Letter – Isaac Hunter to John Erasmus Blackett – 12 Nov 1782

      Dukesf[iel]d Nov 12th !782

J E Blackett Esq[uir]e N[ew]Castle



Sir

      I have inclosed you the month Acco[un]ts for Octob[e]r f’m the present distress’d appearance of the Country and so little corn got sown, in case there was to be a Month or 6 Weeks of dry Weather I cannot flatter you with any hopes of getting any more Lead f[ro]m the Mills this y[ea]r but if an opportunity should offer you may depend it shall not be slip[p]ed

      I have been thinking since the conversation we had at N[ew] C[astle] in regard to the Weardale Mines, how detremental it would be to S[i]r Thos’s Lead Business if He should loss them – shall in a cursorily manner lay my reasons before you, that in case they appear the same to you that you might use your influence with S[i]r Thos to loss no time in making them secure

      What detriment a No. of Adventurers w[i]th Lead at Markett, would be of there you are ablest to judge but I am sure they will be very great in the carr[y]ing on the L[ea]d Works, f[ro]m being so contiguous to S[i]r Thos’s own Mines, for you know that the Bishop’s boundary joins upon both Allanh[ea]ds & Coalcleugh and also the extensiveness of it there’s not a doubt in case it was at liberty, that there’s many that would turn Adventurers, and in so large a Field have not a doubt (notwithstanding the present View of Weardale Mines) but many discoverys 

May be made for there’s few of the Mines in Alston Moor or Tinehead (by the points they bear) but what enters that Boundary, some where or other; the Lead Co. I should suppose would like to have an opportunity of reviving their Works where they have so many Smelt Mills doing little – the refinery at Blaydon would not be 1/5 of it's use (if these Mines were loss’d) therefore, the plan of a Building there would in a great part be unnecessary – the reverse of all these detriments will be the case provided Sir Thos continues to hold His Lease and in so large a Track [tract] & where the Vains are so numerous; for I have known Ore come f’m 28 different Vains to Rookhope Mill in one y[ea]r and it’s the belief of every Miner that knows the country that 1/10  of the Vains that’s in that district has not been discover’d; it cannot then be thought romantic expecting to meet with some new ones – I am far f’m supposing that S[i]r Thos should try for all the Vains that’s within these Limits, but if He was to let all that’s on the East of Eastgate or Stanhope at 1/5 duty, taking the Ore of those that takes Tacks or Leases (for I have not a doubt but there are several would like to make trials on these terms) at 50s p[er] Bing when lead is at 12L p[er] Foth[e]r in N[ew]C[astle] Market rising or falling 1 shilling p[er] Bing for every 5s that the Lead rise or fall in the s[ai]d Markett; by w[hi]ch means several Vains might be wrought greatly to S[i]r Thos’s advantage & without any interference to his other works; and the Adventurers having a fair market price for their Ore – I hope you’ll excuse this freedom w[hi]ch proceeds solely f’m an anxiety for the Lead Works & a desire to prevent any obstructions falling in the way when so promising – that there may not it the sincere wish of

      Sir Y[our]s &c IH

      

NB Where 21,761 Bings of Ore has been raised since the death of Sir Walter (w[hi]ch is the quantity rec[eive]d f’m Weardale Mines exclusive of the Wast[e] or Ton Tail Lead) I think sufficiently justify the conclusions that I have made, that there’s great reason to hope some new discoverys may be made that will indemnify S[i]r Thos for any expense he may be at to make that Boundary secure