint at Farruckabad.
The proposed limitation of six months for
the discontinuance of the present currency seems to allow a period sufficiently
ample for the security of the public from loss by the measure, particularly
when it is recollected that the old pice, altho’ prohibited as a coin, will not
be left wholly useless on the hands of the possessors, their value being always
procurable in the market as ols metal.
Should Government be pleased to approve of
the suggestion for restricting the copper circulation to the public coinage, it
might be advisable to confine the future supplies to the single pice which
alone appear to be in request.
Letter from the Collector of
I request
you will lay before the Board the accompanying copies of proclamation and of my
correspondance with the Magistrate on the subject of the new copper coinage.
I am
sorry to state the the united endeavours of the Magistrate and myself to
introduce this coin into circulation in this province have failed.
It is
true that all the single pice in store (to the value of about 75,000 rupees) have
been issued, but not one I believe has obtained currency here. They have been
remitted to
The
double pice and half pice are not in demand and more than seven or eoght
thousand rupees worth have been issued, and I hear they are still in the hands
of the persons who first applied for them, because they are unable to circulate
or dispose of them.
I have
made many enquiries of inteeligent persons, shroffs and others, as to the best
mode of throwing this copper coin into circulation and it appears to be the
general opinion that until Government shall compel the acceptance and exchange
of the new pice as money, and until a penalty shall be imposed on persons
refusing to take them at the established rates, in payment of purchase etc. the
circulation never will be effected.
I think
it would be expedient to declare the pice of the Government coinage to be the
only legal copper money, but that for a certain period (perhaps 6 months) all
other descriptions of pice may be given and received at the rates of the
Government pice. Viz double 32 per rupee and single 64 etc, but that all
persons whether buyers or sellers or money changers shall only give, receive or
exchange at that rate, and that after the period above fixed, no other pice
than that of the Government shall be eprmitted to be circulated as money. Such
a measure will, I conceive, effectually stop the circulation of the old pice an
dlead to the introduction of the new, for the persons who have old pice by
them, will rather melt them down and convert them to other purposes than
dispose of or make payments with them at the rate of the Government coin which
would subject them to a loss, for the old pice are now sold at 24 per rupee. Should
this or any other mode be adopted to check the circulation of the old pice and
to force that of the new, it would greatly facilitate the introduction of the
latter to appoints treasury podars at different parts of the city of Benares
and all othe rlarge cities in the province, as money changers to exchange with
all persons copper for silver in any sums large or small..
Letter
from Government to the
Enclosing
the above letters and asking for comments etc
Letter from the Secretary to the Board of
Commissioners to Revenue Department, dated
Regulation
X, 1809, having restricted the circulation of the old pice now current in the
province of Benares to a period of six months, after the expiration of which
none but the copper coinage of Government can be legally passed, I am directed
by the Board of Commissioners to beg the favour of your submitting to His
Excellency the Vice President in Council the necessity of furnishing the
Collector of Benares with a supply of copper pice equal to at least three lacks
of rupees, to answer the above exigency.
Letter to
the Mint Committee at
I am
direct to transmit the enclosed copy of a letter from the Secretary to the
Board of Commissioners, and to acquaint you that His Excellency the Vice
President in Council desires that you will instruct the acting Mint Master to
coin the supply required by them, of copper pice, of the size, weight and
bearing the inscription prescribed by regulation 10, 1809. The pice should be
forwarded from time to time to the Collector of Benares, as it can be coined.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Letter from the Mint Committee to
We have the honor
to acknowledge the receipt of Mr Secretary Dowdeswell’s letter dated the 17th
November last, transmitting copy of a letter and enclosure from the Board of
Commissioners representing the difficulties which have been experienced in
bringing the new copper coinage into circulation in the Benares province, and
desiring that we will report our sentiments as to the best mode of disposing of
the double and half pice coined for the use of that district, and submit any
further observations or proposition which may occur to us from a perusal of
those papers.
We were certainly
led to believe from the information received from the late Mint Committee that
the utmost distress was experienced in the province of Benares for want of a
sufficient supply of copper currency, but so far from this being the case it
appears from the Board of Commissioners report that the old currency is either
sufficient for the requisite circulation, or that the shroffs possess the means
of supplying every deficiency in it.
We should
therefore [regret] exceedingly that we did not possess more accurate
information on this subject at an earlier period. If we had not reason to
suppose that nearly the whole of the copper money coined for the use of Benares
had been exported to Behar, where it passes equally current and at the same
value with the Calcutta pice and consequently answers the purposes of
circulation nearly as well as if an equal amount of Calcutta pice had been
issued.
We have reason
however to believe that the quantity of pice in circulation in Calcutta and the
lower provinces is inadequate to the demand for them, and we are therefore of
opinion that the first consideration should be to supply that circulation to
the utmost extent required before any further attempt be made to introduce a
new description of copper currency into the province of Benares where it
appears neither to be required nor wishes for by the inhabitants in
general.
We shall not
pretend to say that the shroffs may not make an undue profit from the traffic
which is carried on by them in copper monay, and which as the late Benares Mint
Committee observe, may operate in some degree as a hardship on the public, but
it is evdent that it cannot be any serious grievance or the new copper monay
would have obtained as ready a currency as it has done in Behar.
If however a
supply of copper money were more urgently required for the use of the province
of Benares than appears to be the case, it would be impracticable to furnish it
within the period which has been fixed by regulation 10 of 1809, as there is no
copper in stroe fit for the coinage of pice, and we beg leave therefore to
suggest that the provisions contained in that regulation may be postponed until
circumstances will admit of the coinage being carried into effect with less
inconvenience to the public service than it could be at the present moment,
even if there were a sufficient supply of copper in store.
There is at
present in the mint a crore of rupees of gold and silver bullion and as the
quantity daily brought for coinage by individuals is an average from 20 to
30,000 rupees per day, and the daily coinage only about 100,000 rupees, a
considerable time must elapse before the mint establishment can be spared for
the coinage of copper monay, and when the officers of the mint are at leaisure,
we are of opinion that it would be more advantageous to the public interests
that they should be first employed in the coinage of Calcutta pice to the
utmost extent that they may required before the copper coinage for Benares be
again resumed.
With a view
however of enabling the officers of the mint to resume the copper coinage as
soon as may be practicable, we beg leave to recommend that the Governments of
Fort St George and Bombay may be requested to send to Bengal all the sheet
copper which can be spared of the thickness of the enclosed gauge.
The quantity of
copper snet out for some years past has been very considerable and there is at
present a large quantity in store but unluckily none of the proper thickness
required for coinage. We beg leave therefore to enclose two gauges shewing the
exaqct thickness of the copper used for coinage for the purpose of being sent
to the Honble Court of Directors with a request that a large quantity of the
copper annually sent out may be of the prescribed thickness.
We estimate a
coinage of at least ten lacks of rupees to be necessary for the lower provinces
and
The Judicial
Department was to be informed that rgulation 10 of 1809 should be postponed.
Letter from
…and to inform you
that Government concur with you in opinion with respect to the expediency of
discontinuing the coinage of copper for supplying the circulation of Benares,
and that it also appears to them expedient that the operation of regulation 10
of 1809, in that province, should for the present be postponed.
Letter from
I am directed by
the Right Honble the Governor Gneral in Council to transmit to you two letters
with the several documents accompanying them in original, from the Board of
Commissioners for the Ceded and Conquered provinces, and to inform you that
after you shall have given the subject particular consideration, His Lordship
in Council desires that you will be pleased to submit to Government your
opinion on the several propositions of the Commissioners, both with respect to
the rate of duty proposed to be levied on bullion which may [be] coined for
individuals from at the Farruckabad mint, the rates proposed to be charged for
refining such bullion, and generally with respect to the provisions of the
regulations proposed by the Commissioners for determining the currency of the
province of Benares and for the management of the mint at that place, with
other arrangements connected with that establishment.
The Governor
General in Council observes that it will not have escaped your notice that the
propositions of the Commissioners go to a determination of a question which has
been much agitated, namely whether it be necessary or expedient to retain a
separate currency and a separate establishment for carrying on a coinage in the
Specimens of the
different coins which have been received from the Commissioners are sent for
your inspection.
Series of letters
about the requirement of 75 maunds of lead required from the magazine at
Chunnar for use at the
A second series of
letters authorizes the changes to the Assay Office to be made.
Series
of letters about Mr Yeld, Mint Master at
Yeld is asked to
provide some estimate of the required amount of lead need in future, and to
give more notice of his requirements.
Letter from the
Board of Commissioners to
We do ourselves
the honor of laying before your Excellency in Council,
copies of a correspondence which has taken place with the Mint Master at
As it appears that
no pice of this description have been yet thrown into circulation, and that
none are likely to be soon received from the Presidency, and as the Mint
Master’s explanation would give us to conclude that the public might be
accomodated by the proposed measure without entailing any risk or expense on
Government, who would on the contrary derive a duty on the coinage, we are not
aware of any objection to its adoption.
Letter from the
We have the honor
to acknowledge Mr Secretary Rickett’s letter dated the 19th July
last, transmitting in original a letter from the Board of Commissioners in the
Ceded and Conquered Provinces, under date the 28th June 1811,
forwarding a recommendation by the Mint Master at Benares that he may be
allowed to comply with any applications made to him by individuals for coining
their copper into pice of the currency established by Regulation X of 1809.
We beg leave to
observe that at the suggestion of Mr Yeld, copper coins were struck in the
Calcutta mint to the value of 110,000 rupees in the year 1806/7, and
transmitted to Benares for the purpose of being thrown into circulation, and
that altho’ Mr Yeld represented the distress of the lower classes of the
community at that period to be very considerable for want of an adequate copper
currency, so far from proving to be the case, it appeared that all the
endeavours of the Collector to introduce that coin into circulation were
ineffectual.
When the
Accountant General found that the Collector of Benares could not dispose of
this copper money, he granted bills on the treasury payable in pice, under the
supposition that by this means they would pass into circulation, but he had not
the most distant idea that they would be exported to
It is very justly
observed by the Board of Commissioners in the letter to Government of the 20th
October 1809, either that the old currency was sufficient for the requisite
circulation of Benares, or that the shroffs possessed the means of supplying
every deficiency in it, since if the embarrassments to petty disbursements were
such as had been represented it was naturally to be expected that they would
have availed themselves of the remedy afforded them. But admitting that the
supply of copper money thro’ foreign channels should have ceased since the
promulgation of Regulation 13 of 1809, the quantity of English Copper for which
applications have been made to the Mint Master to have coined in the Benares
mint is too insignificant to be of any essential use.
[There] are at
present copper coins to the value of 45,006 [Rs] in the
The remainder of
the pice in the Benares treasury consist of half pice struck in the Calcutta
mint amounting in tale to 3,681,088 or at 128 pice to a rupee, Bs Rs 287,588
and as these half pice are of the proportions of the coin authorized to be
struck by Regulation 13 of 1809, and as Government has incurred a considerable
expense in their fabrication, we conceive that they ought to be issued in
preference to encouraging a new coinage in the Benares Mint and no doubt if any
inconvenience is really experienced for want of a sufficiency of copper, they
will be applied for to the Collector.If the Collector however, be not
authorized to issue these half pice in consequence of section2, Regulation 10,
1809, enacting that the pice shall be of one size only weighing sicca weight 8
annas and 9 pie each, and 19/20th of an inch in diameter, we beg
leave to observe that this difficulty may be easily removed by a regulation of
Government, and we presume the large quantity of pice at present in the
Collectors treasury, will appear to Your Excellency in Council to be a
sufficient reason for making them a legal currency.
We beg leave
further to observe that by the Regulation above cited, it is expressly declared
that the copper coins struck for the province of Benares shall be coined in the
Calcutta mint, and as the Mint Master at this Presidency, we have the
satisfaction to observe, has at length overcome the difficulties which were
formerly experienced from the copper not being of a determinate thickness, and
by melting and laminating it will be enabled to make any quantity of pice that
may be requested in future, we can supply any quantity of copper money which
may be wanted for the currency of Benares, should the Board of Commissioners be
of opinion that the coin will obtain circulation and not be exported as was
formerly the case, or be left upon the hands of Government.Because it will be
far preferable to coin pice of the established currency of the lower provinces
for the circulation of Behar and other districts to be supplied thro’ the
medium of Benares, with a coin which is not strictly speaking a legal currency
in the lower provinces, but which owing to the great scarcity of copper money,
has obtained general currency.
When the order of
Government was passed for issuing in the proportion of 1 per cent in copper
money in all payments from the treasury, the number of pice current for a rupee
in the bazar increased from 52 to 62, but in consequence of a scarcity of
copper, these payments ceased, and the number of pice procurable in the bazar
at present is only about 55 or 56 for a rupee. The treasury will however, now
be enabled to recommend its issue of copper monay in the proportion of ˝ per
cent, and as the mint will at all times in future be employed in the coinage of
pice when there is no more important business carrying on in the mint, and the
Honble Court of Directors have sent out a large quantity of copper this season
for the purpose of coinage in consequence of an application which we made to
Government before the Mint Master had succeeded in melting and laminating
copper in the Calcutta mint, we trust in the course of another year that the
circulation of Calcutta, and of the lower provinces will be fully supplied with
this useful currency.
Letter from the Board of Commissioners at
Farrukhabad to Government, dated
On receipt of the orders of Government under
date the 27th February 1809, transmitting to us a draft of a
regulation proposed by the late Mint Committee at Benares, we deemed it
necessary previously to submitting to Government as directed in the 4th
paragraph of those orders, a draft of a regulation for the internal management
of the mint at Benares, to call upon the Mint Master at that station for a
statement exhibiting the amount of coinage there from the year 1781, or for
such other period as could be ascertained from regular and authentic accounts,
with the rate of duty, fees or other impositions levied on the coinage, whether
for Government, or for the officers of the mint, and the annual amount thereof
on an average of three or more years.
We have now the honour to submit copies of
his reply and of the several documents annexed to it, and to observe in
explanation of the delay, which has attended the final execution of these
orders, that subsequent to the receipt of the Mint Master’s report, we deemed
it necessary to wait ‘till we could take the opportunity, during our late
circuit, of making ourselves acquainted on the spot with many points connected
with the question referred to us.
If we considered the mint at
The present constitution also of the mint
appears the best adapted to the purposes of a mint of mere private
accomodation. The proprietor of the bullion to be coined, or an agent on his
part, attends it thro’ every stage of progress, overlooks each process, and
never loses sight or possession of it. The whole expense of each operation, the
loss attending it, the remuneration to the native officers and to the
artificers, the costs of materials, are all at his charge, and the small duty
received by Government is more than sufficient to defray the only charge to
which Government is liable in the salary of the Mint Master, and the hire of an
ediface for the mint.
But as Government have on mature
deliberation determined to recognise this local currency as the legal coin of a
valuable portion of its dominions, the currency thus recognised should be
guarded by similar provisions as the currency of the other parts of its
territorries, and the mint in which it is coined can no longer be considered in
any other light than as an appendage of the general sovereignty of the British
Government.
In this vein of the question, we can by no
means concur with the late Benares Committee, either in retaining the
mis-shapen coin now in use, or in establishing by a legislative recognition,
the principle of the native officers and artisans remunerating themselves by a
levy of fees. On the contrary, it appears to us that Government should now
assume itself the entire direction of this mint and assimilate it in every
respect to the mints of
By this measure, Government will doubtless
incur, as they do at their other mints, a certain expense in a permanent
establishment, the reimbursement of which will depend on the uncertain produce
of a duty on precarious coinage, but we shall imagine that when the average
coining of the last 20 years is assumed as the ground on which to estimate the
future produce of the duty, to be now imposed in lieu of the fees hitherto levied
by the native officers and artificers, no apprehensions need be entertained of
Government incuring any ultimate disburse.
The success which has attended the
introduction of the improved milled coin into
In one of our visits to the
Government will observe from these specimens
how very defective [are] the impressions on the dies now in use. And such will
be the case while the fabrication of the dies is left to the common engravers who
attend the mint. If therefore Government should deem it proper to authorise the
introduction of a milled coin in
As the machinery wanted for the improved
fabrication of the coin can only be procured at the Presidency,it will also be requisite to supply the Mint Master at
Benares with two milling presses for the whole rupee and two for half and
quarter rupees, two presses for stamping dies, two for the concave dies, and
three for the collar dies, similar to those used in the Farruckabad mint, and
one spare machine to be applied to either purpose on emergency.
The future improvement of the coinage
implies no depreciation of the present currency. It will gradually find its way
to the mint, as it may become deficient in weight from wear or any other cause,
but while it will continue to be receivable at the public treasuries as long as
it may remain undefaced by artificial means, or not further deficient in weight
than in the proportion fixed for the Calcutta and Farruckabad siccas, we are
not aware of any advantage which the shroffs can take of the difference however
great which will exist between the new and the old coin in the beauty of its
fabrication.
The fees at present levied on the coinage of
silver bullion, appear to be 1-15 per cent and to be levied in the following
proportions:
By the native officers of the mint 0-3-0
By the melters refiners and cutters 0-6-0
By the durabs, stampers & engravers 0-5-0
By Government including 1 anna distributed
in charity
1-15
The duty to Government in fact varies from
1-6 on what is denominated bullion, to 1 rupee on old coin which requires to be
remelted and 8 annas on old coin which only requires to be struck anew. But as
the second description includes nearly the whole of what is brought for coinage
we have assumed it as the average.
The fees to the native officers also differ
on some descriptions of bullion, and partial exemptions are admitted in favor
of particular persons, but the fees stated above are the medium rates.
As the merchant supplies the materials
himself, the nearah, melting pots and dross lead belonging of course to him,
and if the recovery to him be estimated at the same rate as it is found to be
in the Farruckabad mint, 8 annas per cent, the actual charge to him including
the materials, and the value of his own time, or the wages of his gomastah
during their attendance on the process, cannot be taken at less than 1-8 per
cent.
The annual coinage on an average of 20 years
is found to have been 2,581,372 or nearly 26 lacks, and a duty of 1-8 per cent
thereon would give a sum of rupees 38,720 per annum, or 3225 per mensum, a sum
much more then adequate to any establishment which it could be required to
entertain for the
Altho’ we have stated generally the proposed
duty at 12 annas for refining, and 12 annas for the fabrication, Government
will observe in the annexed draft of a regulation, that we propose to raise the
duty on refining to one rupee upon bullion of very great inferiority, and to
reduce the duty on fabrication to 8 annas upon bullion superior to standard.
Such distinction appears advisable as an inducement to individuals to bring
their bullion to the mint in the purest state. The loss in wastage and the
expense expense of the operation being in proportion to the impurities which it
may be necessary to clear away.
As the principle on which we propose to
regulate the mint differs fundamentally from that assumed by the late Mint
Committee, any specific remarks on the draft of the regulation proposed by them
seem superfluous, but as it may be necessary to state the grounds on which we
have excluded in the draft herewith submitted, many of the suggestions besides
those connected with the internal management of the mint, we beg leave to
submit the following abstract of the regulations proposed by them.
