Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Diana Beaumont – 1 Aug 1803

Mrs. Beaumont under Cover to				Newcastle 1st. Augt. 1803

Colonel Beaumont Portman Square, London

					

Dear Madam

       I wrote to you the 23d. Ulto. to which I beg leave to refer you, as well as to what Mr. Bowns would inform you of. –

	On Saturday I attended a Meeting of the Cred[ito]rs. of Messrs. Easterby & Co. and inclosed I send you a Statement of their Affairs which they laid before us, & likewise a Copy of the Resolutions come to at the Meeting; the Statement appears to be very fallacious in many Respects, & I fear it will prove so;  the Committee are proceeding in the Investigation of their Statement. – Mr. Crawhall & Mr. Emerson with Mr. Walton &c. propose going to the Arkendale Mines the middle of next Week or the Week following, that it may not interfere with their Meeting Mr. Cockshutt at the Mines. – I understand that the Workmen are much dissatisfied in not having their lending Money every Month as usual of late, on which Account I have consented that they shall have £2-,,-,, every two Months instead of £1-10.,, which I intended & which I hope will satisfy them for the present; I wrote to Mr. Bowns on the 30th. enclosing a Bill for £1,000-- & a Copy of the enclosed papers; I send by this Post for Messrs. Ransom Morland & Co. a Bill for £2,000—[in margin is written: Bill No 360] , in a few Day £1,000-- more shall be remitted to them on your Account.-

       I proposed to the Committee that Mr. C. Blackett should attend for me in the Investigation of the Accounts of Easterby & Co. but it was objected to, as he was a Purchaser of Lead and in Consequence was interested in the Reduction of its Price. – The Lead Houses refuse to give £32 p[er] Fo[dde]r. & I am apprehensive that the present Price cannot be supported from the small Demand, & from the foreign Ports being shut against Importation. – The House of Messrs. Losh Lubbren & Co. who are indebted to you upwards of £1,600 – have become Bankrupts & I fear you will be a Sufferer by them.

       The Gentlemen who undertook the Investigation of the Bank Accounts, are proceeding with them, and the Proprietors have consented to allow 5 p[er] Cent Int[eres]t. from the 30th. June for the Debts due from them as well as their Notes in Circulation. –

       The Bank of Sir Wm. Loraine Bt. & Co. are dissatisfied with Mr. Bowns Mode of conducting the Business & I do not believe they or any other Bank at this Place will carry it on, on that Footing, neither do I believe that your great Pay can possibly be made in Notes of the Bank of England: the Number of forged Notes that have been in Circulation have prejudiced the Country against accepting them in Payment nor could they get small Change for <….> from any of the Banks of this place [struck out: from which they were. ] I am &c. J.E.B.