Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Diana Beaumont – 18 Apr 1804

Mrs Beaumont under Cover to				Newcastle 18th April 1804

Colonel Beaumont Portman Square London			



Dear Madam

      I wrote you by the last Post; I have this Morning been with Mr Burdon as you desired & shown him a copy of the Engagement entered into by the Bank of Davison & Co & their Letter breaking it off; two of the Committee Mr Russell & Mr Clayton were present, they expressed their Astonishment at such Treatment; I fear that no Aid will be obtained from that Quarter.

	I send you enclosed (as nigh as  I can calculate) the Amount of the several Lead Pays, as well as the Payments which are to make in the Course of this Month & the next, & likewise an Account of what Sums we may expect to receive during that time; you may observe by the accounts sent you that the Receipt in June will answer for the Subsistence that Month; but those in the three following months will nearly clear off the Debt; by the End of October I hope that the balance may be considerably in your Favour. T. Crawhall was at Hexham to attend a Meeting of the Comm[issioner]s on the Property Act, when he gave in the amended Return & was sworn, but met with civil Treatment, which was far from being the Case at Darlington.

	The mines at Allenheads were doing well, those at Coalcleugh and Weardale much the same. I this moment have your letter of the 16th Inst and observe the Contents; I acquainted you in my former Letters that I had not any Offers made me by the London Houses & I did not think it advisable to make them an Offer at a reduced Price for the reasons before mentioned, but were they to come forward with an Offer, we should not differ as to a small Reduction of the Price on the present Occasion, provided it was for a Quantity to make it an Object. The Sum of £6,000 & more we shall be in Cash for before the 27th May & may be paid to your Bankers at this Place, the other Sums mentioned in your Letter of £14,000 & £16,000 shall be remitted to you or to the Bank of Sir R[ichar]d Glyn & Co due before the End of July, & before the End of August we shall find Means to raise by that Time or before your opening an Account with a Bank at this Place will I think be very proper but I confess that I do not see the Necessity, or the Advantage to you by having two London Bankers; I see it in another Light, & I have no Doubt that Sir R[ichar]d Glyn’s Bank (which has so handsomely come forward on this Occasion) & the one at this place, your Business may be well conducted & to the Benefit of all Parties. I am concerned to hear that this unpleasant Business & the Trouble that it has occasioned you, has hurt you so much; I observe what you say as to employing Mr C. Blackett, I must say that I do not see the Necessity of it on the present or any other Occasion, but should you & Colonel Beaumont be of a different Opinion, I am ready to give it up to him.

	The Aid of a Sum of Money for a few Months from Mr Bosville would certainly be of essential Service One half at least of the Newcastle Notes issued at the Lead Pay commonly returns to them for Payment in the Course of a Week or ten Days; a Bill on London at ten Days  after Sight would in general be objected to; I wish that the Business was settled between the two Banks as to the Mode of making the Pay, for in Case it is to be made the End of May, there will scarcely be time to provide the Notes. Mr Walter Heron has been with me for an Hour this Evening & has been fully informed as to the Business which I mentioned in a former Letter; he goes with T. Crawhall to the Meeting of the Commissioners at Darlington on Friday, they take the Books & Papers with them & Tho[mas] Emerson meets them there, so there will be no Necessity for Mr Thomas going. 

      I am etc. J.E.B.