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46.

ANOTHER TOKEN CONNECTED WITH SWANSEA.

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE CAMBRIAN."

SIR,-Some few months ago you were good enough to give insertion to a list of Tokens issued from or connected with Swansea. A silver shilling has recently come into my possession of an entirely unknown type. The device is, Obv. Four right hands cuffed at the wrist, conjoined; inscribed "London, York, Swansea and Leeds." Rev. In the field, "One Shilling Token," and around it, "To Facilitate Trade." As this coin is unknown at the British Museum, and not given in Boynes's work, it must be extremely rare. Can any of your readers give any account of it, or any reason for the assumed connection between the four towns inscribed on it?

Yours faithfully,

GEO. GRANT-FRANCIS, F.S.A., Col.

Langland Bay,

20th Nov., 1868.

NOTE.-It is, of course, well known to Collectors that no Tokens were issued after 1814, as they were suppressed by proclamation. In “The Swansea District," however, I well recollect their remaining in currency, the best evidence being that the foregoing were selected and put away out of my own pocket money up to so late a date as 1825. Since 1830 another Trade convenience has been created by the issue of little Copper, Brass, and Gilt Tokens, or Medallets termed " cheques" they are of the halfpenny and farthing size (chiefly the latter) and represent their nominal value, 1žd., 2d., and 3d., and are used nearly always at small taverns, where games are played, to enable the customer, as I am informed, to call in at any subsequent time and have his refreshment to the value indicated. I possess more than twenty different types, dating from 1832 to 1865 inclusive, but they are scarcely worthy of a detailed description on this occasion. When a new tenant comes in he often counter-marks the cheques so as to be answerable only for those issued in his time.-G. G. F.

A Series of Interesting Statistics

ON

Sales of Copper at SBansea

From the Books preserved in the MINING RECORD Office, at Jermyn Street, London.

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We learn that the "Widnes Metal Company" have, this year (1881), commenced Smelting their own Copper Precipitate, and we believe some other Works contemplate doing the same.

We find that in 1880 the "Rio Tinto Company" sent of Spanish Pyrites into the Mersey 138,567 tons, the total import amounting to 280,326 tons.

LONDON, October, 1881,

ROBERT HUNt, f.r.s,

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AN INTERESTING SPECIMEN OF DETAILS IN

COPPER TRADING by the Aristocracy in time of Geo. Ist.

LONDON, AUGUST 20, 1722.

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and Committee had purchased several considerable Mines of Copper, Lead, Tin, and other Minerals; as also convenient Work-houses for Smelting the Ores that should be raised or bought, for which your Court of Assistants contracted to pay 14,000l. And in order to raise a Sum to comply with such Payments as were then necessary, the said General Court agreed to a Call of One Pound per Share.

Your Court of Assistants being willing to contribute every Thing that might tend to the Ease and Service of the Proprietors, thought i would be more agreeable to them to pay the said Call in two Payments, and therefore resolved to receive at that Time only 10s. per Share in Money, and three Months after the remaining 10s, in Money or Shares, at 30s. per Share, hoping the Call being made so easy, every Proprietor would chearfully have comply'd therewith.

But contrary to Expectation, and very much to the Prejudice of the Company, there has been no more receiv'd upon the Call than 4736,

there has been paid 33597. in Part of the Purchase of the Mines, and now remains due 10,641., which your Court of Assistants are not at present in a Condition to pay.

The Proceedings on the Scire Facias, and the Calamity of the Times, have proved very detrimental to your Affairs, and may have discouraged a great many from paying their Calls : But as the Vigilance and Care of your Assistants have preserved their Charter inviolable, and have removed that heavy and expensive Prosecution, by His Majesty's most gracious Favour in granting a Nolle Profequi, publish'd in the Gazette the 10th of July last; it is hoped those, who have not complyed with what might justly have been expected from them, will now (all Objections being removed) readily make their Payments, and agree to such Resolutions as may be thought proper for the Interest of the Company.

By Advices from the Country, and returns of the Money already expended, the Mines which the Company are concerned in, are capable to employ a considerable Number of Men to great Profit, and may be made very extensive, so as to produce such Quantities of Copper, Tin, Lead and Silver, as may make constant Annuai Dividends, when a sufficient Sum is raised to carry them on to the best Advantage, which your Court of Assistants and Committee have good Reason to believe they shall easily effect by the following Method :

1. That a Call be made of 20s. per Share, to be paid in a Month, with a Discount of 12d,

At a General Court of the Welch Copper Company, held on Thurfday laft at Sadler's-Hall, (where was a numerous Appearance) his tince the Duke of Richmond addrefs'd himself to the Proprietors in the following Speech:

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Gentlemen,

Y the Minutes of the laft General Court, you may obferve your Court of Affittants and Committee had pur hafed feveral confiderable Mines of Copper, Lead, Tin, and other Minerals; as alfo convenient Work-houfes for Smelting the Ores that Thould be raised or bought, for which your Court of Affiftants contracted to pay roool. And in order to raise a Sum to comply with fuch Payments as were then neceflary, the faid General Court agreed to a Call of One Pound per Share.