Sect II to VI
There appears to us no necessity for
introducing into a regulation at so much detail the designation or duties of
the European and native officers. The requisition of security and the
limitation of the amount are matters of discretion and the native officers of
the mint are already subject in common with the other officers of Government to
the rules of the existing regulations.
Sect VII, X to XV
It being proposed that every charge at the
mintshould be consolidated into one duty payable to Government, all distinction
of fees, nuzeranah, charity etc will cease, and the native officers will in
future receive fixed salaries from Government. The charity as hitherto may be
received, and the amount which may be continued to prper objects of this bounty
should be hereafter paid in common with the other pensions from the Collectors
treasury.
Section VIII
Lead and all other materials will in future
be furnished by the Government. It might be expedient in some instances to
require the artificers to bring their own charcoal, with a view to obviating an
unnecessary expediture. But this is a matter of internal management and not of
legislation
Sects IX, XXXVI to XLIX
The copper coinage being furnished from the
Presidency, and a regulation having already been enacted for securing its
circulation, the whole of these sections become unnecessary.
Sect XVI
There appears to be some mistake in defing
the standard, which has been remedied in the annexed draft on the information
of the Mint Master.
Sect XVII
There has scarcely been any gold coined in
the
Section XVIII
This is copied from former regulations. It
seems however objectionable to leave the number of halves and quarters to be
coined to the option of the party. The expense of working is greater with them
then with the whole rupees, and the proportion per cent which any individual
may be entitled to require, ought perhaps to be defined. We have however not
ventured to alter what has already been enacted in two other mints.
Sect XIX & XX
The dies engraved at
Sect XXI to XXIII
These are transcribed from the existing
regulations and we have therefore not ventured to [innovate?] in them, altho’
as the merchants may have the option of receiving payment of their certificates
from the Collector’s treasury in case of any delay in the coinage, the rule
which prescribes the order in which the several processes are to take place,
and which was intended solely to ensure to the merchants, payment in their
priority with reference to each other, becomes unnecessary, and may tend to
embarrass the operations of the mint.
Sect XXIV
As it is proposed that Government should
assume the entire charge of the mint and the merchants will receive
certificates payable at their option either from the mint or the Collector’s
treasury, no interference on their part in the mint operations can be admitted
of.
Sect XXV to XXIX
There appears no use in the metals being
refined, cut into ingots, and stampt at the mint, when no trace of the stamp
can remain as soon as the ingot shall have been subsequently beaten out into
leaf or wire, nor do we see what can be answered by the wire drawers working in
the precincts of the mint if no interference is to be exercised over them.
There is however no objection to the wire drawers continuing to work in the
precincts of the mint as they have been accustomed to do, and to the bullion
intended for wire drawing being refined at the mint on payment of a duty
adequate to the expense, but the only mode which occurs for preventing the use
of unadulterated materials in the manufacture is to render the materials while
in fabrication liable to search and seizure for the purpose of being assayed at
the mint, with a penalty to be imposed by the magistrate for any materials
found to be below the standard which may be fixed.
No further provision in regards to the
several points noticed in these sections appears necessary. They are already
enacted in the regulations of the
In fixing the establishment which may be
necessary for the Benares mint in the event of Government approving of the
suggestion for assuming the entire direction of it, we have endeavoured to
limit it as far as on a comparison of the mint at Farruckabad, appeared
practicable with due attention to the principal object of ensuring a regular
discharge of official duties. The following is the establishment which in such
case we should propose:
|
|
Rs |
|
Mint & Assay Masters |
1200-0-0 |
|
House rent as at present |
110-0-0 |
|
A foreman |
100-0-0 |
|
An English writer |
100-0-0 |
|
Darogah of the bullion Department |
100-0-0 |
|
Ditto of the Coinage ditto |
100-0-0 |
|
Sorter of Specimens |
70-0-0 |
|
Two Weighmen at 10 rupees each |
20-0-0 |
|
Five Superintendents of the presses at 10
rupees each |
50-0-0 |
|
Two adjusters of the planchets at 10 each |
20-0-0 |
|
Five Lascars at 5 ditto |
25-0-0 |
|
One Jamadar at 6, & 10 Peons @ 4 ditto |
46-0-0 |
|
One Godown Mutsudee |
8-0-0 |
|
[Duftree] 8 rupees, [Bliesty] 4, Sweeper 3 |
15-0-0 |
|
Two chowkydars @ 4 Rs each |
8-0-0 |
|
One Carpenter |
16-0-0 |
|
One bricklayer |
10-0-0 |
|
|
|
|
|
1998-0-0 |
Output of the
|
|
Silver (Rupees) |
Gold (mohurs |
Copper (maunds) |
|
1782 |
1,171,165 |
15,111 |
2232 |
|
1783 |
Records incomplete or missing |
||
|
1784 |
2,009,037 |
20,892 |
128 |
|
1785 |
1,367,899 |
12,936 |
0 |
|
1786 |
Records incomplete or missing |
||
|
1787 |
Records incomplete or missing |
||
|
1788 |
1,733,703 |
15,806 |
755 |
|
1789 |
2,093,251 |
21,535 |
580 |
|
1790 |
Records incomplete or missing |
||
|
1791 |
Records incomplete or missing |
||
|
1792 |
2,226,440 |
217 |
0 |
|
1793 |
3,247,363 |
52 |
377 |
|
1794 |
1,966,637 |
4077 |
369 |
|
1795 |
1,391,935 |
27,120 |
71 |
|
1796 |
2,089,179 |
3,111 |
203 |
|
1797 |
Records incomplete or missing |
||
|
1798 |
2,184,971 |
46 |
0 |
|
1799 |
Records incomplete or missing |
||
|
1800 |
2,544,875 |
238 |
148 |
|
1801 |
1,904,222 |
5 |
0 |
|
1802 |
2,456,147 |
31 |
0 |
|
1803 |
3,547,186 |
445 |
175 |
|
1804 |
3,723,742 |
60 |
59 |
|
1805 |
3,615,615 |
0 |
0 |
|
Under
European Superintendance from now on |
|||
|
1806 |
5,790,758 |
0 |
0 |
|
1807 |
4,183,308 |
251 |
126 |
|
1808 |
2,085,013 |
12 |
20 |
NB the fact that there are frations reported
for the gold for most years, indicates that fractional gold coins (halves,
quarters and eighths) were struck.
AD 1810 Regulation
A Regulation for the future management of
the mint at
Preamble. Whereas it has been deemed expedient to
continue the mint at Benares, and to assimilate the internal management of it
to the rules already in force in the mints of Calcutta and Farruckabad, and
whereas it is of importance to secure the purity and prevent the debasement of
the precious metals employed in the various manufactures of the city of Benares,
the following rules have therefore been enacted to be in force from their
promulgation
There are then 31 sections of regulation:
Section II, The silver coin current in the
Section III, The Benares rupee is to
continue of the following weight and standard, and half and quarter rupees are
to be coined of the same standard and proportionate weight
Troy weight grains 175
Touch or pure silver 168.875
Alloy 6.125
Touch or parts of pure silver in 100 96.5
Alloy 3.5
Section IV, The Benares rupee shall be of
the same size and form as the nineteenth sun sicca rupee struck in the mint of
Section V, The half and quarter rupees shall
be proportionately less than the rupee, according to their respective value,
and shall have the same impression as the rupee
Section VI, To guard as far as possible
against the counterfeiting, clipping, drilling, filing, defacing or debasing
the coin, the edges of it shall be milled and the dies shall be made of the
same size as the coin, so that the whole of the impression may appear on the
surface of it.
Section VII, The dies for striking the
silver coin at the mint of
Section VIII, The immediate conduct of the
mint at
Section IX, The Mint and Assay Master and
the native officers of the mint, shall be amenable to the Dewant Adawlat of the
city of
Section X, It shall be the duty of the judge
of the Court of Circuit for the district of Benares, who may hold each monthly
jail delivery for the city of Benares, to visit the mint during such jail
delivery and to make such enquiries as he shall consider necessary to satisfy
himself of the manner in which the business of the mint is conducted, reporting
the result of his enquiries to the Governor General in Council. He shall at the
same time take indiscriminately out of the heaps of coin at the foot of the
striking presses, three pieces of each description of coin which may have been
struck off, and transmit them to the Mint Committee at the Presidency, who
shall send the same to the Mint Master at Calcutta, in order that he may cause
the coin to be examined and assayed. If the specimen of coin so transmitted
shall be found to be not of the proper standard, and if the coin shall be
defective in the workmanship, or in any other respect, the Mint Master shall
report the circumstances to the Mint Committee at the Presidency for the orders
of the Governor General in Council.
Section XI, The Mint Master at
Section XII, Persons charged with
counterfeiting, clipping, filing drilling, defacing or debasing the silver coin
of Benares, shall be committed for trial to the criminal courts and shall be
punished as the law may direct.
Section XIII, The Benares rupees of the
prescribed weight and standard shall be considered to be a legal tender of
payment in all public and private transactions, throughout the
Section XIV, All officers agents, gomastahs
or others employed in the collection or payment of the public revenue, or the
rents of individuals, or the provision of the investment, and all proprietors
and farmers of land, dependant Talookdars, under farmers of ryots, and all
persons whatsoever are prohibited affixing any mark whatever to the silver
coin, and all rupees or halves or quarters of rupees which may be so marked are
declared not to be legal tender of payment in any public or private
transactions, and the officers of government are directed to reject any rupees
or halves or quarter of rupees so marked which may be tendered at the public
treasuries in Benares.
Section XV, All Benares rupees which shall
not have lost by wear a greater proportion of the full weight than 6 annas per
cent or six sixteenth of a rupee in one hundred rupees, shall be considered as
of standard weight and shall be received as such in all public and private
transactions.
Section XVI, However, if the weight is lost
by filing etc etc then the rupees will only be accepted for their intrinsic
value
Section XVII
Section XVIII both to do
with short weight rupees, halves or quarters
Section IX,
Section XX, all silver bullion and old or
light silver coin delivered into mint at Benares for coinage shall be assayed
in the ordered in which it shall have been received, refined in the order in
which it may have been assayed, and coined in the order in which it may be
refined. Standard silver bullion delivered into the mint shall be registered as
refined bullion, on the date on which it may be assayed.
Section XXI all about the registers that
must be kept
Section XXII Registers also kept in English
Section XXIII, Persons carrying silver
bullion to the mint to be coined, shall have the option of receiving payment of
their certificates from the mint in the order of their priority from the
Collectors treasury, and the Collector is hereby ordered to discharge such
certificates as may be presented to him for payment, whenever the state of his
treasury may admit of it.
Section XXIV & XXV about abolitions the
old fees and replacing them with new ones
Section XXVI, It shall be at the option of
individuals to have their old or light coin or bullion of silver, coined into
reupees of the established weight and standard, or into half or quarter rupees,
or into such proportion of each as they may think proper.
Section XXVII & XXVIII, native officers
receiving bribes etc shall be dismissed but may appeal to the court
Section XXIX, is about use of bullion for
manufactured goods
Section XXX, whereas the gold coin
denominated gold mohurs has never obtained and extensive circulation in the
province of Benares, in consequence of silver having been the general measure
of value, and whereas the coinage of gold mohurs has accordingly been long
since discontinued, it is therefore not judged necessary at present to
establish a gold coinage at Benares, and the gold mohur shall continue to be
circulated as heretofore, agreeably to the established usage of this country
Section XXXI, The Collectors of the
revenues, the commercial residents or agents, the mint and assay master of
Ordered that the following letter be written
to the Mint Committee and to the Board of Commissioners in the Ceded &
Conquered provinces
Letter to the Mint Committee from
I am directed by
the Right Honorable the Governor General in Council to acknowledge the receipt
of your report of the 16th September last on the several
propositions submitted in the two letters from the Board of Commissioners for
the Ceded & Conquered Provinces dated the 27th April 1810.
The Governor
General in Council entirely concurs with the Board of Commissioners in the
expediency of placing the mint of
As no objection
now exists to imposing a duty on the coinage carried on for individuals at the
Farrukabad mint, His Lordship in Council approves for the reasons stated by
you, the rates recommended to be levied, and that the duty be uniform at the
several mints under this Presidency.
The Governor
General in Council, after an attentive consideration of your report entirely
appoves of the several suggestions contained therein, and has accordingly
directed that the three regulations submitted by you to be promulgated.
A great public
convenience has been experienced by having a table in the Calcutta mint to shew
the outurn or produce of silver bullion under standard (according to the
quantity of alloy therein) in minute gradations, as far as eleven per cent
worse than standard. His Lordship in Council has directed as recommended in
your report that the table submitted by you for the purpose of regulating the
deliveries of the produce of silver bullion under standard, which may be sent
to be refined at the Farrukabad and Benares Mints, be printed and annexed to
the regulations.
In reference to
the small quantity of gold which has been brought to the
The Governor
General in Council has been pleased to authorize the establishment recommended
by the Board of Commissioners in their letter of 27th April 1810,
for conducting the duties of the Benares mint, with exception to the wages of
the foremen, which for the reasons assigned in the 35th paragraph of
your report, it is considered advisable to fix at sicca rupees 250 per mensum.
As his Lordship in
Council approves the introduction of the European machinery into the
There then follows
a letter to the Commissioners in the Ceded & Conquered provinces, and this
includes a list of the proposed establishment
|
|
Rs per mensum |
|
Mint & Assay Master |
1200 |
|
House rent |
110 |
|
A Foreman |
250 |
|
English Writer |
100 |
|
Darogah of the bullion
department |
100 |
|
Darogah of the coinage
department |
100 |
|
Sorter of specimens |
70 |
|
Two Weighmen at 10 rupees
each |
20 |
|
Five Superintendants of the
presses at 10 Rs each |
50 |
|
Two adjusters of the
planchets at 10 rupees each |
20 |
|
Five lascars at 5 rupees
each |
25 |
|
One Jamindar at 6 Rs and 10
Peons at 4 Rs each |
46 |
|
One Godown mutsudder |
8 |
|
Dustree 8 Rs, Bhesty 4 Rs
and sweeper 3 Rs |
15 |
|
Two chokeydars at 4 Rs each |
8 |
|
A carpenter |
16 |
|
A bricklayer |
10 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
2148 |
Letter from the Board of Commissioners to
On proceeding to
carry into execution the orders of Government communicated in your letter of
the 17th January, relative to the mint at Benares in consequence of
the receipt of Regulation II, 1812, I am directed by the Board of Commissioners
to request that you will solicit the instructions of His Lordship in Council
with regard to the nomination of a person to fill the situation of foreman.
This was forwarded
to the Mint Committee
Letter from
I am directed by
the Right Honble the Governor General in Council to acknowledge the receipt of
your letter of the 22nd ultimo requesting to be informed from what
date the salaries fixed by the orders of Government of the 17th
January last, for the officers of the Benares mint are to commence, and to
acquaint you that the additional allowance is to be granted to Mr Yeld from the
date fixed for Regulation II, 1812, to take effect by 1st May last,
and the salaries of the native officers from the date on which they ceased to
receive the fees formerly allowed to them.
Letter from the Acting Magistrate of the
city of
Captain Stewart of
His Majesty’s 22nd regiment who is on the point of leaving this
place for the Presidency by water, has done me the favour to take charge of a
package to your address containing 50 newly struck rupees received from the
mint on the following dates
10 on 29th
August
10 on 2nd
November
10 on 18th
December
10 on 12th
July
10 on 28th
August
The remaining ten
which were received on each of the foregoing dates have been forwarded by
favour of Captain Stewart to the Assay Master in
I understand from
the public officers that from December to July the presses of the mint were
very seldom at work.
Letter from the Board of Commissioners to
With reference to
the orders of Governmentof
We have instructed
the Collector in conformity to the suggestion of the Mint Committee at the
Presidency in their address to Government of
As the Collector
states that half pice still in stroe are not likely to be disposed of for
circulation in the
Altho’ we are not
of opinion that any such prejudices exist as are alluded to by the Collector
and Mint Master in regard to a local coinage, we take the liberty of suggesting
that if the Calcutta mint should not be at liberty from its other operations,
to furnich a sufficient and early supply of such pice as are likely to
circulate in the province of Benares, the introduction of a copper coinage at
the Bneares mint, similarly to what is already authorized at the Farruckabad
mint, might be experienced.
Letter from Yeld
(Mint & Assay Master at
I have the honor
to acknowledge your letter of the 12th November, covering copy of a
report from the Mint Committee at
On the second
paragraph of that report, which seems to me to imply that my representation of
the distress of the lower classes of the community for want of an adequate
copper currency at that period was not correct, the subsequent part of the
report furnishes this conclusion: that however great the want of an adequate
copper currency in the Benares province, there was so much greater a want in
Behar as to render it profitable to the shroffs to export the new pice intended
for Benares.
In venturing to
again notice the great want of a copper coinage in the Province of Benares, and
the impositions and hardship the lower classes of the community are at presnt
subjected to by the monopoly and combination of the shroffs and money changers,
I with confidence appeal to all the European Gentlemen who have resided a
twelve month in any of its districts, whether in the service or out of it, for
a confirmation of my former statements on that head.
On the endeavours
of the Collector to introduce the new coin into circulation proving
ineffectual, I beg leave to observe that his instructions were confined to the
payment of claims upon the treasury to such as might be desirous of payment in
that coin, or distributing it to persons wishing to exchange silver into the
new coin. He accordingly issued an advertizement to that purport as per
enclosure No1. The shroffs seeing no restriction to its exportation, soon
discovered its value in Behar, and numerous applications were accordingly made
for the exchange for silver for the single pice in the first instance, not for
currency in
On the third
paragraph of the report I have to remark that proper as was the Accountant
General’s intentions in granting bills payable in pice, on the supposition that
by this means they would pass into circulation, these bills tho’ unknown to
him, were sought principally by the Behar merchants, for the expressw purpose
on their part, of exportation, which led the Collector to make the subject
known to the Accountant General, and to apply to the Board of Commissioners on
the necessity of addressing Government on the subject of prohibiting the
exportation of the new copper currency intended for the Province of Benares. No
prohibition took place, and the followign paragraph from the Accountant
General’s letter, to the Collector, dated the 9th of May 1810, gives
his subsequent opinion on the subject: “With respect to the observation
contained in the last paragraph of your letter, I beg leave to observe that it
was only in consequence of the difficulty which you experienced in bringing the
new pice into circulation that I granted those drafts payable in pice, and
altho’ I had no conception at the time that they were required for the
remittances of Behar, yet as it appears that they circulate in Behar at the
same rate as the Calcutta pice and that the Board of Commissioners are of
opinion that there is either a sufficiency of old pice in circulation, or that
the shroffs possess the means of supplying any deficiency, I think that it is
not to be regretted that they have been exported by the shroffs”.
