Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 23 Aug 1785

Messrs. Mulcaster						Farnacres 23 August 1785



      We have recd. your Letter of the 21st Inst, and are sorry to find you have paid the Man instead of the Horse.

      Our wish is that you shd. strictly attend to the intimations we gave you concerning a Refiner; if in consequence Thos. Stoke shd. find himself in a Difficulty, he ought not to blame us but the Blagill Company: that is however a matter that we wd. by no means have brought into the present question. The whole Justification on your part in case Thos. Stokoe shd. not hear from you will be that you could not with convenience give him any particular Information unless you consider the Applications he has already made make it clear to you that he rather wishes to serve us than the Governor & Company. We have Doubts as to the propriety even of this, and clearly think that the best way will be to give out in general Terms publickly that a Refiner is wanted at Langley Lead Mill for Greenwich Hospital. This we have not the least doubt will be the cause of some Applications, and probably will bring Stokoe to you, and if he shd. come, what you propose to require will be very proper as to the liberty of leaving the Company’s Service, and of all things we wish to have this matter come forward so as that it might come to the knowledge of the Gentlemen of the Company who are now down because if the Agents shd. either <claim or refuse> we shall have an Opportunity of applying to the Gentlemen of the Company themselves, and shall not scruple doing so, nay shall even think it my Duty to do it.

      The stupidity and Difficulty with respect to a want of Flags surprises us very much indeed, surely the Masons have lost a considerable part of their Senses. In want of Attention and following Directions Slates are now mostly in Arrear, and when Flags are wanted tho’ we are within half a Yard of a good Watercourse, we are not enabled to get Flags because there have been 2 or 3 considerable Showers of Rain. We cannot blame ourselves, nor can we blame you. We desire the Saddle may be set upon the Right Horse; those whose Business it was to get the Slates & Flags must bear the Burthen and every consequent Blame on acct. of those Neglected.

      The Reducing Furnace and the Westmost Refining Furnace it will certainly be proper to proceed with immediately, and to get them put into compleat order, in the doing of which we shall expect to get a very considerable Quantity of Lead from the Reducing Furnace Bellows.

      The Weather is seriously wet. The Country now requires dry Weather, & we sincerely hope we shall all very soon experience the wishes for change. We are

      Your Hble Servts.

      Walton & Turner