Administrative System of the Marathas c18.s25.25

c18.s25.25

A third source of revenue was the mint. The mints during the Peshwa period were, unlike those of our own days, in private hands. "The Hindu financier," says Mr. Ranade, "whose opinions were so prominently referred to in one of the articles on Indian affairs published in a recent issue of the *London Times*, reflected the views of his countrymen faithfully enough when he observed that 'No Government has the right to close its mints, or to say that the currency of the country was either deficient or redundant. That was a question solely for the bankers, traders and merchants to consider. If they do not require money they will not purchase bullion to be coined. The duty of Government is merely to assay all bullion brought to the mints for coinage and to return the value of the Bullion in money.'" ¹¹ Shivaji also advocated the same policy in his reply to the prayer of the English that their "money should go current in his dominions."