Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Diana Beaumont – 4 Apr 1804

Mrs Beaumont under Cover to 					Newcastle April 4th 1804

Colonel Beaumont Portman Square, London

				

Dear Madam,

      The Commissioners for carrying into Execution the Property Tax Act for Darlington Ward have lately given us infinite trouble by peremptorily insisting on a Return being made to them of the Profits arising from the Mines in Weardale, alleging that the Return we had made was not in Compliance with the Act & was unfair, which illiberal Measure I look upon is owing to Mr Mowbray one of the Commissioners. We have accordingly prepared a Return, but by the Advice of Mr Heron who is Clerk to the Commissioners at this place, have postponed sending it until he has an Answer from the Board of Taxes respecting the Grand Allies for their Collieries, they being in a similar situation. I observe by your letter of the 31st that you expect to have some Conversation with Mr Davidson respecting the Lead Pay & he does not appear pleased that we should continue to have any Acco[un]t with a Newcastle Bank. In a former Letter I acquainted you that the Money resting in that Bank with Payments we expect to receive for Lead, would barely answer to make the Pay for the Lead Carriage, the Subsistence due this Month, the Income Tax & other Payments, & that from this time all Payments for Lead should be remitted to Mr Davidson in Bills of a short Date as I can procure: had I remitted the Amount to Mr Davidson I must have drawn upon him at the same Time payable when those Bills became due. The Acco[un]t of Payments for Lead shall be sent you in a Post or two with the Amount of the Lead Pay as near as we can calculate. I understand the Sums that Mr Thomas might receive were to be remitted to you or your Bankers in London, but should you think proper that it should come into my Account, I shall procure for it a Bill & remit it to Messrs Davidson & Co on your Account .

	It certainly will be more convenient for the Country that the Pays should be made on the 16th, 17th, & 18th, of May or the week following, The reason I mentioned the 29th, 30th, & 31st was for the purpose of accommodating Messrs Davidson & Co. As we cannot expect much Gold for the Pay, it will be very necessary that we should have a good supply of Silver, I wish you would mention this to Mr Davidson; we should have from £300 to £500 in Dollars & small Silver,

	Since I wrote you last I have sold from 2 to 3,000 p[iece]s Lead at £30 & £31 & I have no Doubt that the Buyers must apply nto purchase in the course of  a Fortnight as the London Market is bare, very little in Scotland & at Stockton & none at Hull. The Lead Co had no Concerns with Easterby Hall & Co but the Greenwich Hospital & Messrs Hopper & Co have both applied their works on the like terms that you have. Your Acco[un]t with the Bank of Messrs Ransom, Morland & Hammersley was sent to Mr Skelton & I presume will be in the Hands of Mr Bowns, when we discontinued keeping an Acco[un]t with that Bank, the Business was done thro’ the House of Surtees & Burdon, they have been desired to make out their Acco[un]t with Messrs Hammersley & Co during that Period, which when I have obtained shall be sent you.

       I am etc.            J.E.B.