Your Court of Afliftants being willing to contribute every Thing that might tend to the Eafe and › Service of the Proprietors, thought it would be more agreeable to them to pay the faid Call in two Pay. ments, and therefore refolved to receive at that Time only to s. per Share in Money, and three Months after the remaining 10 s. in Money or Shares, at 30s. Per Share, hoping the Call being made fo eafy, every Proprietor would chearfully have comply'd therewith.

But contrary to Expectation, and very much to the Prejudice of the Company, there has been no more receiv'd upon the Call than 47361. there has been paid 33597. in Part of the Purchase of the Mines, and now remains due 10,6411. which your Court of Afliftants are not at prefent in a Condition to pay.

The Proceedings on the Scire Facias, and the Calamity of the Tunes, have proved very detrimental to your Affairs, and may have diicouraged a great many from paying their Calls: But as the Vigilance and Care of your Afiflants have preferved their Charter inviolable, and have removed that heavy and expen. five Profecution, by His Majefty's most gracious Favour in granting a Nolle Profequi, publith'd in the Gazette the 10th of July laft; it is hoped thofe, who have not complyed with what might juftly have been expected from them, will now (all Objections being removed) readily make their Payments, and agree to fuch Refolutions as may be thought proper for the Intereft of the Company.

By Advices from the Country, and returns of the Money already expended, the Mines which the Com pany are concerned in, are capable to employ a confiderable Number of Men to great Profit, and may be made very extensive, fo as to produce fuch Quantitics of Copper, Tin, Lead and Silver, as may make conftant Annual Dividends, when a fufficient Sum is railed to carry them on to the best Advantage, which your Court of Afliftants and Committee have good Reafon to believe they thall eafily effect by the following Method:

1. That a Call be made of zos, per Share, to be paid in a Month, with a Difcount of 12 d. per Share to fuch Proprietors as pay the faid Call in 15 Days.

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II. That fuch Proprietors who do not comply with this and the former Call within a Month, be Mult s. for each Call in Arrear; and in cafe they thould hot pay the faid Calls and Mulets, that the Court of Affiftants be directed and impower'd by this General Court to file a Bill in the Court of Chancery or Exchequer, to oblige fuch Detaulters either to pay their Calls, or relinquith their Shares to the Com

pany.

III. And whereas the former Calls have not hither. o been complyed with, it is further propofed, that the Court of Affiftants be impower'd to difpofe of ny Number of new Shares, (not exceeding 5000) n fuch Manner and to fuch Perfons as they thall hink fit, but not at less than 45 s. per Share, to be ree from this new and former Calls, with the Alowance of 12 d. per Share for prompt Payment.

This is the beft Method your Court of Afliftants ould think of to put all the prefent Adventurers as hear as poffible upon an equal footing; for as it would be unreasonable to expect a Profit without aying the Calls, fo it would be equally unjuft for ny Perfon to continue an Adventurer at the Exence and Hazard of another.

If any Proprieror thould be excluded for not payng the Calls, their Shares will be funk to the Beneit of those who comply with the fame.

Your Court of Directors think it Needless to use ny Argumen's to how the Neceflity of an Unanihous Concurrence in the Method propofed, without hich, or fome other effectual Means to raise Money, l that is already advanced will be in Dange of beng loft; and the well-withers to the Company who ave paid their Calls, can have no Benefit, but an ntire Difappointment, occafion'd by those, who tho' hey appear defirous to be Adventurers, yet omit payng what is Incumbent on them, to the great Prejuice of the other Proprietors.

The Money that comes in upon the paft and present Call, as alfo by the 10,000l. to be raised by the ale of 5000 new Shires added to the Stock, will be such an effectual Fund, to work the Mines, and Maufacture the Produce thereof, that the Company can't avoid being eftablith'd upon a certain, folid and profitable Foundation, without making future Calls, or uniting with any other Society or Corporation.

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An Objection was made against the Call, but was fally removed by the Duke of Richmond, Earl of Clarendon, Sir R. Knipe, Sir Fifher Tench, Mr. Ward and others; and then the General Court agreed to empower the Court of Afliftants to call in One Pound bor Share, and to fell 5000 new Shares, as proposed by them for railing an immediate Sum to carry on the Company's Affairs to the beft Advantage.

It was remarkable, that when the Queftion was at by the Governory there was but one Hand held against it. from the Chair

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