432 THE MEN WHO MADE C0ENI8H MINES. 



revenue could have entirely overlooked such a profitable source 

 of income as the mines would have been if they had existed. 



Our first unquestionable record is the visit of William of 

 Wrotham in 1197. He was sent by the chancellor to enquire 

 into the weights in use in the Stannaries, and the duties paid to 

 the king. William held two enquiries, one at Exeter and one 

 at Launceston. In Devon he had 26 witnesses, and in Cornwall 

 1 8 ; and according to his report Devon at that time produced 

 three times as much tin as Cornwall. The first stannary charter, 

 that of King John in 1201, combined the tinners of Devon and 

 Cornwall as one body. 



The second charter, that of Edward I in 1305, recognises 

 the tinners of Cornwall as a separate body from those of 

 Devon. This charter appointed Lostwithiel, Bodmin, Liskeard, 

 Truro, and Helston, as the coinage towns. More than 350 years 

 passed before the mining in West Penwith was of sufiicient 

 importance to enable Penzance to obtain a coinage charter. 



In 1197, Cornish mining was less important than that of 

 Devon, and Launceston was the centre. In 1305, Lostwithiel 

 returned twice as much tin as the whole western half of the county. 

 In 1663, Penzance was first made a coinage town, and in 1778, 

 Pryce says *' at Penzance there is, every quarter, abundantly 

 more tin coined than in all the towns of Liskeard, Lostwithiel, 

 and Helston put together for a whole year." This, like Pryce's 

 other statement, must be taken cum grano. 



In 1870, the number of mines in East and West Penwith 

 was 160, employing 22,000 people. 



In the East of the county there were 84 mines, employing 

 6,000 people. 



In Devon 39 mines, and 2,600 people. 



In 1892, the output of tin was : 



W. Cornwall. E. Cornwall. Devon. 



7,751 tons. 628 tons. 96 tons. 



A very different state of things from the days when the 

 Stannary of Blackmoor produced more than half the total, or 

 when Cornish mining was not of sufficient importance to be 

 recognised as distinct from Devon. 



