Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Diana Beaumont – 14 Apr 1804

Mrs Beaumont under cover to 					Newcastle 14th April 1804

Colonel Beaumont MP Portman Square, London



Dear Madam

      I am this day favoured with your Letter of the 12th Inst. the Contents of which with the Inclosures surprizes me much & gives me great Uneasiness; the Conduct of Davidson’s Bank (but particularly of himself) is infamous, but not to dwell on the ill usage by Davidson’s & the very unpleasant Consequences attending it,  the Matter at present as it appears to me, what will be the most advisable Measure for you to pursue under this Disappointment, You will see by the last Account of Sales what Payments by Bills at a long Date may be expected before the Pay. I have since sold Lead & Litharge amounting to about £5,000 these when obtained may be placed in such Bank (to discount) as may be willing to advance a considerable Sum of Money towards the Pay, but under the Circumstances that you have mentioned & what is rumoured, it will be a Matter to be considered how far it may be advisable to place them in the Bank of Davidson & Co; as to making a large Sale of Lead at this Season under the present situation of the Country, I do not see the least Prospect of it, even at a reduced Price, for the Buyers at present only make small Purchases as they may have Occasion; Tho[ma]s Crawhall is gone to Allenheads with Subsistence Money for the Workmen, he returns on Tuesday when I shall be enabled to acquaint you with the amount of the Pay which I do not expect will amount to the Sum I mentioned; it may be found necessary to postpone the Pay for a couple of Months, which will not be of that Inconvenience to the Workmen as they will be paid to the 31st December instead of the 30th of September as formerly. 

	Had the Bank of Davidson & Co been timely explicit with you and with the Bank of Loraine & Co this very unpleasant Business might have been prevented, in which they are inexcusable. In my last letter I acquainted you with the Trouble that we had respecting the Property Tax, occasioned by the Commissioners for Darlington Ward, it was found necessary to amend the Return, particularly on those Commissioners having assessed you to pay £5,000 per annum for the Mines in Weardale only, estimating the Profits at £100,000 per annum; Thomas Crawhall went over to Darlington on the 9th Inst. properly prepared with Calculations & Vouchers signed by myself to appeal but they refused hearing him & treated your Agents in a very unhandsome Manner, refusing to examine the Papers & saying they were a mere Subterfuge to answer the Purpose; for Colonel Beaumont’s Agents would say any thing & that Colonel Beaumont had on a former Occasion had a severe Rap on Nuckles; could any thing be more false & unhandsome this was said by the Reverend Mr Davison (could he mistake by alluding to Mr Beaumont of Whitley which I know has been the Case before); I this Morning consulted Mr Williamson who recommended that Mr Thomas should with T. Crawhall meet the Commissioners at Darlington on Friday the 20th Inst & take with them the Papers & Books; Thomas Emerson will likewise be there to make the necessary attestation should it be required. To show the Falseness &  I may say the wilfull & most unhandsome Manner they have rated these Mines, I send you the Produce of the Mines in one Quarter of the Parish of Stanhope.			

      I am etc. 	J.E.B.