Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Isaac Hunter – 9 Aug 1795

Mr Isaac Hunter Dukesfield 				NewCastle 9th Augt 1795

              

Sir	The Hurry of our Assize week prevented me answering your letter sooner; I must say that I am not a little surprized at the contents of it, & did not expect to have had such a letter from Mrs Hunter.  I did not charge you with being Greatly Neglectfull in getting the Lead sent down to Markett, but I do Aver that there has been a neglect, & a great one in the Carriers, & that Pringle who you assert has been so great service to Mr Beaumont, has in this instance been very blameable, for he has been paid for a considerable quantity of Lead of the last year which is yet on the Road; That he takes it from Rookhope Mill expeditiously enough, I will allow, which prevents any other person interfering in the Carriage, but when it rests on the Road for a considerable time & is liable to be stolen it is a great injury to Mr Beaumont; With respect to the 8 Stone Lead it certainly is an accommodation to Pringle, but I am of Opinion that it would be more for the interest of the Concern if some part of that Lead (the poorest of Silver) was to be made into 11 St[one] pieces which would be a means of our being in Cash for it, instead of its laying on the Road.

	When any Lead is sent from Rookhope Mill, Mr Smith should send a Monthly Account to Blaydon (as was done in Mr Richmonds time) that we may know what quantity is on the Road.

	Some method must certainly be taken to get the Lead sooner down to Blaydon if some little addition in the Carriage & their being paid at Mart[inmas]s should not answer the end?  the Carriage from Rookhope must be made an open Carriage & Advertised as such.  There is one part of you[r] Letter that I must confess I do not perfectly understand; I thought that Mr Beaumont had left the disposal of his Lead entirely to me, but I find by your Letter that I am mistaken; & I should be glad that you would let me know what advantage it will be to Mr Beaumont to make a Sale at present when upwards of 10,000 p[iece]s of Lead that I sold some time since are not yet come down to Blaydon, I should not be in Cash for it a day sooner by making a Sale at this time, & I should loose the Advantage of a rising Markett whereas was the Lead that I have already sold brought down to Blaydon, & I could form a judgement of the quantity that might be expected down in the course of two or three Months, I might have it in my power to make an advantageous sale;  The Lead Co agreeable to what you recommend Sold 20,000 p[iece]s Lead early in the Spring at £14 per Fothe[r] which they will not be able to deliver till the end of the Year;  Mr Johnson may possibly do the like but that is no Rule for me.  After what I have said I have no doubt of your using your utmost endeavours to get the Lead down in the most expeditious manner.

                                                                 I am Dear Sir   Your H[um]ble Servant

                                                                                           J E Blackett