Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Diana Beaumont – 21 Sep 1803

                           						Newcastle 21st Sept. 1803

Dear Madam

      I wrote to you the <18th > Inst. to which I beg leave to refer you. I have since been favoured with your letter of the 17th Inst. & I observe the discourse which you & Col: Beaumont had with Mr Burdon on the affairs of the Bank, which I am concerned to find is in a worse situation than had at first been represented, with little prospect of their being soon settled; it is astonishing to me that Mr Burdon is so bewitched with the Halls, they and John Surtees have been the occasion of bringing all this distress on themselves, your concerns, & the Country. At the same time they have the assurance (I may say impudence) to speak of your obligations to them for raising the price of Lead, which at the time they made the purchase of you they must have been sensible that they could not pay for: & that it must be attended with considerable loss and inconvenience to you; It was at the joint request of the Creditors & themselves that I consented that two of your Mine Agents should with Mr Walton etc take a View of the Arkendale Mines, & make their Report on the state of them, Mr Burdon saying that the Halls objected to your Mine Agents being of the Committee to examine their Mines; as they knew their Mines were carried on in so superior a manner to yours, is a false assertion; had they made such objection for the reason they assigned it would have been the height of presumption, and being sensible at the same time that improvements for which they gave themselves so much Credit were made at the enormous expense of other people. I am glad that you and Col. Beaumont delivered your sentiments in the manner you did.

      When the Committee are prepared to lay the state of the Bank before the Creditors with the proposition, I shall acquaint Mr Bowns.

      The India Co. make their Contract for Lead this day, after which I expect that the London Houses must come to market, tho’ I do not imagine they will at present purchase a large quantity for the home consumption. It will become necessary that I should make a considerable Sale in the course of a Month & I wish that I may have it in my power to obtain the present price of £32 & £33 pr Fd. But I doubt it.

      I am with best Comp[liment]s etc

      John E Blackett