Letter – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 8 Jun 1801

Colonel Beaumont					Newcastle 8th. June 1801

Portman Square London



Dear Sir

      I wrote to you the 20th. ulto. from Dukesfield; since my return from the Lead Pay I have not had Occasion to trouble you with a Letter; I wish that it was in my Power to give you a more pleasing Account of the State of your Mines; they are much the same as when I wrote last a Quantity of Ore has been raised at Allenheads, but it will come rather high; you will please to observe that I have frequently made Complaints of the very foul State of the Ore sent to the Lead Mills, and I have cautioned the several Agents about it, & am sorry to find that there is not any Improvement in that respect, for the Washers are such a Parcel of Rascals that they will cheat you unless they are very narrowly watch’d, which in your Concern I do not find that it is in the Power of your Agents to do, and I do not see any remedy to this great Evil, but your Appointing a Person to superintend the Ore Washers at the several Mines, and to have no Ore pass’d or sent away but under his Inspection, he should be well skill’d in the washing Business, so as to know all the Tricks of Deceipts of the Washers; a very active Person of proper Age, and above all of good Character for Integrity, to whom a Salary should be allowed sufficient to put him rather above doing a bad Action, and likewise to enable him to keep a Horse which he cannot do without, as he must attend the several Mines, and occasionally the Lead Mills; a Person that appears to answer this Description has been recommended to me; you will be pleased to take this Matter into Consideration & favour me with your Answer, as the Lead Agents are to be with me for Subsistence for the Workmen on the 22d. inst.   I have had some Discourse with Mr. N.Walton on this Business, who is of Opinion that such an Agent will be very necessary; Mr. Walton met me at Allen Mill and dined with me at Allenheads on the 21st. of May.   There are at present about 16,000 Pieces of Lead at Blaydon ready for Sale and more is daily coming down from the several Lead Mills; the London Buyers have not yet made any Offers except Walker’s & Co. for 1000 Pieces of common for their White Lead Work, I aked £23.---p[er] Fodder which they refused to give; they have a large Quantity coming from West Chester which they say will stand them in at this Place only £21-10—p[er] Fodr. Mr. C. Blackett’s Friend Mr. Locke has engaged all  Lord Pomfret’s A.D: Lead that comes down to Stockton at a certain Price (I am informed pretty high) & that there will be near 50,000 Pieces down by the end of the Year; the Baltick being opened for the trade, will occasion some Demand, but I am apprehensive that the present Price cannot be supported, but I shall be better able to judge during the Course of this Month.-

      I some time ago spoke to Mr. Walton about the Person he employed to value the Tithes of Greenwich Hospital, & he is so obliging to allow him to value the Tithes of  Hexham Town Fiends, & Hexham common, & he has wrote to him accordingly, which Letter I have enclosed to Mr. Bell, he having wrote me that owing to the  Forwardness of the Season, the sooner the Valuation is begun with the better.-

      I enclose you a Copy of a Bill sent to the Office, you will please to give the necessary Directions about the Payment of it.   I am &c.-- J.E.B.