In the fourth
paragraph of the report on the opinion of the Board of commissioners “either
that the old currency was sufficient for the requisite circulation of Benares,
or that the shroffs possessed the means of supplying every deficiency in it,
since if the embarrassments to petty disbursements were such as had been
represented, it was naturally to be expected that they would have availed
themselves of the remedy afforded them”. I take the liberty of observing that
as long as the shroffs and money-changers have command of the monopoly, and the
community are obliged to resort to them for pice without fixed rates of
exchange, it does not appear to me possible to obtain any remedy to the
embarrassments to petty disbursementa, as the interest of the shroffs and
money-changers, is at direct variance with the introduction of the new coinage,
and until this interest shall be done away by legislative regulations, the
inference of the Board of Commissioners, and until this interest shall be done
away by legislative regulations, the inference of the Board of Commissioners
before cited, does not appear to me exactly consonant to the circumstances of
the case. On the concluding sentence of that paragraph, that the quantity of
English copper for which application had been made to be coined into the
present currency was too insignificant to be of any essential use, I have to
state that this was only employed in the first instance to put the question on,
and I have no doubt, had the permission been granted, a very large quantity of
copper would before this time, have been converted into pice.
On the subsequent
points of disquisition contained in the report of the Committee at
There can be no
doubt that a copper currency struck for the Benares Province, which is equally
current in the lower provinces with the appropriate copper coin of those
provinces, can never yet get into circulation in the Benares Province without
some legislative prohibition to its exportation, until the lower provinces are
completely stocked, and also a regulation for its rate of exchange within the
Benares Province, and either prohibiting the old pice as a legal payment, or
that they shall be so, of the present weight, at the same tale with the new
pice.
The issue of a new
coinage confined to the Collector’s treasury, must render its progress into the
general use of the community very slow indeed. It appears to me therefore
necessary that some more general means should be resorted to, and none better
suggest themselves to me , than by the Collector placing such amounts of pice
as he may demm proper with his aumulah, in all parts of the province to be
exchanged for silver at fixed rates. Besides the facility this would afford the
community at large, of getting the new pice, it would at once break the
monopoly and combination of the shroffs and money changers. Its issue at the
mint appears to me also to be advisable.
The extensive
country below Benares to be supplied with such an addition to its copper
currency from the Calcutta mint as shall stock its markets, must from its
present well-known scarcity in the lower provinces, render it a very
considerable period before the efforts of the Calcutta mint can be at all
turned to the supply required for the province of Benares, and as Government
have thought it proper to concede to the prejudices of the people of this
province, the continuance of a mint for their silver and gold coinage, and
being convinced the influence their opinion on this head would have in
introducing a copper coinage into general circulation, I am led to hope
Government will on reconsidering this part of the subject accelerate the
introduction of a new copper coinage into this province, by allowing such
copper as may be brought by individuals to be coined in the Benares mint, and
that Government will also concede the stamping in the Benares mint as
recommended in my letter of the 9th July 1806, such as may be
laminated and cut into planchets in the Calcutta mint. For if laminated and cut
into planchets in the
Letter from the
Collector of
In reply to your
letter of the 14th July last I request you will acquaint the Board
that the quantity of half pice of
In like manner,
the pice under the denomination of Mudhooshahee pice, called in from the
pergannah of Gurwarah are still lying in the treasury, no orders having been
received as to the disposal or apprpriation of them.
It is universally
acknowledged throughout the
I humbly conceive
the evil might be obviated in great measure by allowing the Mint Master at
I am of opinion
(and I believe it also the opinion of the Mint Master who is better qualified
to speak on the subject) that it would be much easier to maintain a copper
currency of
Ordered that a
copy of the forgoing letter together with a copy of the letters from the
Collector and Mint Master at
Letter from Davidson, Calcutta Mint Master,
to the Mint Committee, dated
The machinery for
the
The Mint Master of
James Quin was
duly appointed foreman of the
Letter from Davidson (Calcutta Mint Master)
to
the machinery made
and prepared in the
Extract of a Letter from the
I beg leave to
state that there are three presses only forwarded with the present machinery,
which are calculated for the proportionate work the laminating rollers can turn
off. Three more therefore will be required for correcting the Derabs (Duraps?)
planchets in the mode in use in the Farruckabad mint for effecting
a coinage of 20,000 rupees per day and a spare one should be at hand to replace
any one damaged or worn out.
The Mint Committee
at
Letter from the Magistrate at
I am under the
necessity of soliciting the authority of the Right Honble the Governor General
in Council to put a stop to an abuse which exposes the poorer classes of the
inhabitants of this city to considerable inconvenience.
Since the coin
denominated tirsoolee pice was originally established as the copper currency of
the city of
But the labouring
class of people suffer most. They receive their daily wages in copper pice, and
as the money price of labour is the same as it was before the shroffs made this
innovation, the labourer, if he happens to be paid in pice containing a defect
in the tirsool, loses 11 per cent of his earnings. The retail shop keepers, who
deal chiefly with the labouring poor, are paid for their articles in pice, and
are compelled to demand them from their customers at the rate which is required
by the shroffs to whom they exchange them for rupees. This innovation
accordingly presses most heavily upon those who, on account of their indigence,
are the least capable of supporting it.
It has also
introduced an uncertainty in the current value of the copper coin which serves
as a cover to exaction. For instance, the agents for the Collector for the
retail sale of stamp paper are paid for this commodity in pice, but being
required to remit the amount periodically to the public treasury in rupees,
they must dispose of their copper to the shroffs, and consequently indemnify
themselves for the loss of 11 per cent to which they are liable, by raising the
price of the paper to the purchasers. This, by leaving so much to the
discreation of the agents opens the way of course, to unlimited abuse, for
which there can be no effectual remedy without removing at once the evil in
which it has originated.
Since this evil is
found to originate in a distinction purely fictitious and is really nothing
else than a fraud concerted a month or two ago by a combination of interested
persons to serve their own purposes, it may be desirable to remove it and for
that purpose I recommend that Government authorize me to issue a proclamation
declaring all tirsoolee pice, whether retaining the mark of the tirsool or not,
to be current as heretofore at the same value and received at an equal rate in
discharge of all public and private demands as the established copper currency
of the place. This measure, I submit, is indispensible not only to remove the
abuses already introduced but to prevent the introduction of new ones which the
avarice of any combination may in future attempt to impose upon the public.
Sent
to the Mint Committee at
Letter from the Mint Committee to
Government, dated
We have the honor
to submit for your consideration and orders of Your Lordship in Council the
accompanying copy of a letter and its enclosure from the Mint Master forwarding
and recommending an application from the foreman of the mint, Mr DaCosta, to be
remunerated for the extra duty of superintending the execution of two complete
sets of machinery for the mints of Farruckabad and Benares.
The machinery
intended for the Farruckabad mint was completed in February 1810, that for the
mint at
It having been
usual to consider work of this kind as extra duty and to remunerate the foreman
of the mint accordingly, and the sum of 6000 rupees having been granted to Mr
Da Costa’s precessor on completing an extensive set of machinery for Madras in
the year 1806, we beg leave to recommend that Mr DaCosta may be allowed the sum
of 4000 rupees as a compensation for the extra duty of superintending the
construction of the machinery for the mints at Farruckabad and Benares.
Letter from the
… In our letters
to Your Lordship in Council dated the 30th March 1810 and 11th
October 1811, we expressed our doubts as to the reality of the distress said to
be experienced by the lower classes of the community in Benares from a
deficiency of copper currency in that province, since it had been found
impracticable to give circulation to 110,000 rupees worth of pice which had
been coined and remitted to Benares for the express purpose of supplying that
alledged deficiency.
The Mint Master at
Benares, however, in his report to the Board of Commissioners, now referred to
us again, urges the great want of a copper currency and the Collector concurs
in his opinion that coin struck in the Benares mint would be most likely to
find circulation in that province.
We are suprized to
find that both the Collector and the Mint Master still persist in attaching so
much importance to a local coinage on account of the prejudices of the people,
after the opinion formerly expressed and again repeated by the Board of
Commissioners that no such prejudices exist and more especially as the Mint
Master himself has shown that the endeavours of the Collector to introduce the
new pice into circulation proved ineffectual from other causes.
In the 8th
paragraph of Mr Yeld’s letter he observes that there can be no doubt that a
copper currency struck for the Benares province which is equally current in the
Lower provinces with the appropriare currency of those provinces can never get
into circulation in the Benares province without some legislative prohibition
to its exportation until the Lower provinces are completely stocked. Now this
cause we conceive sufficiently accounts for the copper pice coined in the
Calcutta mint not obtaining circulation at Benares, without attributing it to
the prejudices of the natives in favour of a local currency.
If a balance is
due from one province to another the debtor will of course adopt that mode of
remittance which is most advantageous, and whilst there is a call for remittances
to Behar, and pice are demand there, it may be expected that the Benares
merchants will continue to export copper coins whether thay are struck in the
Benares or the Calcutta mint, if they equally pass in circulation, and under
these circumstances we concur the remedy proposed by Mr Yeld of preparing the
coin in the Calcutta mint, and stamping it at Benares would not have the
slightest effect in checking their exportation.
In offering these
remarks we are far, however, from dissuading Your Lordship in Council from
authorizing a copper coinage to be executed in the
A complete set of
machinery has been lately sent to the
Previous however
to authorizing a copper coinage to be undertaken in the Benares mint, we are of
opinion that the sentiments of the Board of Commissioners and of the local
officers should be requested, as to the alteration which may be advisable to
make in the weight and inscription of the Benares pice, so as to answer the
purposes of a local currency and prevent their passing current in the Lower
provinces, for which purpose it may be necessary to raise their value, or in
other words to reduce their weight more than at present below the weight (as
per margin) of the pice coined for the Lower provinces, and as it will be
necessary to issue another proclamation recinding regulation X of 1809 and
clause III regulation 12 of 1810, we would beg leave also to suggest that the
Board of Commissioners may be requested to submit the draft of a regulation for
the copper coinage of Benares in which the several provisions contained in
regulation 45 of 1803 respecting the copper coinage of the upper provinces may
be introduced as well as any other which may appear to that Board to be
advisable for securing the objects intended.
The Board of
Commissioners recommendation to the Accountant General to dispose of the half
pice at Benares for exportation to Behar, would be attended to if this
description of coin were current in the Lower provinces, but we recollect
formerly that the shroffs refused to purchase the half pice from their
answering the purpose of remittance to Behar, and we do not apprehand therefore
that they would take them at present.
We beg leave
however to observe that in the 7th paragraph of our letter under the
date the 11th October 1811, we suggestede the expediency of making
thesehalf pice legal currency but in the event of that proposition appearing to
be objectionable in consequence of the suggestions which we have now the honor
to submit for altering the weight and inscription on the Benares pice, we would
in that case recommend that they should be melted down in the Benares mint for
the purpose of recoinage, and that the same process may be performed on the
Muddooshahye pice after refining them to the purity of English copper, as
recommended by the Mint Master in his letter of the 12th March, a
copy of which we have the honor to enclose, as we understand from the Collector
of Benares that the expense would be considerable in sending then for that
purpose to the Calcutta mint.
There then follows
a letter to the Board of Commissioners asking them to put all this into effect.
Letter from the Calcutta Mint Master
(Davidson) to Government, dated
Four pair of
collar and concave dye presses prepared in the
So ordered
Coins sent by the
Magistrate from
Confirmation
that the coins from
Mr Yeld (Mint and
Assay Master at
Granted
Confirmation
that the pice would be sent from
Series
of letters about the need to expand the buildings, or indeed hire new buildings
for the accomodation of the machinery now in use at
This is authorized
but not to enter into any long term commitment until more info is available
about the renewal of the Company’s Charter.
Mr Quin, foreman of the
Malcolm Mcleaod, Acting Mint Master
at
Letter from Yeld (Banares Mint
Master) to Board of Commissioners for
I have the honor to acknowledge the
due receipt of your Board’s letter of the 15th ultimo and
accompanying paper.
A very smart bilious attack has
prevented me being able to give attention to anything since my receipt of your
Board’s letter until this day.
I now beg leave to submit to you
that the IV section of your projected regulation appears to me the only part
that any suggestion can be added to. It is therein proposed that the impression
of the copper coin shall be the same as the rupee. The old copper pice had a
different one, which I think the prejudices of the people would prefer and of
which I furnished your Board with an exact copy divested of all but the Rajah’s
ensigns in the specimens of pice forwarded with my letter of
Letter from Mint Committee to Board
of Commissioners for
…We beg to explain that we are not
aware of any objection to the impression proposed by Mr Yeld and approved by
the Board of Commissioners, and that it was in compliance only with the tenor
of their draft of the regulation, that the Mint Committee drafted the section
which it is now proposed to modify. We therefore take the liberty of submitting
the following modification of it:
IV The form and size of the copper
coin established by the foregoing section, shall
correspond with those prescribed by section XII, Regulation 2, 1812 for the
Mr Heatly is duly appointed foreman
at
Letter from Wilson (Assay Master at
The copper coinage of Benares having
undergone some modifications by which the copper normally required for that
mintis now no longer adapted to the dimensions of the coin, and as that mint is
not possession of the means to reduce it to the proper thickness, it will be
necessary to substitute other copper to that now under consignment to Benares,
and you will accordingly stop its transmission or send in its place sheet
copper of the thickness of the Calcutta pice
Letter from the Magistrate at
I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of a letter from you dated the 14th of October last with its
enclosures, desiring me to report how far the regulations in force regarding
the copper coinage in the mint at Benares have answered the purpose intended by
them, and whether in my opinion any material advantage would be derived from
adopting the alterations proposed in the draft of the regulation submitted by
the Mint Committee.
The proposed alterations are as
follows: 1st with respect to the established weight of the coin. 2nd as to its form size and impression. 3rd
in regards to the first point, there is in fact no real difference between the
weight of the coin in question and that which is proposed by the Committee in
their projected regulation. On examining a number of pice formerly coined at
As to the form, size and impression
of the coin, the Committee appear to have suggested the alteration under the
supposed existance of a prejudice in the minds of the people of this province
in favour of certain devices, alledged to be the distinction of the Rajah. No
such prejudices in fact exist. The form, size and impression prescribed by
section 3, regulation 10, 1809, is just as acceptable to them as any other, and
the pice ordered to be struck in conformity to it in the Benares mint, would
have been long ago in exclusive circulation had the Mint Master been able to
furnish an adequate supply. The endeavour to introduce the pice bearing this
impression, which was formerly sent up from Calcutta, did not fail in
consequence of any prejudice against the form, size or imscription of the coin,
but from the causes pointed out in the 9th paragraph of my letter to
you dated the 21st April last, in short, from omitting to make the
coin a local currency. Section 3 regulation 7, 1814, having supplied this
ommision by superadding to the established impression, the figure of a tirsool,
every object of the proposed alteration is at once provided, for the coin
cannot circulate in any other province and the prejudices of the people, if any
were ever entertained by them, are completely obviated.
For these reasons alone I should be
of opinion that to alter the form, size and impression already established, is
entirely unnecssary. But there is another circumstance which renders such an
alteration altogether impracticable.
Under the promises held out by the
orders of Government dated the 29th April last, the merchants of
this place brought to the mint a quantity of copper amounting to twelve or
fifteen hundred maunds, of which part has been coined in conformity to the
provisions of Regulation 7, 1814, and delivered to them. To alter therefore in
any material degree the nature of those provisions would be attended with the
very objectionaable effect of exposing the merchants to a certain and severe
loss and of diminishing, at the same time, the public confidence in the
consistency of Government.
The established form, size and impression
of the coin, ought therefore I think on no account to be altered. The weight is
already, as above stated, almost in exact conformity to what the Committee
propose. If however it should be considered desirable to enact a rule fixing
unquestionably the latter point, a regulation such as I shall take the liberty
to subjoin, would be sufficient for this purpose.
Although it has not yet been within
the power of the Mint Master to furnish the district with a supply of the new
coinage sufficient to allow of introducing it, yet the knowledge it is upon the
point of being introduced keeps the rate of the old pice within reasonable
bounds, and prevents the shroffs from attempting any sort of imposition. The
introduction of the new coin is so eagerly desired and so much benefit do the
public expect from it, that it is to be regretted the
general wish on this head has so long been disappointed. In justice however to
Mr Yeld, I deem it necessary to state that the silvefr coinage on account of
Government and individuals has for some months past pressed so heavily upon him
and so great has been the difficulty of procuring hands capable of working at
the coppers, that no blame is imputable to him for the disappointment. He now
says that the machinery sent from
There then follows a proposed
regulation about the weight of the copper coin, rescinding that part of
Regulation X 1809, which made the weight eight annas, nine pie each, and
issuing a new order that they shall weigh 100 grains each.
Letter from
I am directed to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant on the subject of the
copper coinage in the mint of Benares, and to acquaint you under the
circumstances stated in your letter, the Honble the Vice President in Council
does not consider it to be necessary to adopt the alterations proposed in the
draft of the regulation submitted by the Mint Committee, or to make any further
legislative enactment on that subject at the present moment.
I am directed to transmit to you the
accompanying proclamation and to acquaint you that the Vice President in
Council authorizes you to publish the same as soon as the new coins may be
supplied from the mint in sufficient abundance to be introduced as the
established currency. You will of course insert the date on which the
proclamation may be issued.
No proclamation is attached
Letter from Mr Yeld (mm at
I have the honor to state to your
board that the demand for the new pice increases on me beyond what the presses
can possibly be equal to throw off. When the new dies arrive and the silver
coinage, as bullion may come in, is to be regulated and stamped by them, it
appears to me that for the next three or four years (if not permanently) there
will be full employ for eleven presses worked as hard as they can daily, and I
therefore beg leave to submit to your consideration your Boards ordering four
more presses from Calcutta to be permanently fixed, and two in addition to
replace any one that may get out of order, that no delay or inconvenience may
be experienced in that case.
Should I be permitted to conduct my
business without another European foreman being appointed, I propose setting of
the four presses in the room appropriated to the foreman’s office which will
save any expense in building.
Letter from the
I am instructed by the Committee for
superintending the affairs of the mint at this Presidency to forward to you the
accompanying letter from the Secreary to Government, Public Department, dated
the 23rd ultimo together with its enclosures, and to direct your
preparing six new stamping presses for the use of the Benares mint with all
convenient dispatch
Letter from Yeld to Board of
Commissioners at
In continuation of my address to
your Board of the 31st ultimo, I beg leave to state to you that
three more cutting machines of the diameter for rupees are required as soon as
they can be sent up. Two for putting into immediate use, & the third to
replace any that may get out of order.The extremely pressing demands that are
made on me daily for new pice by the Magistrate and Collector on account of
Government, oblige me to request the favour of your Boards immediate
consideration to my letter of the 31st ultimo & this
continuation of it.
The Calcutta Mint Master is again directed
to prepare the required machines.
Letter to the Mint Committee at
The Board of Commissioners having
communicated to me that the Honble the Vice President in Council has been
pleased to request your Committee to adopt the necessary measures for
furnishing the six additional presses required for the use of the Benares mint,
I trust I shall be excused the liberty of this address on the subject of the
flies of those presses.
