Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Diana Beaumont – 6 Jul 1803

Mrs. Beaumont under Cover to 				Newcastle 6th. July 1803

*Colonel Beaumont Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.       

[in margin: * Copy sent to Mr. Bowns.]	



Dear Madam

      I wrote to Coln. Beaumont on the 30th. Ulto. & to Mr. Bowns of the same Date, to which I refer you. – 

      I have by this days Post been favoured with your two letters of the 3d. Inst. & observe the Contents. – I have in this very unfortunate Business done every Thing in my Power for your Safety, as well as for the Accomodation of your Works, but I am sorry to say that has been very little, for Surtees’s have not yet come forward with any Proposition whatever, & I wait for an Account from Mr. Burdon & from the Gentlemen who went up to Town to make an Application to Government, an Answer to which is not expected till Friday or Saturday next, before which Time I expect that I may see Mr. Bowns in Consequence of my Letter as well as Colonel Beaumont’s letter to him; I had a Letter from him this Post from Darley Hall in Answer to my first Letter, I have been very apprehensive, as that Bank had the Receipt of all the Publick Money, that an Extent would issued, which would have been of dreadful Consequence, I am informed that it had been granted but was stopped for a Time.   I think that Mr. Burdon has not acted the part that you had good Reason to expect from him, that his Letter is far from being explicit, & a very extraordinary one knowing as he must have done at the Time the distressed Situation of their Bank; Coln. Beaumont’s Answer was I think very proper, had he even gone further. – 

      Mr. Pearson of the Bank of Sir Wm. Loraine & Co. knowing of the Sum of Money in the Notes of Surtees’s & Co. that had been paid to the Workmen of your Mines for Subsistence on the 28th. Inst. which would not be accepted in Payment, & must occasion great Distress in that part of the Country, & might be attended with very bad Consequences to the Concern very handsomely came forward & made an Offer of supplying an equal Sum of   Viz. £2,300 - - in Cash & Notes of their Bank for the taking up the other Notes, which liberal Offer I accepted of, & immediately acquainted your Lead Agents with the same, that they might meet Thos. Crawhall Jr. early this Morning at Hexham where he went with the Notes & Cash.-

      As there is very little Prospect of the Continuence of the Bank of Messrs. Surtees’ Burdon & Brandling, I would recommend to you & Coln. Beaumont the Bank of Sir Wm. Loraine, Baker, Pearson & Co. they have no Mercantile Connections & are free from all Speculations.

      I fear much that the Stop of the Bank of Surtees’ & Co. will be the Occasion of some Houses stopping Payment which are indebted to you for Lead, particularly that of Losh Lubbren & Co. for £761 – 17 – 8 who have had considerable Dealings to Hamburgh, but I should hope that altho’ it may be attended with great Inconvenience to you, yet that the Debt may be safe. 

      I yesterday was under an Examination for some Hours by the Commissioners appointed by Chancery on the Bishops Bill (not the most pleasant Business) but I must do the Bishop’s Comr. Mr. Cassells the Justice to say that he conducted himself in a liberal Gentleman-like Manner, this Business and the former has quite got the better of me, & I must get into the Country as soon as I can as I find myself unequal to it.   I am &c J.E.B.