Letter – Diana Beaumont to John Erasmus Blackett – 14 Sep 1803

J. E. Blackett Esq. Newcastle upon Tyne			Portman Square  Sep[tembe]r 14th 



Dear Sir

      Colonel Beaumont arrived here on Monday& requests I will say he was Yesterday favor’d with your Letter of Sep[tembe]r 10th –

      Mr C. Blackett call’d upon us early this Morn[in]g & found Col. Beaumont & myself at Home, he told us he was authorized by the London Houses to make a proposal to you respecting a Sale of Lead, we informed him that we should be perfectly satisfied with anything you thought proper to do on the occasion; - Colonel B. & I beg to assure you that we have that reliance on your judgment, & confidence in you, that we hope you will feel yourself perfectly at liberty to do what you think best for our interest at this time, & without consulting us on this occasion, we must make up our minds I fear to a very considerable reduction in the Price, but we must not forget we have known the price of Lead under 20£ per Fod[der] & were much satisfied when we first got it above the price my Father ever sold at, & were delighted when you had made a Sale at 26£ per Fod; w[hic]h I think was the time I urged the paying off my Fathers debts amounting to 20,000£, that weight is no longer on my Mind, & we must expect to suffer with others the pressure of the times, & to bear it without Complaining; -

      You will not name what I am now going to relate as Mr Davison who informed me of it this Morn[in]g may not wish it to be known that he has had any conversation with me on the Subject, Mr Burdon waited on him on Saturday last along with Mr Morland, he offer’d him the Fishery at Berwick, (w[hic]h he, Mr B, bought not in the handsomest manner after Mr Davison had agreed on the purchase), however Mr D. has purchased it of him for 12,000£, w[hic]h he told him should be paid the Day he deliver’d the Title Deeds of the Fishery to him, Mr Burdon then asked Mr Davison to lend him 10,000£, he enquired what security he could give, if Mr Morland would agree to accept the Bill & pay it that Day 6 Months he would lend him the Money; but that Mr Morland did not agree to do, Mr Burdon named Mr Brandling but Mr Davison said he did not know how that Gentleman was circumstanced, his Estate might be entail’d, & he knew he had no Son, & when he lent Money he must have it on the Day fixed, Burdon was to be with him again tomorrow, & when Mr Davison was here, Mr Burdon call’d on us, but he was refused, as we had said we were not at Home he left word he should call again this afternoon & if not so fortunate as to find us at Home, he will call to-morrow, I am determined he shall not be disappointed & will remain in the House tho’ Col. B- is obliged to go out, & perhaps a Conversation with me may be as effectual, for I shall not hesitate to give him my opinion, & feel that we have been treated so Ill by him that I am not inclined to grant him any indulgence, w[hic]h I doubt not he is coming to ask; when the interview has taken place you shall hear from me; - Mr Burdon I find expects the Arkendale Mines are to repay him every thing that he loses by the Surtees’s, there can be little chance of that, we must take care Easterby & Halls don’t deceive us, & watch them closely, those Mines must be worked for the advantage of the Creditors, for Profit, that we may be paid, & not for the advantage of the Mines, we must of course allow no Dead work or trials, but win the best of the Lead, & then leave them to find a Capital as they can to carry them on after we are all paid the amounts of our demands with Interest, but after the Conduct of the Halls on their last Bankruptcy, & the false assurances they gave to Mr Bowns, I can conceive no Villany they will not attempt, & we must be on our guard,

I shall be glad if we can remove them from the Lead Markets, for with Men of their principles, it is a disgrace to have anything to do with, & if they would at a future period offer us 50£ pr Fod: I would [not] hesitate to decline it, - Col, Beaumont unites with me in best regards to yourself & Mrs Collingwood – I am Dear Sir

      very Sincerely Yours  D. Beaumont