Letter – George Bramwell to Rowland Burdon – 16 Aug 1799

      No. 3 Paper Buildings Temple 16th Augt. 1799

Dear Sir,

      The Amendments in the Stanhope Inclosure Bill, alluded to in your Letter, were made by Lord Walsingham they were resisted by Mr. Scruton and myself, but his Lordship having made the same Amendments about the same Time in some other Bills, could not be prevailed upon to relinquish them.

      They appeared to us, rather Matter of Form than as introducing any material Alteration in the Effect of the Clauses, as originally prepared, I have compared the Print of the Bill as brought into the House of Commons, with a print of the Act as passed and it appears that the Bishop of Durham and his Lessees have the right of Working Lead Mines (without paying any Damages to the Land Owners) clearly reserved to them, except only as to such Damages as shall be done to any Buildings erected upon any Allotments, in working the Mines – the Effect of Lord Walsingham’s Amendments I conceive to be confined to this, - that if in working the Lead mines, any Houses or other Buildings shall be damaged, the Persons working the Mines, and not the proprietors of the Allotments (who are liable to make compensation for all other Damages, occasioned by working the Mines) shall make Compensation for the Damages done to such Buildings.

      This Lord Walsingham considered as a settled Principle, and as Mr. Scruton was confident that no Buildings would ever be erected where any Lead mines are or will hereafter be worked, it was not considered that the Amendments were of consequence – If Mr. Scruton did not apprize the Bishop of Durham of Lord Walsingham’s Intention to make these amendments, which should have been done, I suppose it was because they had left Town before he was apprized of such Intention.

      I will be much obliged to you to take an opportunity of giving this Explanation of the Matter, to the Bishop of Durham, as I should be very sorry if any Impression should be made upon his Lordships Mind that a proper attention had not been paid to his Lordships Interests.