The room I have to put these presses
up in requires that the bar of the flie should be as short as the power of such
a lever will be equal to the percussive stroke required, and having many years
ago seen stamping presses in Mr Bolton’s concerns in Birmingham worked with a
loaded wheel of much less diameter than the bar of any flies I have ever seen
since, in striking a very deep impression on the Anglesea Paris Mine tokens, I
beg leave to solicit your attention. It also appeared to one that the stroke
from this wheel did not give that turn upon the thread of the screws that
single bars loaded at each end does, and which must soon render the screws
useless, than when the repercussion is equable from the circumference of the
wheel being equally loaded. I therefore beg leave to suggest the trial of a
loaded wheel of four and a half feet diameter on one of the presses in the
Calcutta mint and that, if it answers, the six presses may be furnished with
them, but if it should not, your Committee will be pleased to direct the bars
of the flies not to exceed five and a half feet in length.
Discussion about altering the system
(spelt saystem) used in the mint at
Letter from Saunders
(
I beg leave to
inform you that the machinery ordered to be prepared for the mint at
Letter from Mint Committee? To Government, dated
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 then real, and with the view of establishing a uniformity in the pice
coined at Calcutta, Farruckabad and Benares, 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 Benares
and Farruckabad, the following rules are therefore enacted to be inforce 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 Benares 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.
Regulation, dated
Regulation XXVI,
1817, Authorizing the Circulation of Farruckababd Rupees coined in either of
the Mints of Calcutta, Farruckabad or Benares 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 Benares, it has been
deemed advisable to rescind so much of section2 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
Benares 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.
Memorandum
written by Yeld , dated
The
silver currency of Bundlekhund and
In
Budlekhund very little of that coin has got into circulation; in
Most of
the revenue in the first and much of the latter, is
collected in rupees of sorts, principally of the kinf sreenuggur in Bundlekhund
and different Corah sun rupees in
The
Sreenuggur rupee is coined on the borders of Bundlekhund by an independent
Mahratta chief, in a city, the name of which I cannot call to my recollection.
The Corah
suns are struck in the Gohad country bordering on both.
On the
British Government taking possession of these districts, old rupees of sorts
were received in payment of revenue, at rates fixed by careful valuation of Mr
Blake.
As these
old rupees got out of circulation, new ones of similar import were struck of a
depreciated value, which on a remittance of them coming to
A trade
of a most extensive nature (particularly in cotton) is carried on with these
districts by the merchants of Mirzapore and
Merchants
importing bullion to
It
appears to me that much if not the whole of this might be obviated, by
authorizing the new Farruckabad rupee being coined at Benares, for such
merchants of that place and Mirzapore as may wish to have the bullion they
import from the eastwads coined therein, and also the coinage of such rupees of
sorts as may be sent to Benares, according to the instruction of the
superintendent of resourses, and either returned to Bundlekhund, or sent to
Allahabad for the payment of the troops.
The
advantage of this would be seignorage duties of the probably greater part of
the bullion which is now carried from Benares into the Mahratta country, and
introducing into the districts of Bundlecund and Allahabad generally, the legal
currency established by Government for the receipt of their revenue and payment
of their troops, with a positive saving of the expense of recoinage of that
part now brought into the mint in rupees of sorts, and a facility would also be
given to the great trade carried on to those parts, which would greatly
convenience the merchants of Benares and Mirzapore, and by its encouragement
increase considerably the revenue of the customs of those places.
The
currency of Goruckpore and Azimghur (and I believe agreements for the payment
of revenue) is in
A very
large trade in cloth, sugar and salt petre is carried on in these districts by
the
By the
bullion employed in this anomolous currency of a coin not struck by the
sovereign state, the seignorage and duties are totally lost to it, and its
subjects paying its revenues as well as the merchants deaqling with it, liable
to great disadvantages, which it appears to me there are two modes of obviating.
One by obtaining the consent of the Nawab Vizier for striking a Lucknow rupee
at the Benares mint, and giving him credit for the supplies of the duties above
the expense of the coinage. The other by declaring the new Farruckabad rupee
the legal currency and allowing it to be coined at the
The want
of a new copper currency in the zillahs of Bundlekhund and Allahabad, as also
in that of Goruckpore, is not less felt than was long the case in the zillahs
proper of Benares, and as these zillahs now form a part of the judicial
division of the court of Appeal and circuit of Benares, I beg leave to suggest
the regulation establishing the Benares copper currency being extended to those
zillahs, as one of the greatest blessings and favors the British Government can
bestow on the lowest order and the poorest classes of their subjects in them.
On my way
down to the Presidency I saw (what I had long before heard was the case) that
the
This
deamnd for an additional copper cureency in Behar, with the nature of the trade
between Behar and Benares making the extension of the currency of the Benares
new pice a great convenience to both districts, and being of opinion the
Benares mint is fully equal to furnishing the supply required, I venture to
submit to the consideration of Your Lordship, whether a regulation making Benares
pice (which are of exactly the same intrinsic value with those of Bengal) and
equally legal tender with the Benares pice for the fractional parts of a rupee
in the whole province of Behar, would not prove of great advantage by
increasing the consumption of Government copper at highly profitable rate, and
also become a great convenience to their subjects in those districts.
The
Governor General agreed in principal, but wanted to collect the views of the
local authorities of the various districts. These views were summarized by the
Board of Commissioners:
Letter
from the Board of Commissioners to
On
receipt of the orders of Government under date the 10th January
1817, transmitting to us the copies of the a letter from the Mint and Assay
Master at Benares, and of a letter written to him in reply, we called on the
Collectors of Allahabad, Bundlecund and Goruckpore and on the mint Master at
Farruckabad for their sentimenst on the expediency of adopting Mr Yeld’s
proposition relative to the coinage of Farruckabad rupees at the Benares mint,
and for giving currency in the three first mentioned districts to the Benares
copper pice.
We now do
ourselves the honor to submit copies of the replies which we have received from
those officers and we beg leave to observe that from the explanations given by
the Collectors of the three districts in question, it does not appear that the
proposed measure of coining Farruckabad rupees at the Benares mint would be
attended with any advantage to the public service or be productive of any
convenience to the commercial classes.
There is
at the same time no doubt that the admission of the Benares copper pice into
the districts of Allahabad and Bundlecund would be of considerable benefit to
the public at large and no objection accurs to the extension of the same
measure to the district of Goruckpore, although the same necessity for it does
not appear to exist there in consequence of the circulation of a copper
currency there being supplied by large importations from the hills.
Questions about the
weight and fineness of some
Letter to
Government from
Very long letter
ending with:
The considerations
which we have now the honor to submit, combined with those already urged in our
letter of
1st the
abolition of the Benaras rupee
2nd The
limitation of the currency of the Upper Provinces to a rupee of the value of
the present Farruckabad rupee
3rd The
carrying into effect the alteration of the standard of that rupee as already
sanctioned.
4th The
discontinuance of the mint at Farruckabad
5th
The coinage of the new Farruckabad rupee at the Benaras mint and consequent
improvement and extension of that establishment. Should these arrangements
meet with the approbation of Government, we conceive it would be found
advantageous to give them as early effect as possible, as the difference of
standard at present existing and the distant situation to which bullion is
necessarily sent to be coined into Farruckabad rupees, entail much
inconvenience and expense on the remittance of treasure to the Upper Provinces
on public account. Their enforcement is not indispensably connected with the
following propositions, which do not perhaps admit of so early a decision.
6th The
substitution of the new Farruckabad rupee for the currencies of the newly
acquired territory
7th and
the temporary establishment of a mint in
From
In
continuation to our reply to the instructions conveyed to us in the letter to
the secretary to Government in the financial department of the 22nd
April last we have now the honor to forward a report from the officers of the
Calcutta mint, on the necessity and advantages of introducing new and improved
machinery into the operations of that establishment.
The
extension of the powers of the Calcutta mint has already shown to be a matter
of the most urgent necessity, by the correspondence between the Mint Master and
the Accountant General, forwarded to us by Mr Secretary McKenzie’s letter above
mentioned, and the utter impssibility of coining the amount of bullion brought
for coinage during the present year has been attended with much private and
public embarrassment and loss. There is therefore no doubt as to the general
expediency of the measure, especially as during seasons of tranquility the
perpetual recurrence of these evils may be expected.
The mint
of
The
coinage of the
The
facilities granted to individual proprietors of bullion, and the habits of the
people, attract to one or other of the Indian mints perhaps all the bullion
that is imported. There is no public depository like the Bank of England for a
large capital of unwrought bullion, whose abstraction from the circulation is
supplied by a proper currency, nor are the native merchants or capitalists addicted
to the hoarding unmanufactured metal. Coin, in India, very naturally has the
preference over bullion, from its greater portability, its more convenient
application to objects of expenditure, and its better recognised, if not better
ascertained, value, and there are no unnecessary obstructions to its
application to any purpose to which its proprietor chooses to apprpriate it,
which should force him to a preferable accumulation of the precious metals in
any other form. All the transactions of the bullion market in
Public
regulations and private feelings thus cooperating to keep the mint employed, it
follows that employment will be limited only by the amoiunt of the bullion
tendered for coinage. The Asiatic absorption of the precious metals was a
subject of complaint to the ancient, and the complaint has been repeated in
modern times. There is in fact little else that the European trader can
cewrtain of a demand for, in the East, and until the Asiatic modes of living
and thinking have undergone very important modifications, the profitable trade
in Indian articles must be chiefly maintained in the European part, by the
importation of the precious [metals].
With
regard to the extent of that importation it is impossible to form any positive
conjecture, although we may confidently anticipate its being considerable. We
find from official documents that during 15 years of war, the
|
1802/3-1806/7 |
55,135,556 |
|
7/8 |
18,288,162 |
|
8/9 |
11,943,192 |
|
9/10 |
8,787,054 |
|
10/11 |
17,005,490 |
|
11/12 |
10,212,633 |
|
12/13 |
8,774,002 |
|
13/14 |
3,839,578 |
|
14/15 |
8,091,661 |
|
15/16 |
14,675,881* |
|
16/17 |
23,570,889* |
That for the last six years, ending with 1818, the mints of
|
1813/14 |
3,839,578 |
|
14/15 |
8,081,661 |
|
15/16 |
14,475,881* |
|
16/17 |
23,370,884* |
|
17/18 |
11,453,489 |
|
1818 |
16,880,416 |
*NB
slight differences from above
|
1813 |
3,358,216 |
|
1814 |
4,033,162 |
|
1815 |
6,221,817 |
|
1816 |
7,172,241 |
|
1817 |
7,320,959 |
|
1818 |
5,340,212 |
Letter to the Mint
Committee from Government dated
Covering letter
with a resolution
In conformity with
the suggestion of the Accountant General, the Governor General in Council
resolves that the Mint Master at Calcutta be instructed to affect a remittance
of bullion to the extent of 30 lacs of rupees to the mints of Benaras and
Farruckabad in the proportions proposed by the Accountant General (10 lacs to
Banaras, 22 lacs to Farruckabad), the whole to be coined into the currency of
the last mentioned mint.
It being the
intention of Government to assimilate the standard of the Farruckabad rupee to
that of the new
It appears to
Government that before issuing any Farruckabad rupees of the new standard, or
making any change in the rupees coined from bullion tendered by individuals, it
will be proper that the arrangement should be sanctioned by a legislative
enactment corresponding with Regulation 18.1818, with suitable tables annexed.
It is at the same time obviously desirable to avoid any unnecessary
multiplication of regulations.
His Lordship in
Council entertains, however, a confident hope that the report, which Government
is in instant expectation of receiving from the Mint Committee, will afford the
means of a final decision being passed in regard to the general currency of the
Western Provinces, that the necessary legislative provisions for giving effect
to such resolutions as may be adopted in that behalf will be passed and
published previously to the period at which the coinage of the above remittance
can be effected, and that consequently no difficulty will be experienced in
combining those provisions with the regulation for the proposed alteration in
the standard of the Farruckabad rupee.
This alteration
will not induce any necessity for altering the diameter of the coin. The new
currency may be sufficiently distinguished by an upright milling without any
change to the dye and this distinctive mark the Mint Masters will be directed
to employ.
For the present
therefore His Lordship in Council does not propose to alter the inscription of
the Farruckabad rupee. The Mint Master at
Ordered
that a copy of the above resolution be transmitted to the Accountant General in
reply to his letters of 24th ultimo and 3rd instant.
Ordered likewise
that a copy be sent to the Mint Master at
Ordered further
that a copy be sent to the Mint Committee with directions to prepare a table of
the produce of silver bullion when coined into Farruckabad rupees of the new
standard, in order that as little delay as practicable may occur in preparing
the regulation proposed to be enacted when the final decision of Government on
the questions above averted to, shall have been passed.
Ordered that an
enactment of the above resolution (paragraph 1) be sent to the Military
Department in order that the measures to be adopted for providing a suitable
escort for the treasure may be taken into immediate consideration, and
instructions issued to the officers of the Commissariat Department to furnish
the necessary boats for the conveyance of the treasure on receiving an
application to that effect from the Mint Master, or to give Mr Saunders any
other assistance which he may require.
Information will be
hereafter communicated to that department of the period at which the remittance
in question will be ready for dispatch. As it is to consist of bullion of the
To the
With regard to
your letter dated 26th July, I am directed by the Governor General
in Council to transmit to you the accompanying copy of a resolution this day
passed by Government on the subject, and to request that you will at your
earliest convenience take the necessary measures for giving effect to the
orders contained in the 11th paragraph.
It is understood
that the dies recently sent by the Mint Master at Calcutta to the Benaras mint
(being the same that Mr Saunders had himself used) have a distinct private mark
from that borne by the dies in use at the Farruckabad mint.
You will be
pleased to instruct Mr Saunders to be careful to preserve the same distinction
in all dies, which he may hereafter furnish to the Mint Masters at Benaras or
Farruckabad respectively, distinguishing also by different marks those which he
may himself eventually hereafter use, or which he may have occasion to send to
the mint at Saugor or elsewhere.
Enclosure to 33
In conformity with
the suggestion of the Mint Committee the Governor General in Council resolves
1. That the
coinage of the Benaras rupee be discontinued.
2. That the
Farruckabad rupee be declared the legal currency of the
3. That the
standard of the Farruckabad rupee be assimilated to that of the present
4. That the
Government will receive Farruckabad rupees at par with the present Benaras
rupees in payment of the land revenue and in liquidation of all other public
demands and will pay them at the same valuation within the
5. That the above
rule shall not apply to bills payable in Benaras rupees and drawn previously to
the 1st January next, nor to sums due to individuals under specific
engagements in Benaras rupees contracted previously to the above date.
6. That after the
1st January next, all money engagements of which the amount is to be
paid within the
7. That with
regards to engagements entered into previously to the above date, the
Farruckabad rupee shall be held a legal tender at the rate of 102 Ľ Farruckabad
rupees for 100 Banaras rupees.
8. That the mint
at Benaras be constituted on an efficient footing in regard to establishment
and machinery, particularly that a regular Assay Master be attached to it and
that the manufacture be conducted in the manner followed in the
9. That the Mint
Master at Benaras be called upon to furnish a full report in the manner in
which he now conducts the various operations of coinage and to state especially
what alterations in regard to the building and machinery will be required for
the purpose above indicated, and with the further object of rendering the
powers of the Benaras mint adequate in their ordinary operation to the entire
coinage of the Western Provinces, and capable of meeting the occasional
emergencies of the public service.
10. That the
Farruckabad mint be continued only during such time as may be found requisite
for effecting the arrangements necessary to the full efficiency of the Benaras
mint. The Farruckabad rupee of the new standard to be in the mean time coined
at both mints with such separate private marks (not discoverable by the naked
eye) as may serve to distinguish the coinage of the several mints.
11. That the Mint
Committee be desired to prepare at their convenience a draft of the legislative
rules necessary to give effect to the above resolutions with proper table for
determining the outturn in Farruckabad rupees of the new standard of bullion
brought to the mints of Benaras and Farruckabad for coinage.
12. The suggestion
of the Committee for rendering the new Farruckabad rupee the currency of the
newly acquired territory and for establishing temporarily at least, mints at
Saugor and Ajmere appear likewise to be judicious.
13. The coinage at
Saugor is apparently likely to be considerable, and the mint there ought
therefore to be placed on an efficient footing.
14. The immediate
superintendence of the mint could probably be undertaken by the Assistant to
the Resident if aided by an intelligent foreman. It seems, however,
indispensably necessary that a distinct officer properly qualified should be
appointed to the charge of the assay department and an entire set of machinery
must be previously prepared.
15. Some delay
must consequently occur in completing the arrangement. In the meantime the
Governor General’s agent will be directed to report specifically the nature of
the establishment which he may judge it advisable to entertain with reference
to the above remarks and to the objects proposed by the Committee in
constituting a committee at Saugor. He will likewise report the extent of
coinage for which it may appear to him necessary to provide machinery. The
question how far any and what direct measures shall be adopted for preventing
or limiting the operations of native mints with a view to the general reform of
the currency in the new acquisitions will be further considered in the
political department.
16. With regard to
Ajmere, the operations of the mint there are likely to be less important, and
any resolution in regard to it may be postponed until the information, which
the Committee have called for, have been received. The
consideration of the subject will then be renewed.
Letter from the
I am desired by
the Committee for superintending the affairs of the mint at this Presidency to
inform you that by a resolution of Government passed on the 10th
instant the coinage of Benaras rupees has been discontinued and that
Farruckabad rupees only, of their present value and impression but of the
standard of the new Calcutta rupee, are in future to be coined at the mints of
Benaras and Farruckabad.
As a regulation to
carry the above into effect is now in the course of preparation, to which it
will be necessary to annex a table of the rates of produce in the new
Farruckabad rupees, you will at your earliest convenience supply the Committee
with such a table calculated in every respect upon the same principles as those
adopted for the table prepared upon the change of the standard of the currency
for the rupees of Calcutta coinage.
I am also instructed
to call the particular attention of the Mint Master to the adoption of some private
marks upon the dies he may hereafter send to Benaras or Farruckabad or to any
other mint that may be hereafter eventually established to coin the same rupees
as well as to those he may prepare for the occasional coinage of Farruckabad
rupees at Calcutta, so that he may be able at any future period to distinguish
the mint at which Farruckabad rupees, struck from the dies he may have
furnished, have been coined.
Resolution dated
James Prinsep appointed assistant assay master at
Draft regulation
from
A regulation for
discontinuing the coinage of the Benaras rupee, for declaring the Farruckabad
rupee the legal currency of the Province of Benaras, for altering the standard
of the Farruckabad rupee and for defining the rate at which that rupee is to be
received within the Province of Benaras.
