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To the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury of Great Britain.

The Memorial of Arthur Dobbs Esqr. Governor of North Carolina

Whitehall Treasury Chambers the 24th June, 1754.

Humbly sheweth

That His Majesty's Colony in the province of North Carolina is greatly distress'd in it's Trade and Improvements upon account of their wanting small Coin to circulate in their Markets and Dealings with each other, and with the British Merchants in carrying on their Trade.

That the Colony is daily increasing and the Numbers of white persons there at present are computed to be above 80000.

That by their Want of Oeconomy and the Difficulty in carrying on their Trade for want of Coin, having scarce any Gold or Silver Bullion in the Colony, but only a disadvantageous paper Currency, which by Law is to be lessen'd and paid off gradually and the lowest paper Notes being only 6d. which is a great Detriment to Trade the Merchants are obliged to wait some Months to procure a Cargo for want of a quick Circulation, and raise the price of their Goods upon that Account, which causes the Balance of Trade to be against the Colony, and prevents their having any Gold or Silver to circulate and carry on their Trade.

That your Memorialist therefore apprehends that a Copper Coinage of two pence, pence, and half pence, of the same fineness and proportional Weight to the English half pence, as the proclamation Money of North Carolina bears to the British Sterling Value, that is as 4 to 3 or sixteen pence to a shilling, wou'd be of great Service to the Trade and Improvement of the Colony.

That your Memorialist is inform'd that upon Application of the Government and Council in Ireland to this Honourable Board, they order'd a Copper Coinage to be made at His Majesty's Mint in the Tower to supply the Wants of Ireland in the same Manner as is proposed by your Memorialist upon their delivering a quantity of fine Copper in the Mint to be deliver'd out coin'd upon their paying all the Expences and fees attending the Coinage in the Mint, with a proper Impression or Device on the Reverse for the Use of Ireland.

Your Memorialist therefore humbly prays That your Lordships may please to give orders to the Officers of His Majesty's Mint to coin such a Quantity or Weight of Copper for the Use of the Colony of North Carolina, as the Governor and Council of the said Colony shall apply for and find necessary to carry on their Trade not to exceed fifty Tons with a proper Device on the Reverse, of a proportional Weight and equal fineness with British half pence upon their delivering in the copper to the Mint in proper filletts and paying the same Expence and Fees as hath been paid for the Coin issued for the Service of Ireland. Which is humbly submitted to your Lordships by <Henffaine>

Arthur Dobbs

The right Honorable The Lords Commissioners of His Majestys Treasury are pleased to referr the aforegong Memorial to the Principal Officers of His Majestys Mint who are to consider the same And to Report to Their Lordships their Opinion what is fit to be done therein which in the absence of the Secretaries is signified by H.

Arthur Dobbs memorial referred to Principal Officers of the Mint
Mr. Dobbs's Memorial Copper Coin N. Carolina.
Entered.

Vid. 6 Nov. 1740
Referred to the Officers of the Mint.

Mr. Samuel Smith Cateston Sheet
pd. 1.1.0 to Mr. Maneley.