The existance of
different local currencies in a country subject to one common authority must
obviously impede that constant intercourse by which its several provinces are
necessarily connected, and considerable inconvenience from that cause has been
experienced in the intercourse between the several provinces subordinate to
this Presidency. Great difficulties however, oppose the immediate establishment
of one currency throughout all these provinces. On the one hand the Calcutta
sicca rupee having been long established throughout the extensive provinces of
Bengal, Behar and Orissa, all private engagements have been made in that coin,
the land revenue is payable by the Zamindars, which (with partial exceptions)
has been fixed in perpetuity throughout those provinces, as well as the whole
of the registered debt of this country, are likewise expressed in the Calcutta
rupee. Any alteration in its value would therefore occasion great embarrassment
and perplexity. On the other hand the Farruckabad rupee forms the currency of
the whole of the Ceded and
The land revenue
of Benaras is indeed, like that of Bengal, Behar and Orissa, fixed in
perpetuity, and any alteration in the nominal amount of the jumma being likely
to lead to serious misapprehension, Government deem it right in introducing
into Benaras the inferior currency of the Western Provinces, to relinquish the
claim, which they might in strictness assert, to the difference between the two
rupees, rather then to give the slightest occasion for any doubt or alarm in
regard to the stability of an arrangement guaranteed by the public faith. The
amount however, of the land revenue in question is comparatively limited and
the public advantage likely to result from a simplification of the currencies
of those provinces appears to counterbalance the partial loss which Government
must sustain in receiving the Farruckabad rupee at par with the Benaras rupee.
The adjustment of private engagements in a single province will be
comparatively easy, and while the community will be saved from the loss which
they have heretofore sustained whenever they carried the Banaras rupee beyond the
limits of that province, the difference between the two coins amounting only to
2 Ľ per cent will have little or no perceptible influence on the market price
of articles consumed by the lower orders or people, more especially since the
value of the two rupees in copper money has for some time past become
equalized. It appears therefore that the discontinuance of the coinage of the
Benaras rupee, whilst it will greatly simplify the monetary system of this
Presidency and will otherwise essentially promote the trade and general
prosperity of the country, will be attended with little inconvenience and that
only temporary and partial. The Governor General in Council has accordingly
resolved to limit the legal currencies in the territories subordinate to this Presidency
to two, namely the
To give effect to
the above arrangements and at the same time to fix the rate at which the
Farruckabad rupee is to be received in the
II. The coinage of
the Benaras rupee shall be discontinued from the date of this regulation.
III. The Farruckabad rupee shall be considered the legal currency
of the
IV. The Farruckabad rupee shall be a legal tender in all the
territories under the Bengal Government, with the exception of
V. The Farruckabad
rupee, to be struck at any of the mints before mentioned, shall be of the value
of the present Farruckabad rupee, and of the standard of the present
|
Weight |
|
|
Pure Silver |
165,215 |
|
Alloy |
15,019 |
Being
11/12th pure and 1/12th alloy.
VI. Individuals
bringing bullion for coinage into the new Farruckabad rupee, to either of the
mints above specified, shall have it so coined,
agreeably to the rates of charge and produce, stated in the accompanying table.
VII. Individuals
bringing to the same mints, Calcutta, Benaras, or Farruckabad, rupees either of
the old or new coinage, but coined at one of the Honble Company’s mints, shall
have them converted into the new Farruckabad rupee at a total charge of no more
than one per cent.
VIII. Government
will receive the Farruckabad rupees of the old or new standard, at par with the
present Benaras rupees, in payment of the land revenue, and in liquidation of
all other public demands, and will pay them at the same valuation within the
IX. The preceding
rule shall not apply to bills payable in Benaras rupees and drawn previously to
the 1st January next (1820) nor to sums due to individuals under
specific engagements in
X. Bonds or other
engagements and all agreements written or verbal which may be entered into
within the province of Benaras after 1st January 1820 shall be
expressed in the Farruckabad rupees, and if any such deed or agreement shall
stipulate for the payment of Benaras rupees, such stipulation shall not be
enforced by the Court of Judicature, but the amount shall be payable in
Farruckabad rupees at par with the Benaras rupee.
XI. With regard to
engagements entered into previously to the 1st January next, the
Farruckabad rupee shall be held a legal tender at the rate of 102 Ľ Farruckabad
rupees for 100 Benaras rupees
XII. All the rules
affecting the coinage of the mint of Benaras and Farruckabad which are not
abrogated by the foregoing enactments, shall continue
in force.
Resolution dated
Mr Wilson ordered to proceed to
Boards Collections. IOR F/4/833, No 22121.
p1 (Repeated from
Extract Finanacial Letter
from
In the 37th and following paras of the letter from this
department dated
The adoption of the new standard for the
In proposing a corresponding reduction in charges paid by individuals,
the Committee suggested the expediency of reducing the whole charge under one
head. They further ecommended that as the arrangement to be adopted would bring
the quality of the
In addition to the above measures, which had reference chiefly to the
mint immediately under their superintendance, the Committee you will perceive,
suggested the expediency of abolishing the mint establishments in the Western
Provinces, and rendering the Calcutta sicca rupee the general currency of the
territories subordinate to this Presidency.
The last measure, involving an important change in the value of the
currencies of Benares and the whole of the Western Provinces, we deemed it
advisable, before passing any final orders on the subject of it, to consult the
Board of Commissioners, and the agent to the Governor General at Benares.
A considerable period having elapsed before we received a reply from
those authorities, and a large quantity of bullion having accumulated in the
Calcutta mint, we deemed it advisable to give effect to that part of the
suggestions of the Committee which had referece to the Calcutta mint, without
waiting the determination of those questions which related to the proposed
change in the currencies of the Western Provinces.
The necessary legislative provisions for this purpose were accordingly
prepared under out instructions by the Committee, and have been enacted as
regulation XIV, 1818.
In the reports subsequently received from the Board of Commissioners and
the Agent to the Governor General at Benares, a decided opinion was expressed
against the expediency of altering the currency of the Western Provinces, and
on a reconsideration of the subject, with reference to those reports, and to
the further information before them, the Mint Committee at the Presidency
concurred in the expediency of at least postponing the adoption of the measure
to the full extent contemplated. They renewed however the expression of their
opinion that it was equally unnecessary and inexpedient to maintain a separate
coinage for the
Being entirely satisfied of the expediency of the measures suggested by
the Committee, we have resolved to adopt them, and have accordingly instructed
the Committee to prepare a draft of a regulation for giving them effect.
We are fully sensible of the advantages which would attend the complete
assimilation of all the currency of
We have not therefore without considerable reluctance relinquished the
object of reducing the coinage of this Presidency to one standard of value, but
the attanment of it is undoubtedly opposed by formidable obstacles.
On the one hand, the
For these reasons it has appeared to us proper, for the present at
least, to maintain the currencies now established in the provinces of
The land revenue of Benares is indeed like that of Bengal, Behar &
Orissa, fixed in perpetuity, and any alteration in the nominal amount of the
Jumma being likely to lead to serious misapprehension, we have deemed it right
in introducing into Benares, the inferior currency of the Wesyern Provinces, to
relinquish the claim which Geovernment might in strictness assert to the
difference between the two rupees, rather than give the slightest occasion for
any doubt or alarm in regard to the stability of an arrangement guaranteed by
the public faith. The amount however of the land revenue in question is
comparitively limited, and the public advantage likely to result from a
simplification of the currencies of those provinces, appears to counterbalance
the partil loss which Government must sustain in receiving the Farruckabad
rupee at par with the
The inconvenience resulting from the continuance of a separate coinage
in the Western Provinces will be considerably diminished by the uniformity of
the standard, since, by this means the conversion of one currency into the other, and the coinage of Farruckabad rupees at the
Your
Under the above resolution the operations of the
It being at the same time of primary importance to guard against any
risk of embarrassment in the conduct of the Assay Department at the Presidency,
it appeared to us proper to postpone Mr Wilson’s departure until Mr Prinsep
shall have had the advantage of acting under him for some time, and of benefiting
by his experience, and we desired the Mint Committee to report whenever they
might be satisfied that the arrangement contemplated could be advantageously
carried into effect.
In reply to this call we received a report from the Mint Committee
stating that as far as concerned a knowledge of the principles of assaying, and
skill in their practical application, Mr Princep might be considered fully
qualified to undertake the duties of the Assay Office, within the earliest
period at which Mr Wilson could make the necessary preparations for leaving the
Presidency. But expressing an opinion in conformity with the sentiments of the
Assay Master, Mr Wilson, that there were various details affecting the interior
arrangement of the office, and its connections with other departments which
time and experience could alone render familiar, and with reference to which therefore
it appeared to the Committee unadvisable to transfer the charge of the Assay
Office to Mr Prinsep at so early a period.
The Committee at the same time strongly urged the importance of avoiding
any delay in the introduction of the proposed improvement in the Benares mint,
and the expediency therefore of an arrangement being made for obviating the
only obstacle that existed to Mr Wilson’s immediate departure.
Concurring with the Committee in opinion, we resolved that Mr Wilson
should be directed to proceed to
With reference to the experience which Mr Atkinson has acquired by a
service of many years in the Assay Office of Calcutta, and in conformity with
the views entertained by the Mint Committee, we resolved that Mr J Atkinson
should officiate in the room of Mr Wilsonas Assay Master at Calcutta, and
secretary to the Committee, and that for the performance of the duties attached
to these situations, Mr Atkinson should receive an allowance of rupees 800 per
mensum.
We see every reson to hope that great advantages will result from Mr
Wilson’s deputation and the immediate charge resulting from the measure (rupees
1200 per mensum) does not exceed the amount which it would in our opinion be
proper to assign to an officer permanently appointed to the duties which Mr
Wilson will, with so much public benefit, temporarity discharge.
The conduct of Mr Atkinson during the long period for which he held the
situation of Assistant to the Assay Master has received our entire approbation,
and his age and experience naturally pointed him out as the fittest person to
supply the place of Mr Wilson, but it is not of course our wish or intention in
any degree to oppose the views which you may entertain in regard to the
promotion of those who may derive their appointments directly from Your Honble
Court. You will naturally give their due weight to the claims which Mr Atkinson
has preferred on the ground of long service and approved skill, to be continued
in the department, and we readily recognise the wisdom of your resolution to
secure for your Indian Mints the services of persons carefully eductaed for the
purpose in England.
Along with the discussion of the arrangementsto be adopted in regard to
the coin of our antient possessions the Mint Committee have, Your Honble Court
will perceive, entered on a consideration of the measures to be pursued for
reforming the currency of the territories recently annexed to this Presidency,
and have with that view proposed the introduction there of the Farruckabad
rupee, and the temporary establishment of mints at Saugor and Ajmere.
The suggestions of the Committee appear to us to be judicious, but we
have not yet finally resolved on the details of the arrangement, in regard to
which therefore, we shall take another opportunity of addressing you.
On the proceedings of the annexed dates, your Hinble Court will find
recorded our correspondance with the Accountant General and the Mint Committee,
in regard to the measures to be adopted for obviating the inconvenience
resulting from the inadequacy of the Calcutta mint to meet the demands of
Government and of individuals for coinage.
From a letter received from the Accountant General in the beginning of
April last, it appeared that during the months of January, February and March
of the present year, the amount drawn from the General Treasury in payment of
certificates issued to the owners of bulliontendered for coinage at the
Calcutta mint amounted to rupees 9,620,000, being rupees 4,576,000 beyond the
amount recived at the Treasury from the mint during the same period, and that
in the four following months, a similar excess might be expected to occur, to
an extent likely, in the reduced state of the Treasury, to occasion very
serious embarrassment.
Under thse circumastances we resolved in conformity with the
recommendation of the Accountant General, to extend the term of mint
certificates, which had heretofore been payable in 15 days [query 10 days], to
the period of four months, and we at the same time determined to provide by
legislative enactment for the future exercise of the discretion which it had
thus been found necessary to assume.
From a subsequent letter received from the Accountant General, it
appeared that the anticipation of an excessive importation of bullion into the
Calcutta Mint had not been [overstated]. The mint certificates issued in the
seven days of April, which elapsed before the publication of the advartisement
notifying the above resolution, amounted to nearly 20 lacs, the remittance to
the Geberal Treasury in the same period being less than 5 lacs. The total assay
value of private bullion received from the 1st January to the 7th
April was rupees 14,074,815. The money coined during the same period amounted
only to rupees 5,454,975.
This result abundantly evinced the necessity of reserving to Government
a discretionary power, in regard to the terms on which it will hereafter
receive private bullion. It likewise rendered it indispensibly necessary for us
to adopt some extraordinary means of relieving the General Treasury, and for
providing for the payment of the interest falling due on the 30th
June. For this purpose the Accountant General suggested on the grounds stated
in the annexed report, the issue of treasury notes bearing an interest of 5 per
cent, and payable at six months after date.
Concurring in the views of the Accountant General, we adopted the above
suggestion. It appeared to be at the same time proper to give the holders of
bullion the option of receiving treasury notes of the above description in
exchange for their mint certificates, and to extend this advantage to those who
might have tendered bullion under the terms of our former resolution. We were
not indeed prepared to admit that bullion holders can in strictness require
Government to receive their bullion to an unlinited extent and to pay for it at
an earlier period than must elapse in the process of coining.
It is however the obvious duty and interest of Government to afford to
the merchant every practicable facility in converting his bullion into coin.
Our regulations too might undoubtedly be interpreted as holding out to the
community a pladge that bullion would at all times be received on the terms
therein stated, and though the difficultied experienced at the mint were
attributable partly to the arrangements connected with the change of standard
(a change very advantageous to the holders of bullion) and partly to an
unprecedented importation of the precious metals, against which the Government
could scarcely be expected to provide, yet we also felt that the public has
some ground for just complaint in the inadequacy of the machinery and
establishment of the mint.
From the state of the monay market at the time, the inconvenience was
indeed much less sensibly felt than it would have been at any former period,
and the issue of treasury notes bearing an interest of 5 per cent only, was, we
believe, entirely satisfactory.
But, had that relief been withheld, the act of postponing payment of the
certificates would undoubtedly have operated severely on the interests of
several individuals and by depriving the mercantile community of the assurance
which they have hitherto enjoyed of being able at all times to render their
bullion available at a certain fixed charge must likewise have had an injurious
influence on general commerce and consequently on the interests of Government.
While indeed the Calcutta mint shall continue on its present footing, it
must be impracticable for us to meet the occasional demands of the public for
coinage at so early a period as within 10 days of the delivery of the bullion,
and we have therefore deemed it proper to reserve by Regulation V of the
present year, the power of fixxing from time to time the periods within which
the mint certificates shall be payable. It will not the less be an object of
great importance to confine those periods to as narrow limits as practicable,
and even more to avoid any frequent or sudden changes of system.
With respect to the equalisation of the duty levied on the gold coinage,
it may be sufficient to remark that after the best consideration of the
subject, we could perceive of no adequate reason for the distribution which had
been established under the former rules. The motive assigned to the preamle of
Regulation 35, 1793, for imposing a duty of 2˝ per cent on gold, when silver of
the proper standard was coined without any such charge, Viz that of
discouraging the importation of gold bullion in preference to silver bullion,
appeared to us a mistaken one. If any undue encouragement to the importation of
gold then existed, it must have arisen from an overvaluation of the metal as
compared with silver, and of that the proper remedy would have been found in a
slight increase in the quantity of fine metal contained in the gold mohur. We
apprehand however that as such remedy was required, and at all event the
gradual enhancement of the value of gold has now more than corrected the
original disproportion, in so much that, as already intimated, we have fixed
the rate of gold at 15 to 1, as compared with silver.
Still less could we share the apprehension expressed in the regulation
above referred to, that too large a proportion of gold was likely to be
introduced into circulation. The additional ˝ per cent seems to have been
retained in the regulations subsequently passed without any particular
discussion of the principles of the measure, but the duty of 2 per cent being
fully adequate to cover all the charges of coinage, it appeared to us to be
clearly expedient to place the two metals on an equality.
Yeld sends letter
discussing reasons for slightly low assay and weight of rupees from
The Calcutta Mint
Committee was not happy with Yeld’s explanation and asked for more
Letter from
Government to the
I am directed by His
Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to acknowledge the
receipt of your letter of the 10th October last and to inform you
that his Lordship in Council approves the draft of regulation submitted by you , with the substitution of the 1st of March
for the 1st of January in sections IX, X & XI of the draft.
Letter from Yeld
to the
Further
explanation for the Assay and weight results.
Boards Collections. IOR F/4/833, No 22121/22122.
p376
Report on the Present State
of the Mint Of Benares etc from committee composed of
WW Bird, T Yeld & HH Wilson, dated
Receipt of Bullion
Bullion, when brought to the mint of Benares for coinage into Benares
rupees, on individual account, is usually standard fineness, the merchants of
the city preferring to reine the various sorts of inferior silver, which they
import from Calcutta as dollars etc, by means of the bazar refiners, to
incurring the high rates of refining charge levied at the mint, as fixed by the
table of rates attached to Regulation 2 of 1812, under which the business of
the Benares mint is conducted.
The silver thus refined is brought to the mint in the form of Takas or
thick cakes, generally weighing something less than 2000
When the bullion brought to the mint is the property of the Company, it
is regularly assayed, and mixed for coinage, or refined according to its
quality, and the use to which it may be applicable in the course of its conversion
into
Refining
The silver bullion brought to
The expense of the process of refining is three annas per cent, for
which consideration the refiner furnishes all the materials except lead. The
produce of the refined bullion is whatever the merchant can realize, as he
makes no agreement with the refiner for any fixed wastage, but employs his own
people to superintend the operation throughout, to the fianl working up of the
nearah. It has been stated to us by respectable native authority, that the
ordinary average return to individuals is about 216 Benares rupees 6 annas for
100 dollars, but it may be doubted whether this information is perfectly
accurate, for as 100 dollars of full weight and standard are equal to Benares
rupees 220-2-10, it may be presumed that the difference between this amount and
that obove stated exceeds the wastage that actually occurs together with the
ordinary deficiencies of standard and weight.
The cost of refining bullion on the Company’s account,
is the same as the above, or 3 annas per cent on dollars silver, or in like
proportion according th the inferiority of the silver. The outturn is expected
to be as near as possible to the amount of standard metal which the bullion
contains, subject to the necessary deduction for wastage and loss in the course
of the refing process, a deduction which is allowed for, upon Spanish dollars,
at the rate of one per cent. The nearah remains in the mint where it is worked
upon public account. It yields in general a produce of 1 anna or 1˝ anna per
cent, and consequently reduces the aggregate amount of cost and loss upon
refining dollar silver, to about one rupee one anna six pies per cent, giving a
net produce in refined silver of Benares standard of between 217 and 218
Benares sicca weight per 100 dollars.
Melting
When the bullion has been made standard, and has assumed its customary
form of thick cakes, it has to be cleaned from the lead or dross adhering to it
and to be cut into pieces suitable to its subsequent fusion, and from which,
when considered necessary, the interior angles are cut off for assay. The
charge for these operations is 10 rupees the lac or one anna seven pies per
cent. The silver is then melted in open fires, made upon the ground, in a hole
in which rests an uncovered shallow earthen crucible or cup, in which and over
it, the metal and charcoal are piled. The fire is then excited by means of the
common native bellows, and the metal in fusion collected in the crucible is
poured out into small earthen moulds, which form it into such ungots as are
best adapted to the fabrication of blanks by the hand. The process of fusion,
we understand, is analagous to the method of melting dollars for refinagae, as
practised in tha Calcutta mint, and the moulds are similar to those in use
there for casting the rough assay or muster ingots.The cost of melting and
including labour and materials, is one anna six pice per cent, being in fact a
contract to that effect with the melters, who, although they work in the mint,
form no part of either its fixed or fluctuating establishment.. The loss of
silver in melting is allowed for at the rate of four annas six pie per cent.
Should it exceed that limit, the difference is made good from the melting
charge, and when the return is completed within that extent, the melters are
allowed to carry away with them the rest of the nearah. The meltings are effected in open sheds, and are equal with the present
accomodations, to the daily fusion of about 40,000 sicca weight of silver.
Making the Blanks
Upon the metal being cast into ingots, one ingot from each crucible is
selected by the assorter of specimens, and carried to the assay office where it
is submitted to the necessary examination. Upon its being reported
Milling etc
The want of uniformity and unfinished execution, which are defects
inseparable from the above described method of fabricating the planchets,
render it necessary to submit them to some preparatory manipulation to fit them
for being milled and stamped.
In order to bring their edges to a uniform thickness, they are struck
with a blank concave die, in the same kind of press that is used for striking
the impression. As this however is apt to add to the roughness of the edges, it
is next necessary to strike tham in a collar die, to gove a smooth surface to
the rim, and produce a more exact uniformity of circumference. After this the
blanks are milled in a machine made at the Calcutta mint, after the model of
that in use there, and worked in the same manner.
Stamping
The last observation applies equally to this process. As now effected in
the
Delivery
Upon the final conversion of the bullion into coin, which on a quantity
not exceeding 30,000 sicca weight, is usually effected in about seven or eight
days, the rupees are remitted forthwith to the Collector’s Treasury, and when
it is private property the remittance is usually accompanied by the proprietor
or his agent, who, being furnished with a certificate of his being entitled to
the amount, then receives it, almost always in the very specie into which his
bullion has been coined.
Mint Establishment & Expenses
The native establishment of the
|
|
Rupees |
|
3 English Writers |
180 |
|
1 Darogah of the Bullion Department |
100 |
|
1 ditto of the Coinage Department |
100 |
|
1 assorter of Specimens |
70 |
|
2 Weighmen @ 10 rupees each |
20 |
|
5 Superintendants of the Presses @ 10 rupees each |
50 |
|
2 Adjusters @ 10 rupees each |
20 |
|
1 Head artificer or Foreman |
100 |
|
5 Lascars at 5 rupees each |
25 |
|
1 Jemadar |
6 |
|
10 Peons at 4 rupees each |
40 |
|
1 Godown Mutsaddy |
8 |
|
1 [Destery] |
8 |
|
1 Bihishtee at 4 rupees and 1 Furash @ 3/- |
7 |
|
2 Bhow keedars @ 4 ea |
8 |
|
1 Carpenter |
16 |
|
1 Bricklayer |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
768 |
In addition to these are to be accounted the workmen of the Assay
Office, and sundry artificers as smiths and carpenters who have always been
included amongst the mint contingencies, the Mint Master’s salary, house rent,
and such charges as are truly contingent. The amount of these added to the cost
and charges of coinage appear, from an account laid before us by the Mint
Master, and which we understand is already in possession of the Mint Committee
at the Presidency,to have made the expenses of the
Benares mint, something more than 1˝ per cent upon the coinage of five years or
from 1813 to 1818 inclusive.
Buildings etc
The
Remarks
It is evident from the description above submitted, that the mint of
Receipt of Bullion
The accuracy of the valuation of the bullion received at any time into
the mint by estimate may be very reasonably called in question, and in a
decision so important to the interests, both of the individual and the public,
we think it objectionable that the Darogah of the mint should have any voice.
It is true that a very vigilant check upon the meltings may prevent the substitution
of inderior for standard bullion in the alligations, but it is still desirable
to have the additional security of as much accuracy as practicable in the first
instance, and supposing the detection of an error or fraud to take place upon
the melting being assayed, the corection of it is attended with an expense and
delay that had better be originally prevented. We proose therefore for the
future that the darogah of the bullion department of the mint shall not
exercise any interference in the adjustment of the intrinsic value of private
bullion but shall confine his attention to the charge of it in its crude state
and its realization in coin. Instead of being known in his present capacity
indeed, we should think the denomination of cash and bullion keeper,
would more accurately define and designate his duties, and it would be
advisable we conceive, to regulate the receipts of bullion according to the
method adopted in the
The course of the future receipt of bullion, it is perhaps not easy to
determine precisely in the present stage of our enquiry, but we think it will
be found possible to adopt hereafter something like the following routine: the
silver having been sorted and if necessary cut by workmen in the employ of the
mint, and under the charge of the owner or his agent, and musters of it having
been taken in the presence of persons on the part of the owner, the mint and
assay departments, the gross weight of the whole shall be determined in a
public bullion office, considered to be under the more especial charge of the
Mint Master himself, assisted by the bullion keeper and a suitable
establishment of accountants and weighmen. When the weight is ascertained, it
shall be entered accordingly with the assent of the propritor, and kept under
charge of the bullion keeper till the standard value of it is determined by
assay, the propritor being furnished with the mint receipt of the weight,
signed by the Mint Master, which receipt shall be exchange for a certificate
from the Mint Master also, of the standard value of the bullion and its coinage
produced, after deducting the duty, and any other regulated charge. The holder
of the bullion shall then be allowed no further interference with the progress
of the coinage, until the amount of his property is actually realized and paid
to him, either in the manner now practiced or according to the terms of the
regulation, from which, as we shall hereafter explain, the present practice is
a deviation.
The Regulation 2 of 1812 already permits the merchant, if dissatisfied
with the assay valuation of his property, to withdraw it. The provision is
perfectly equitable, but we think that it might tend to guard against the
inconvenience and expense that might occasionally accrue from ignorance or
caprice in the holders of bullion, to charge them, in the event of their
withdrawing the silver, with the cost of cutting, preparing the musters and
making the assay.
Refining
The article of refining, which will on the one hand become of less
consideration by the reduction of the standard of the new rupees, will on the
other had rise in importance from the importation into the mint of inferior
bullion, which as low as dollar standard being refined without any charge to
the proprietor, will now of course be brought by him at once to the mint. The
Melting
The method hitherto persued of melting silver, and the arrangements
under which the operation has been conducted, will particularly require a
thorough revision, and very essential modifications, the construction of the
furnaces, crucibles and moulds occasioning great exposure of the metal, and
consequent probable increased waste, and the system under which the melters are
employed, exempting them in a great degree from responsibility or control.
The melters employed in the Benares mint being only occasionally
engaged, have so far less indicement to fulfill their duties with accuracy and
dispatch, than if they were regularly attached to the mint, whilst at the same
time standing in the light of contractors executing the work for a stipulated
sum, they have an interest in making the largest possible profit upon their
labours. The loose and rude manner in which the work
is performed, enhances the difficulty of preventing or detecting the
realization of those fraudulent gains which in the process of melting offer
themselves, and in the event of any defalcation being ascertained, there is no
chance of effecting its recovery from the defaulters.
The only means of preventive check that are now enforced,
are the personal superinteance of the proprietor, and the assay of the
meltings. The first of these it is true, is some protection for the merchant,
but it is none, and possibly worse than none, for the mint. The check by assay
is no doubt more effectual, but it is perhaps not complete in as far as the
selection of the musters must be entrusted to a native officer and as from the
small capacity of the crucibles and their constant multiplication, it must be
difficult, if not impossible, to make the number of assays proportioned to that
of the crucibles. The greater efficiency of the check by assay may however be
expected from the undivided attention which the Assay Master will be able
henceforth to bestow upon the discharge of his particular duties, and the
practicability of a more general assay, as well as other advantages, may
hereafter be rendered attainable, by the result of these enquiries, which we
understand have been instituted in the Calcutta mint as to the possibility of
melting silver in this country in larger masses and close furnacs.
In order to give in the first instance greater responsibility to the
melters we apprehend it will only be possible to do so by attaching them to the
fixed establishment of the mint, when their own interests will enforce the
necessity of preserving, by attention and by as much honesty as can be expected
from them, their situations as well as credit. Personal security we believe is
entirely out of the question at any rate. Two head melters shoud be retained
upon moderate salaries, and the whole expense of labour and materials should be
an integral part of the public expenditure of this mint.
That a moderate establishment and the cost of materials will not add to
the expense of this branch of the mint operations, but that under the increased
duty which the augmented coinage proably, and the use of laminating machines
certainly, will give to the melting rooms, it will ultimately prove an
economical arrangement, may very reasonably be expected. We have stated that
40,000 sicca weight of silver is now the limit of the daily melting, and this
is equal to nearly the same extent of coinage executed by the durabs. For the
same amount of coinage or 40,000 rupees a day by the laminating process a daily
melting of 60,000 sicca weight will be required to provide for the due
proportion of sizel. The remelting of the sizel again, or one third of the
coinage, will form an addition to the melting now unknown, and will tend, in
combination with the anticipated extension of the coinage to render the labour
of the melting department more constant than they have yet been, on a daily
melting of 60,000 sicca weight. The present rate of charge of one anna six pie per cent will be a monthly expenditure of nearly 1700
rupees, a cost which we think will scarcely be incurred by the adoption of
these alterations which we have suggested.
The rate of loss on melting metal of the present standard is something
higher, we are informed, then that which was allowed in the
The present mode of casting the metal when in fusion, as practiced in
the
Laminating
The superiority of the mode of preparing the blanks by laminating and
cutting machines, over that of their fabrication by hand needs not to be here
discussed. Its introduction will be favourable to accuracy and dispatch and
consequently to economy, and is the first step that must now be taken in any
arrangements for improving the efficiency of the
The first of these is the erection of a suitable building for the
reception and application of the mills, a subject to which we shall have
occasion hereafter more particularly to advert. The other is the preparation of
the machines in the
Milling etc
The preparation of the blanks by the laminating and cutting machines of
the last of which it may be observed the mint posses an adequate supply, will
leave to the durabs the sole duty of adjusting their weight. For this purpose
we presume it will be necessary to indent upon the
Delivery
We have already observed that the proprietor of bullion brought for
coinage, receives finally its produce in rupees, under an arrangement different
from that which is prescribed by the regulation. This change was rendered
necessary by the fluctuating state of the Collector’s Treasury, and its general
inability to meet the currect demands upon it. It was therefore to be
apprehanded that upon the remittance of specie, coined from private bullion, to
the treasury, the coin might be applied to general purposes, and that when the
proprietor, at the expiration of the prescribed term presented his certificate
for payment, he might be subjected to further and indefinite delay, a
circumstance that could not fail of creating much anxiety and embarrassment and
of operating as a serious check to the coinage of private bullionand consequent
detriment of Government and the public.
The considerations thus stated, induced the late Commissioner to
sanction a departure from the enacted rule, and to permit the merchant to
receive his money as soon as it is actually coined, through the medium however
of the Collector’s treasury, as we have described. We are aware that objections
may be entertained to dispensing with this medium, but from the distance of the
Treasury from the city, its interposition is attended with some expence to the
public and individuals and serious inconveniences to the latter. The latter
have given rise to a general petition of the merchants against its existance,
which was sometime since transmitted to
Establishment
The recent appointment of a distinct officer to the Assay Department, forms an important addition to the establishment
of the
|
Present
Establishment |
Proposed
Establishment |
||
|
Fixed |
|
Rs |
|
|
|
Rs |
1 Assorter of Specimens or Muster Sircar |
50 |
|
Assorter of Specimens |
70 |
1 Assistant Weigher |
50 |
|
Contingent |
1 Writer |
30 |
|
|
1 Assay Man |
10 |
2 Assay Mistrees |
20 |
|
1 Smith |
10 |
1 Fireman |
5 |
|
1 Carpenter |
10 |
1 Coolie |
4 |
|
1 Bellows Man |
5 |
1 Armourer or tool cleaner |
6 |
|
1 Coolie |
4 |
1 Furash |
6 |
|
|
|
1 Bihishtee |
4 |
|
|
|
1 Mehtur |
3 |
|
|
|
4 Peons |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
109 |
|
194 |
The first of these recommendations requires little explanation. The
change from a perpetual contingent establishment to a fixed one, with respect
to the artificers of the Assay Department is but a nominal alteration. The
additions are rendered necessary by the distinction of the Mint and Assay
Depratment, for whilst these were under the same officer, the functions of the
indoerior agents were in like manner often intermixed, and the same assistants
and servants did the duty of both. As this arrangement is now neither
practicable nor desirable, it becomes necessary to provide separately for the
Assay Office, a provision which the above list, in our opinion, exhibits on the
most moderate scale, with reference to the duties of the office, and the local
circumstances under which they will be carried on.
With respect to a die cutter, it appears to us that no useful object is
answered by the section of regulation 2, 1812, which enacts that the dies for
the
In our list of the Mint establishment we have inserted the foreman of
the mint, although he has not yet been included in the ordinary fixed
establishmentaccount. His appointment however, we have reason to think,
received the sanction of Government some years ago, upon its being found
inexpedient to retain the services of the last European foreman, and was
considered to have taken effect from the period of his discharge, or shortly
afterwards. It appears however that no official intimation of
such sanction having been conveyed to the Mint Master, the foreman has not yet
formed a part of the fixed establishment. As there is no question of the
usefulness and necessity of such an officer, nor of the fitness of the
ingenious native who holds the situation, we have thought it advisable to take
this opportunity of bringing the subject to the notice of Government that all
doubt respecting it may be now removed. It will be expedient, we think, to make
other additions to the working department, with a view of enabling the
Buildings
The improvements in the mode of conducting the business of the Benares
mint being essentially dependent upon suitable accomodation, and the present
buildings being far from affording it, it follows that some considerable
additions and alterations must in this respect also be made. We are not yet
prepared to state to what extent these may be ultimately necessary, but the immediate
necessities of the mint require that a reange of buildings should be
constructed for the receipt and employment of the laminating mills, and more
convenient and roomy appartments and offices for the Assay Master.
We have stated that four sets of rollers, it is calculated, will be
wanted for this mint. These will require four inclosed spaces of 24 feet square
each, which with the divisions and boundary walls will form a range of about
108 feet by 28. The buildings must be of two stories, on the same plan in fact
as the laminating rooms of the
The details of
the bullion and assay office are of a less urgent nature, as a temporary
arrangement can be made for them. It will be absolutely necessary however to
extend the limits of the mint to meet the wants of the latter, as no room for
it can well be spared within the present boundaries.
The situation of the
The erection of the laminating rooms, and bullion and assay office,
involve a certain outlay, which in the first place it may be thought scarcely
advisable to incur upon ground not public property, and held for so restricted
a period, and which after all will perhaps imperfectly fulfill the objects for
which it is expended. The difficulty of procuring a spot of ground for the
Assay Office is one not easily removed, and even if that be surmounted, we are
apprehensive that similar embarrassment will hereafter recur with respect to
the refining and melting departments, for which there is already very
inadequate space, and which will probably under the new syatem, require an
extension unattainable within the boundaries of the present mint. The perplexity
that will then arise may be productive of serious inconvenience, and a remedy
may be less easily devised than at present, when a favourable opportunity for
constructing a new mint seems to offer itself.
It has been found necessary we are informed, to provide a new custom
house for the city of
The expense of the alterations and additons, we have thus taken the
liberty to suggest, will of course augment the aggregate charges of the
Letter from Mint
Committee to Board of Commissioners dated
Government
have resolved to put the Benares mint on a more efficient footing by
introducing the same machinery as is now employed at Calcutta, I am directed by
the committee for superintending the affairs of the mint at this Presidency to
request that the Board of Commissioners will have the goodness to ascertain
from the Mint Master at Farruckabad whether any part of the apparatus recently
received from Delhi can be spared for the use of the Benares mint. Laminating
mills are at present the most urgently required.
Replies
are No 95 and 96
Boards Collections. IOR F/4/833, No 22121/22122.
p424. No 7
Letter from Government to the
I am
directed by His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 15th ultimo
transmitting report on the present state of the
The
report of the committee affords a highly perspicuous and instructive view of the state and
operations of the
The
sentiments of Government coinciding with those expressed in your letter, His
Lordship in Council deems it almost sufficient to refer to that paper with this
general expression
of his assent to the suggestions therein submitted.
The
proposed restriction of the functions and change in the denomination of the
Darogah of the bullion department appear entirely proper and the course
proposed to be followed in the receipt of bullion should be adopted with as
little delay as possible.
The
charge proposed to be levied from persons who may withdraw their bullion from
the mint under the circumatsnces adverted to in the 6th paragraph of
your letter appears fair and equitable, and the Governor General in Council
authorizes the adoption of the measure both at
The
proposition of the committee for entertaining two head melters is approved and
the Mint Master of
Should it
on further experience be deemed necessary or advisable to attach the melters
generally to the fixed establishment of the mint, Government will be prepared
again to take the matter into consideration. In the meantime it seems to be
entirely proper that the whole expenses of the labor and material should as
proposed, form an integral part of the expenditure of the mint.
The
Acting Assay Master will be authorized immediately to entertain the
establishment proposed in the 32nd paragraph of the Committee’s
report, and both that officer and the Mint Master will be empowered to exercise
their discretion in making such alterations in, and additions to, the
establishment of their respective departments as circumstances may suggest
until the system of management is finally settled.
They will
of course report all alterations in the fixed establishment of the mint to the
Board of Commissioners.
The mint
establishment specified in the 13th paragraph of the Committee’s
report is sanctioned.
Your
Committee is authorized to cause the ingot moulds, laminating machinery and
other articles required for the
The
arrangement specified in the 9th paragraph of your letter appears
very judicious and the necessary instructions for the adoption of it will be
issued to the Mint Master and Collector respectively.
His
Lordship in Council agrees with you in thinking it expedient to confine the
preparation of the dies to the Presidency.
His
Lordship in Council apprehends that the establishment of the Custom House on
the present site of the
You will
therefore request the Committee again to consider and report on the means of
procuring the space required for the accomodation of the mint and the probable
expense to be incurred for that purpose.
The superintendant
of public buildings will be instructed to place himself in communication with
the committee and prepare on their request an estimate of the expense of such
new buildings as the committee may think it necessary to be constructed.
You will
be pleased to transmit a copy of your report with a copy of this letter to the
committee at
Copies of
these papers will be sent to the Board of Commissioners for their information
and guidance.
Letter from the
magistrate at
As it
occurs to me that His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council
may be desirous of having before him specimens of the new coinage as soon as
possible, I forward herewith by dawk ten pieces taken from the mint on the 15th
instant, instead of returning them in my own charge as directed by Mr secretary
Dowdeswell’s letter of the 8th of April 1808 “until an opportunity
may occur of forwarding them under the care of an English gentleman or some
other responsible person”.
These
instructions being often the cause of very great delay in forwarding to
Calcutta the specimens required to be taken monthly from the mint in conformity
to section 17 Regulation 2,1812, and as the occurance
in which they originated is in consequence of the improved stae of the police
between Benares and the Presidency, no longer to be apprehended, I take the
liberty of recommending that they be revoked.
Letter from
Report on
the present state of the mint as recorded from Boards Collections (see above)
Letter from
Letter about improving the
4 sets of
lamintaing machinery with a large proportion of spare rollers
300 iron
melting pots to contain 200 sicca weight each
25 sets
of ingot moulds, 12 in a set
6 sets of
tongs for using melting pots
2
machines for straightening the straps
2
adjusting tables fitted up complete for musters
A supply
of files for adjusting 60,000 blanks per day
2 load
stones for cleaning the filings
2 large
shears for cutting sizel
Letter from
Discussion about the terms on which the two new melters might be
retained. This was forwarded to the GG with a recommendation
for acceptance (this is in No 133)
Also a
statement of the output of the
|
Year |
Total
Output (Rs-An-P) |
|
1813 |
3,358,216-3-7 |
|
1814 |
4,035,162-6 |
|
1815 |
6,221,817-3-11 |
|
1816 |
7,172,241-11-9 |
|
1817 |
7,320,959-3-10 |
|
1818 |
5,343,212-14-10 |
|
1819 |
3,382,628-5-3 |
Letter from
Describes
the Dehli machinery received from Farrukhabad as totally unfit for use in the
To Government from
the
The Mint Committee
at Banaras having urgently requested that they may be furnished with laminating
machines as soon as practicable, we beg permission to appropriate for that
purpose the machinery which is now under preparation for the Saugor mint, for
which a fresh set can be got ready before the buildings required for its
reception can be constructed.
We further beg
leave to employ in constructing this second set of machinery either Messrs
Calman & Co or Messrs Kyds & Co as may be found most expedient. The
charge will probably be nearly the same.
From Government to
I am directed by
His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to acknowledge receipt
of your letter of the 24th ultimo, relative to the appropriation of
the machinery which has been ordered for the Saugor mint, and the construction
of a second set for that establishment.
On the first point
His Lordship in Council entirely approves of your proposition, and authorises
you to exercise your discretion in regard to the second.
Letter from
Letter from Yeld,
Wilson & Bird to Mint Committee dated
Details of
alterations to the
Letter from
Government to Mint Committee dated
James Prinsep
appointed Assay Master at
Letter from
Government to Mint Committee dated
Agreeing that an
entirely new mint should be built at
Letter from Jessop
& Breen to Mint Committee dated
Offering to make
the machinery needed for the
Letter to T Yeld (
I am desired by
the Committee for superintending the affairs of the mint at this Presidency to
bring to your knowledge the fact that the silver bullion of the present
standard is effected in the Farruckabad mint at a loss of no more than 3 as 4 p
per cent and to call your attention to a proportionate reduction of the melting
loss in the Calcutta mint.
Boards Collections. IOR F/4/833, No 22121/22122.
p480. No 8
Letter from
I am
directed by His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to
acknowledge receipt of your letter dated the 10th instant, with its
enclosure.
His
Lordship in Council entirely concurs with your Committee in regard to the
expediency of constructing a new mint at
His
Lordship in Council approves your proposal for the purchase of the premises
belonging to Mr Hasleby for the sum of sonaut rupees 2,250, and the Honble
Company’s attorny will be instructed immediately to prepare the necessary deeds
for the conveyance of the property to Government. The Mint Master and Mr
Hasleby will of course furnish Mr Poe with all papers and information required
by him.
With
respect to the compensation to be assigned to the Mint Master on account of the
buildings constructed by him on the present mint premises, His Lordship in
Council agrees with you in thinking it proper to appoint a committee to
determine the amount, and has accordingly been pleased to determine that the
Collector, the Judge & Magistrate, and the Barrack Master shall be
associated for that purpose.
It
appears to His Lordship in Council that considerable advantage will result from
employing the Mint Master in superintending the construction of the building as
proposed by you, and His Lordship in Council is not aware of any objection to
the arrangement. The Superintendant of Public buildings however, will be
desired to report his sentiments on the subject, and the final orders of
Government will be passed when the estimate shall be received through the
regular channel. Mr Prinsep will also doubtless be able to afford useful
assistance in the superintendance, especially of that part of the building
which belongs to the assay department. But this he will of course give to the
Mint Master without any official instructions, and it might lead to
embarrassment to authorize any direct interference with the management of that
officer.
The Governor
General in Council is disposed to think that the present mint premises when
vacated by the mint officers, might be advantageously
apprpriated to the use of the College. But before passing any final orderson
that subject, His Lordship in Council would wish to learn distinctly the
sentiments of the collecge committee, in regard to expediency, or necessity, of
affording the accomodation to that institution, and to ascertain the probable
rent to be obtained by letting the premises to an individual.
Letter from
I am
directed by His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated the 10th instant with
its enclosures.
His
Lordship in Council intirely (sic) concurs with your Committee in regard to the
expediency of constructing a new mint at
His
Lordship in Council approves your proposal for the purchase of the premises
belonging to Mr Haselby for the sum of SaRs 2,250 and the Honble Company’s
Attorney will be instructed immediately to prepare the necessary deeds for the
conveyance of the property to Government. The Mint Master and Mr Haselby will
of course furnish Mr Poe with all papers and information required by him.
With
respect to the compensation to be assigned to the Mint Master on account of the
building constructed by him on the present mint premises, His Lordship in
Council agrees with you in thinking it proper to appoint a committee to
determine the amount, and has accordingly been pleased to determine that the
Collector, the Judge and Magistrate, and the Barrack Master shall be associated
for that purpose.
It
appears to His Lordship in Council that considerable advantage will result from
employing the Mint Master in superintending the construction of the buildings
as proposed by you, and His Lordship in Council is not aware of any objection
to the arrangement. The Superintendent of Public Buildings, however, will be
desired to report his sentiments on the subject, and the final orders of
Government will be passed when the estimate shall be received thro’ the regular
channels. Mr Prinsep also will doubtless be able to afford useful assistance in
the superintendence, especially of that part of the building which belongs to
the Assay Department, but this he will of course give to the Mint Master
without any official instructions, [as] it might lead to embarrassment to
authorize any direct interference with the management of that officer.
The
Governor General in Council is disposed to think that the present mint premises
when vacated by the mint officers might be advantageously apprpriated to the
use of the college. But before passing any final orders on that subject, His
Lordship in Council would wish to learn distinctly the sentiments of the
College Committee in regard to expediency or necessity of affording the
accomodation to that institution and to ascertain the probably rent to be
obtained by letting the premises to an individual.
Letter
…Under
the objections stated by you to the measures of entrusting the construction of
the new
Boards Collections. IOR F/4/833, No 22121/22122.
p503
Letter from Government to the
Military Board, dated
The
Government agrees with the estimate of Rs 21,831-10-7 for constructing the new
mint at
Letter to
I am
directed by His Excellency the Most Noble the Governor General in Council to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the [9th] instant with its
enclosure and to inform you that Lieutenant Somerville, Barrack Master, will be
instructed to make such alterations and improvements in the construction of the
mint at Benares as may be declared expedient and necessary by the Mint and
Assay Master of that place.
Letter from the
Mint Committee to the Board of Commissioners, dated
I am
directed by the Committee for superintending the affairs of the mint at this
Presidency to request your procuring the orders of the
Board of Commissioners for the transmission of the laminating machinery now at
the Farruckabad mint to the mint of
Letter from the
Mint Committee to Calcutta Mint Master (Lindsay), dated
I am
instructed by the committee for superintending the affairs of the mint at this
Presidency to direct your preparing with as little
delay as possible two laminating mills and a set of ingots for the use of the
Letter from the
Mint Committee to Yeld, dated
II am
directed by the committee for superintending the affairs of the mint at this
Presidency to inform you that two sets of laminating machinery for your mint
have been put in hand in the Calcutta mint and two other mills have been
ordered to be sent from that of Farruckabad. A set of ingot moulds is likewise
in the course of preparation in the
Should
any other articals (sic) be required you will appraise the committee and also
inform them at a convenient opportunity of the period when it is expected the
new Benares mint will be ready for the acception of those now in course of
fabrication.
The Mint
Committee have lately received a letter from the Assay Master of the
Another
question submitted to the committee by the Assay Master regards the use of the
Farruckabad sicca weight in the receipt of bullion at the
Letter from Yeld
to
I have
the honor to submit to you for the information of the Calcutta Mint Committee
copy of my letter, enclosure No.1, to the Barrack Master for this division
written to him on receiving your communication under date the 2nd
instant and copy of his reply, enclosure No 2.
I trust
the liberty I have taken in calling the Barrack Master’s attention to the
centre buildings will meet the committee’s approbation. When these centre
buildings are sufficiently dry the business of the mint in its present mode of
operation may, by putting the durabs temporary in the adjusting room and the
[melting] and one or two other rooms being covered in, be removed there. I
therefore beg leave to suggest to the committee, as a new superintendent of the
building is coming up to its charge, who must be wholly unacquainted with what is first wanted, that I may be
invested with a paramount authority for directing the future progress of the
building, with somewhat of a discretionary one for such alterations or
additions as time and observation point out to me will be of advantage, and
which may cost double the amount if found indispensably necessary after the
present building is completed. Of this nature are the verandahs which Major
Phipps when last at this station so fully agreed to being indispensible that he
directed an estimate of the expense of their addition (before the roofing was
put on, which would considerably lessen the charge of their being added) to be
found and sent to him for his examination and approbation, or alteration. This
was done by Captain Somerville some months ago and is adverted to in my letter
to the Barrack Master.
Of the
machinery and other points in your letter, I shall take an early opportunity of
addressing you.
Letter
from Yeld to Captain Lucas (Barrack Master at
Having
been called upon by the Calcutta Mint Committee to state when the new mint will
be ready for the reception of the machinery now in course of construction, I
have to request you will be pleased to afford me the means of giving the
information required.
I have
also to request that the centre buildings, viz, for the laminating machinery,
the rooms for the presses, and adjusting the blanks in, with those for the
bullion and native officers, be carried on with all possible dispatch, and I
beg to observe that it is on these principally which the committee’s query
adverts from the desire to have the business removed to the new mint as soon as
possible.
Should
Major Phipps not have replied to or sanctioned the estimate for the addition of
the verandahs, which he agreed to being necessary when last at Benares, which
was at his desire submitted to him by Captain Somerville, I have to request you
will be pleased to call the Superintendent’s attention to this pointas soon as
[possible], as it would add greatly to the expense to the expense to have to
make these additions after the roofing of the present walls is put on, and
which in their present state can be done much stronger, better and at less
comparative cost,
Letter
from Captain Lucas to Yeld, no date but apparently sent
I have to
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day’s date, requesting I would
afford you the means of informing the Calcutta Mint Committee when the mint
constructing at this place will be ready.
I regret
it is not in my power to fix any period as the probable time of its completion.
The buildings (including the houses and offices for the Mint and Assay Master)
is so extensive, the materials required so numerous, and the regular supply of
these dependent on so many contingencies, that judging from the progress made
in the short period (not 3 months) I have had charge, I fear to hold out any
hopes to the Committee of any early completion of the whole.
In reply
to the 2nd paragraph, I have to acquaint you that the centre
buildings, viz the laminating mills, the stamping and adjusting sides, with
those for the treasury and native offices have been commenced on, and had I
been desired to devote my attention and the materials to those alone, might
have been finished, I imagine, by this time, as I trust they now will in the
space of 3 months. These however form but a small part of the extensive range
of buildings the plan exhibits.
No answer
has been received from the Superintendent to the application and estimate for
verandahs alluded to in the concluding para of your letter, but I will again
bring the subject to his notice.
Request
for an additional expenditure of Rs11,615 on the new
mint for
The
additional expenditure was approved
Yeld and
Prinsep were informed that the additional expediture was approved but that
Letter from the
superintendent of buildings to
I beg to
acquaint you that I have inspected the new mint now building at
The
building appears strong and substantial but I would recommend that the whole be
plastered, or at least the whole fornt of the building and verandah facing the
interior of the square, which is stated to have as yet been sanctioned only for
the laminating, stamping and adjusting offices. The additional expense of
plastering the whole of the outside will amount to about sicca rupees 1000, and
without this the buildings certainly will have rather an unfinished appearance
when completed.
There
appear to have been sundry omissions in the estimate of doors, drains, flooring
etc. I have directed the Barrack Master to concert with the Mint and Assay
Master to make staement of these, which shall have the same heresfter to
forward to you.
The Mint
and Assay Master are now receiving charge of the dwelling houses intended for
their accomodation which they have undertaken to complete agreeably to your
letter of the 7th July last
Letter to Yeld
from
Asked for
statement of the coinage of the
Letter to Yeld
from
Reminder
about sending the statement of coinage
Letter from Yeld
to Mint Committee dated
Sates that
he is sorry about the statement, but has been very busuy and will get it done
ASAP
Letter from Yeld
to the
I beg
leave to state to you for the information of the Calcutta Mint Committee that I
have removed all the articles of coinage etc from the old to the new mints, and
that I am filling up the holes in the floors of the old mint, occasioned by the
removal of the timbers of the presses etc, [so] that I shall be ready to
deliver the premises on the 1st proximo to any person appointed to
receive charge of them.
I have
for some months repeatedly made known that these premises were for hire for the
term of Government’s lease for anyone to rent them
5000
maunds of copper sent to Mint Master at
Letter from Yeld
to Mint Committee dated
Encloses
statement as requested (but not attached
More
copper sent to
Mints in Budlecund
Letter from the
Acting Agent to the Governor General to Government, dated
I have to
apologise for the great delay which has taken place in transmitting the report
relating to the reform of the local coin called for in your dispatch of
What is stated in
Mr Mackenzie’s note relating to the fluctuations in the weight and intrinsic
value of the local coins at different periods, added to the information I have
received to the same effect more particularly applicable to some of the mints
in this province, fully convinces me of the impossibility, whilst the present
system of Government continues in the dependent states, and whilst the mints
remain under the superintendence of the local officers of applying any
effectual remedy to the evil complained of. The mints now at work are sometimes
in the hands of karindas and at other times farmed to contractors over whom no
very efficient supervision is exercised, as to prevent an occasional
depreciation of the coin to a considerable extent.
My attention has
therefor been directed to the object of accomplishing the total abolition of
the several local mintsand with reference thereto, the points which seem to
present themselves for consideration are: 1st The titles under which
several of the chieftains have hitherto exerted the power of coining, and the
right of the British Government, if necessary and expedient, to put a stop to
the operations of the local mints; 2ndly The amount of nett annual revenue the
jageerdars have respectively drawn from their mints; and 3rdlyThe probable
effects of the proposed abolition in the interests of the native chieftains and
of their subjects
The mints at
present working have, I understand, periods
|
|
When Established |
|
1. Bala Bala Rao at Jaloum |
15 years |
|
2. ditto Serrinuggur |
30 years |
|
3. Rao Ramchund at |
40 years |
|
4. Rajah Bukeramajiet at Tehree |
15 years |
|
5. Koari Pertab Sing at Chutterpore |
8 years |
|
The mints at the
undermentioned places have been closed: |
|
|
Dutteah |
40 years |
|
Sumpthen |
16 years |
The coinage at
Punnah, if not entirely continued is too considerable to merit
The British Government
is in Bundlekund the real successor to the Mogul Emperor, the nominal as well
as the real successor to the Peishwah, and not one of these mints appears to
have been established by any other authority then the will of the chieftains.
The mints at Punnah and Sreenuggur are the most ancient. The mint at Punnah has
been shut up for some years in consequence of the great depreciation of its
coinage, and from a statement obtained from Mr Maddock, it apperas that the
whole amount of revenues derived by the Rajah from his mint in a period of ten
years little exceeded Rs700 or 70 per annum. This circumstance may facilitate
the abolition of all the mints, that at Punnah having
been established longer then any of the others.
In the several
sunnuds and treaties, no notice whatever is taken of the mints established by
the Jhansee and Jaloum chiefs. [They] were originally sanctioned by the
Peishwah or only owed their origins to the remoteness of those dependencies
from Poonah. The transfer of the supremacy over those chiefs to the British
Government clearly gives it the right to withdraw from them a privilege, which
according to ancient usages, ought to beong only to the supreme authority.
Previous to the transfer the Jaloum and Jhansee chiefs were merely acknowledged
and styled themselves, the former as a feudatory on terms of service, the
latter as an amil under the Peishwah.
It is alleged that
a mint was at a distant period established at Oorcha but it had been closed for
a long term of years, and the present mint at Tehree has been oipened since the
existing treaty was concluded between the British Government and Rajah
Bukermajiet. Although the Rajah was a jugurdur under the Emperors of Dehlee,
since he does not hold his land by sunnud from the Honble Company and is beside
the province, he has perhaps a better title than any of the others to the
privilege of coining. Yet I do not find that he has ever asserted such a right,
and the Rajah of Dutteah expressed his indignation that anyoneshould have
sharged him with opening a mint without the sanction of Government.
There is nothing
to support Koour Pertaub Sing’s claim to the privilage of coining unless the
stipulations leaving him uncontrolled authority within his own Jageer be
admitted to give him a title to coin money, and if the stipulation can be
supposed to confer such a privilege in one instance it must confer some on
every jugurdar who is exempted from the jurisdiction of the civil courts. Koour
Pertaub Sing is not descended from any of the old rulers of the country, but
owes his present rank entirely to the munificence or policy of the British
Government, for his father had previously received only half the rent from each
village in a portion of the present jageer, the other half being collected from
the villages by the officer of the Nawab Shumshere Huhadoor. The circumstance
of a mint having existed for a short time at Chutterpore (about 30 years ago)
under the Rajah’s of Punnah is wholly immaterial.
If it be supposed
that the measure of abolishing the mints will be very disagreeable to the
parties concerned, I have to observe that although several of the chiefs urged
former usage in support of their assumed privilege when Mr [Wanchhope], in
September 1818, desired the chiefs to shut up their mints as being unsanctioned
by Government, all the chieftains have since that period been prepared for the
adoption of the proposed measure, and the only objection to it latterly
advanced has been on account of the inconvenience the cessation of the coinage
may occasion to traders and zemindars. The measure will I doubt not be
gratifying to all the chiefs who have not heretofore been in the habit of
coining money.
It appears to me
that the immediate loss a few of the chiefs will sustain from the suppression
of their mints will be more than counterbalanced [by] the extension of trade
and consequent increase of the customs receipts arising from the establishment
of a uniform currency, and I would therefore respectfully suggest that I be
authorized in the first instance to addressw letters to the parties in the
terms of the enclosure herewith transmitted.
Lest the
Government however should deem it inexpedient or inequitable to request an
immediate sacrifice from a few individuals for the attanment of advantages
perhaps not very obvious to their minds, and in which all will share, I have
judged it proper to obtain from each chief a staement of the annual amount of
the coinage at his mints, and of the net revenue derived therefrom during the
last five years, the staements formerly obtained being of a very general nature
and not exhibiting the amount of revenue derived from the mints.
The result of my
enquiries is as follows:
|
Mint |
Chief |
Year (sumbut) |
AD (inserted by me) |
Amount of Coinage |
|
Sreenuggur |
Bala Rao Gobind |
1875 |
1819 |
521,854 |
|
|
|
1876 |
1820 |
83,275 |
|
|
|
1877 |
1821 |
621,826 |
|
|
|
1878 |
1822 |
17,217 |
|
|
|
1879 |
1823 |
19,955 |
|
Jaloun |
Bala Rao Govind |
1875 |
1819 |
6,161,704 |
|
|
|
1876 |
1820 |
2203 |
|
|
|
1877 |
1821 |
259,937-12 |
|
|
|
1878 |
1822 |
190,839-8 |
|
|
|
1879 |
1823 |
141,360 |
|
|
Rao Ramchaud |
1875 |
1819 |
476,145 |
|
|
|
1876 |
1820 |
226,604 |
|
|
|
1877 |
1821 |
231,271 |
|
|
|
1878 |
1822 |
334,637 |
|
|
|
1879 |
1823 |
115,434 |
|
Tehree |
Raja
Bickermajut |
1875 |
1819 |
85,333 |
|
|
|
1876 |
1820 |
38,009 |
|
|
|
1877 |
1821 |
167,236 |
|
|
|
1878 |
1822 |
39,606 |
|
|
|
1879 |
1823 |
25,044 |
|
Chutterpore |
Koour Partaub Sing |
1875 |
1819 |
405,945 |
|
|
|
1876 |
1820 |
238,075 |
|
|
|
1877 |
1821 |
344,998 |
|
|
|
1878 |
1822 |
332,508 |
|
|
|
1879 |
1823 |
355,183 |
The statement
received from Koour Pertaub Sing varies so widely from that he formerly
delivered to Mr Maddock that its correctness seems very questionable,
notwithstanding the minuteness of its details. In the former statement the
coinage of 1875 was staed as Rupees 212,000…
…Since preparing
this reprot, the vakeel of the Rajah of Orcha, with whom I had conversed
respecting the suppression of the mints, and who lately paid a visit to his
master, has informed me that the Rajah, upon the subject being mentioned to
him, replied that he was fully prepared for the measure and will very readily
discontinue his coinage upon being informed of the wishes of Government to that
effect.
There then follows
his proposed letter to the chiefs
Letter from the
Agent to the GG to Government, dated
I yesterday had
the honor to receive your letter of the 1st ultimo with its
enclosures regarding the abolition of the mints belonging to the several
chieftains in Budlecund.
Previously to
adopting the various measures for giving effect to the orders contained in the
10th paragraph of the resolution of the Governor General in Council
dated 10th September last, I beg leave to submit whether it might
not be expedient to postpone making the requisite intimation to the chieftains
concerned, until the arrangements for the coinage and issue of the Farruckabad
rupee from the new mint at Saugor shall have been completed.
I am not aware
what progress has been made in these arrangements, or when the mint at the
above station will be in operation, but I have reason to believe that the
discounts upon the Serinagur rupee, the chief currency of the province, but
which is not now received by Government, already presses very heavily upon our
zamindars. It fluctuates considerably, but throughout the year it perhaps
cannot be assumed at less than 10 or 12 per cent and it not infrequently rises
much higher. Purshases of every kind are made in this coinage, and in it rents
are payable by the ryots to the zamindars. Proably it will take a considerable
time before it is suppressed.
I am however
apprehensive that by sidden order for the immediate suppression of the local
mints before the introduction of the superior currency is effectually secured
from the mint at Saugor, embarrassment may be felt by the different classes of
the agricultural community & that inconvenience may be occasioned to
traders in all deswcription of produce throughout the province, whilst on the
other hand it seems to me that by delaying to give effect to the present orders
of Government until after the mint at Saugor shall have been a short time in
full operation, inconvenience apprehended will in a great measure be obviated.
But at the same
time, as only the privilege of coining in future is to be immediately
withdrawn, and the rupees of sorts now in circulation are left to disappear by
degrees & allowed to continue in circulation, though some embarrassment may
be experienced, it will certainly be to a less extent than if they were
suddenly called on for recoinage. At all events, I trust I shall be considered justified
in having submitted the question for the consideration of Government.
Letter from
In reply
to your letter of the 18th November last, we beg leave to observe
that as the agant to the Governor General must be much more perfectly
acquainted than ourselves with the state of the currency, and consequent demand
for coin in Bundelcund, it had better be left to his discretion whether and how
long he shall defer the suppression of the subordinate mints in that district.
We would likewise suggest for the consideration of Government whether it would
not be desirable that officer should be directed to receive the Sirinuggur
rupee, in which it would appear all payments are made by the royotts (sic) to the
zamindars in discharge of revenue, under similar rules those prescribed to the
late agent at Saugor with regard to the Nagpore currency, such reception to be
allowed either till the opening of the Saugor mint or as long as he may think
necessary and expedient
Letter from Yeld
to Board of Revenue dated
Yesterday
being a general holiday I had no one in the office to enable me to forward the
early reply I was anxious to give to it, and to express the chagrin the
statements have occasioned me.
I now beg
leave to state that the specimens taken by the magistrate are not correct
mustsers of the issue of the mint coinage. The Magistrate’s orders are to take
up the musters immediately from the presses at work by which he is liable to
take defective equally with perfect rupees, and I cannot but feel that from
this cause may have arisen the censure you have transmitted from the secretary
to Government, and that I may in some measure be inable to judge of this. I
hope I shall stand excused in soliciting that a few defective coins may be sent
to me to see in what their defect consists.
On the
coin being carried from the stamping presses, it undergoes the following
examination. The first an inspection of every rupee by
the eye to reject such as are not struck even and well. The second is by
weighing each to see that none of light weight pass.
They are then packed into bags which in most cases a handful or two are looked
over by myself, and lastly they are carried into the
assay room for Mr Prinsep’s taking out such as he may wish for a further assay.
The issue of them in this state I did hope would have prevented the passing of
any defective ones that might be taken up from the presses. The laminating rollers,
there in numbers, have not yet been put into operation on the silver coinage
and I trust the reasons for it will prove full satisfactory.
The
copper last sent up was so very thick that without being considerably laminated
it could not have been coined. According to the orders of Government the three
sets of rollers have therefore been fiully employed in this work but in
consequence of the intimation I have received of twenty lacs of bullion being
near at hand from Lucknow, I last week gave instructions for their use in the
copper coinage to cease on Saturday and everything to be in readiness for their
employment on the silver when it comes. I have also ordered the durabs anvils
[and] hammers to be put in the best order so that I may work the bullion as
quickly as possible, and I trust by the greatest personal attention to every
process that it goes through, I may venture to assure the Board that nothing
(that lies in my power) defective shall pss into circulation, and that the
greatest possible care shall be taken of the beauty and perfection of the
coinage of this mint.
I hope I
shall be excused saying a few words on not having ceased the employment of the
durabs independent of the occasion stated for the use of the laminating
rollers. I could not but feel the hardship of dismissing, all at once, a
numerous class of workmen who have been under my eye almost daily for twenty
years, and many of whom have double that time in the employment of the mint. On
removing into the new mint I retained only the old hands until the laminating
machinery should be ready, and when ready, finding full employment for it
otherwise, I confess, I wanted the heart to turn the old durabs adrift with the
only resource in their power that of going as hammermen to blacksmiths, in
which such a number could have hardly got employment. This however whenever the
copper now in stroe is worked up, must be done and I beg to state that two more
sets of laminating machinery will be necessary to keep up anything like an
efficient silver coinage equal to the general demand of this mint.
Letter to John
Trotter (Calcutta Mint Master) from the
I am
desired by the Committee for superintending the affairs of the mint at this
presidency to request you will furnish them with information of the kind of
copper sent up last year to
You will
also apprize the Committee how far it has been customary in the
Letter from
Trotter (Calcutta Mint Master) to Mint Committee, dated
I have
the honor to acknowledge receipt of your secretary’s letter under date 2nd
instant and in reply to acquaint you that the description of copper consigned
in the past year to Benares, is not seemingly recorded in this office, but from
the best information I am able to collect, it would appear to have been various
denomination varying from about 60 to 80/oz.
In reply
also to the request contained in the 2nd para of Mr Wilson’s letter,
I beg leave to state that it has generally been usual to laminate the sheet
copper purchased for the copper coinage provided it exceeds the standard size
of 48˝ ounce, and that although it is of course desirable to procure the sheets
as near that thickness as possible, yet as a supply of such copper is not
always obtainable, it has not been unusual to procure copper of other standard
as far as 100/oz.
Letter from James
Prinsep to
I have
been requested by the merchants who bring bullion to this mint to lay before
the committee a circumstance in the mode of eveluating silver deliveries for
coinage on their account, which is attended in the inconvenience and loss both
to themselves and Government.
In the
tables of the produce of silver bullion annexed to Reg XI, AD 1819, a charge
for refinage is made on all silver of a quality infoerior to “six pennyweight
worse” than standard. The effects of this charge is always, as far as my
experience enables me to judge, to prevent such bullion from being brought to
the mint until it has undergone a refining process in the bazar, at a cheaper
rate than is charged in the tables.
It
frequently happens, as has been the case here for some months past, that such
inferior silver is very desirable at the mint, and that for the want of it, the
reduction of fine bullion to the standard purity, is forced to be effected by the addition of copper, at the expense of
Government. And the difficulty of mixing well in fusion the latter metals,
produces besides in spite of all endeavours to obviate them, great
irregularities in the ingots. Many pots are obliged daily to be remitted and
others, the muster ingots of which may have been found standard by assay,
frequently contain other ingots varying 2 or 3 dwts better or worse than
standard, such irregularity being too, only discoverable in the assay of the
rupees after coinage.
I have to
request you therefore on these grounds to submit to the committee the
expedience of my being permitted to remit the refinage charge in my
calculations of the produce of inferior bullion, when such silver is required
at the mint, or when the merchant brings an equivalent proportion of fine
silver to allegate therewith.
Letter from the
Mint Committee to
Confirms that the copper sent to
Also
states that more laminating machinery will be needed at
Letter from the
Mint Committee to
Suggesting
that Prinsep’s proposal to accepted lower fineness silver when needed should be
adopted. In fact this already happens in the
Letter from
Government to
Allowing
Prinsep not to charge for under-standard bullion
Letter to the Mint
Committee from Government dated
Authorising
the additional laminating machines for the
Letter from the
Mint Committee to Saunders (Calcutta Mint Master), dated
Ordering
him to make the laminating machines for
Resolution,
Included:
…That the
Governor General’s agent at
That the
Assay Master be secretary to the committee
That the
Committee be particularly required to examine and verify the mint balance from
time to time and see that the above resolutions are strictly complied with.
The
committee will also consider whether any and what further precautions can,
without inconvenience to the public service, be taken for the security of the
balance not immediately in course of coinage…
Letter from the
Their first report on the state of the
…It was
anticipated in the report so often alluded to, that four laminating rollers
would be capable of performing all the business of the
There can
be no doubt whatever of the superiority of the blanks prepared by rolling and
punching, but to render laminating machinery effective, it should be
constructed in the most perfect way and should have the constant supervision of
an able engineer, the other important occupations of the Mint Master preventing
him bestowing sufficient attention upon such objects.
While on
this subject we may take the opportunity of stating that the room now occupied
by the durabs is totally unfit for such purpose. 300 men are closely huddled
together in a dark godown without the least means of vetilation and the
atmosphere imprgnated as it is with the fumes of numerous charcoal fires, is
not fit to be breathed…
…The
milling of the
Letter to the Mint
Committee at
A large
amount of copper was in store at the
A full description of Captain Presgrave’s machine for milling coins. Plus a
drawing by Prinsep
Letter from the
Recommending
that the Benares Magistrate should continue to select specimens from the mint
and send them to
Letter to
…We are
rather at a loss to understand the inefficiency of the laminating machinery of
the
The use
of collar milling in the Benares mint we have reason to consider as inexpedient
on account of the delay it causes in the striking of the coin, but more
especially in the great expenditure of dies which it occasions. The use of dies
with circular necks was attempted in the Calcutta mint sunsequent to the
suggestion of the Assay Master of the Benares mint adverted to by the
Committee, and it was found that both in tempering the dies and stamping the
coins, so many cracked that it was absolutely necessary to relinquish the
practice…
Letter from the
The
amount of copper at the
Letter from the
Magistrate at
…This
being the season during which the native marriages are chiefly celebrtaed, such
an immense demand is created for copper coin that a regular traffic takes place
in pice. The inducement of profit held out is so great that the shroffs
purchase up in anticipation the whole of the pice procurable and establish a
retail price differing from that authorized by the regulations. Hitherto it has
always been the custom for a shop to be established in the choke on the part of
the mint, at the request of the magistrate, to counterbalance and couteract the
effects of the monopoly. Until this year this method has answered every
purpose, but at present, from some cause which I know not, there is no copper
pice to be had at the mint or treasury, and the greatest possible inconvenience
exists, so much so indeed, as not to admit of supply for the daily allowance of
prisoners.
I am led
to believe that a profit arises from the purchasing of pice for the sake of the
copper, which is employed to an immense extent in the making of the common
household utensils of the natives. These causes united, and the more
extraordinary one of no copper coin being procurable from the mint and treasury,
appear at present to be without relief since the Mint Master does not seem
likely to render any material […] and perhaps Government may have larger
supplies of copper coin ready for circulation in some of the treasuries, which
cannot be disposed of, in which case if it could be transported to the Benares
treasury, a considerable benefit would be conferred on the community…
Asking
for a report on the amount of pice produced at
Letter from Yeld
to Mint Committee
Includes
statement of monthly produce of pice
|
1826 |
August |
2500 |
|
|
September |
5210 |
|
|
October |
5000 |
|
|
November |
5910 |
|
|
December |
4450 |
|
1827 |
January |
12610 |
|
|
February |
16530 |
|
|
March |
7140 |
|
|
April |
13560 |
|
|
May |
21412 |
Letter to
…With
respect to the
The
Government coinage of the two years 1816/17 and 1827/28 at
We
presume that the long services of Mr Yeld will be thought to entitle him to the
liberal consideration of Government, and with respect to his salary therefore,
we do not estimate any reduction. The services of Mr Prinsep will be highly
valuable in the
If the
Benares mint be abolished, it will be necessary to coin Farruckabad rupees in
Calcutta for individuals taking or sending such currency up the country, and it
will also be requisite to guard against any disappointment or unusual delay in
finishing such rupees [from] bullion delivered for the purpose of being coined
into them, or serious inconvenience may result to the merchants and bankers in
the upper provinces and much disatisfaction will be consequently excited.
Letter from
…to
inform you that His Lordship in Council has, in pursuance of your
recommendation resolved to discontinue the coinage of money at the Benares
mint…
At least
six months notice should be given, and the Committee is asked to submit what
changes would be necessary in the regulations to effect such a change
Letter from the
Enclosure
(proposed notice to be issued)
It having
been resolved to abolish the
Letter from the
The
Benares Mint Committee desire me to address you on the
subject of the pice currency in this district, to which their attention has
been called by a letter from the Magistrate, of which a copy is annexed.
It does
not appear from the reports of that officer that the issue of 1000 rupees worth
of pice per diem has hitherto much alleviated the distress and inconvenience
occasioned by the scarcity of pice.
Indeed
the following arguments advanced in a note by the Assay Master on the subject,
tend to prove that the remedy required is not of a local nature.
From the
price of sheet copper in the great commercial mart of Mirzapoor, it is certain
that our pice cannot be advantageously melted or consumed as metal in this
neighbourhood.
From the
greater intrinsic weight of all copper coins to the west of Allahabad, compared
with the Componay’s pice, it follows that the latter cannot be exported to the
westward with advantage, until the value of the western pice in exchange rises
nearly 25 per cent.
It is
evident therefore that the scarcity in our market must be caused by a drain to
the eastward.
Such
being the case, the proper method to maintain our copper at par, is not to
bring copper to
In
conformation of the above reasoning, I beg to remark that 3 or 4 months since,
the current price of pice in
The
reaction is still felt here, and the whole amount of the remittance of copper
just received, in value rupees 75,000, will evidently do little in restoring
the circulation to the standard value of 64 pice per rupee.
The
committee are not aware of the measures which may be in force in Calcutta to
remedy the existing evil, but they direct me to sumbit for the information of
the Right Honble the Governor General in Council, that the serious
inconvenience and discontent occasioned throughout this province by the
fluctuation in the value of pice, appear only to be capable of a remedy from a
proper regulation of the issues of copper or other fractional coin from the
Calcutta mint.
Letter from the
They do
not agree with the arguments of the Benares Mint Committee and believe that
pice should continue to be issued from the
An
investigation into possible fraud at
1000
maunds of copper had been sent to
All about
the pensioners of the
Letter
|
|
Value
in Sicca Rs |
Farrukhabad
Mint |
|
1813/14 |
3,358,216-3-7 |
6,807,150-13-6 |
|
1814/15 |
4,035,162-6 |
3,033,694-15-1 |
|
1815/16 |
6,221,817-3-11 |
2,694,464-14-6 |
|
1816/17 |
7,172,241-11-9 |
3,420,301-6-9 |
|
1817/18 |
7,320,959-3-10 |
7,818,455-3 |
|
1818/19 |
5,343,212-14-10 |
5,080,377-5-10 |
|
1819/20 |
3,963,302-14-10 |
4,052,158-13 |
|
1820/21 |
11,948,908-11-1 |
548,9571-6-2 |
|
1821/22 |
8,436,317-3-6 |
5,424,899-14-11 |
|
1822/23 |
4,939,082-1-7 |
974,519-8-4 |
|
1823/24 |
2,901,781-10-10 |
1,022,904-0-4 |
|
1824/25 |
2,558,542-1-8 |
|
|
1825/26 |
4,991,172-10-1 |
|
|
1826/27 |
7,794,236-7-3 |
|
|
1827/28 |
4,112,392-8 |
|
Letter from
Prinsep to
He stated
that he had completed the manufacture of pice from the copper sent from
…The
charge of die cutting has been augmented as I attempted by employing more
engravers and of a superior class, to improve this hitherto defective branch of
the fabrication of pice…
This
shows that dies for copper were produced locally
Letter from
Stated that the
copper had been coined at
…As the
operations of the
Agreed
that the mint etc should be disposed of and how this should be done
Mr RJ
Taylor asked if he could rent a part of the mint for living in
Magistrate
at
Letter from
…With
reference to the circumstances stated by Mr James Prinsep and the Magistrate at
With
respect to the machinery and apparatus of the late
The
Commissioner of Revenue and Circuit of the 8th Division were
authorized to occupy part of the premises.
All about
different aspects of disposing of the mint and machinery
The court
house could be sold and accomodated in the mint premises.
The
machinery could be broken up and sold, except for the dies that were to be sent
to Saugor. It eventually realised a net sum of Rs 13,798-1-2