Letter – Martin Morrison to Joseph Dickinson – 17 Mar 1813

							New]C[astle] 17 March 1813

Joseph Dickinson of Dufton at Coalcleugh



Dear Sir		

I rec[eiv]ed your letter of the 12th Inst & am concerned to find that the indisposition of your family prevented you leaving home during our great Lead Pay; I hope they are now better and that no impediment will arise to prevent you personally attending the Bargains at the time you propose to let them. – The late Sales of Lead at an advance upon the former low price appear to have originated more in the expectation of a demand for Lead than of any having actually taken place by the change of circumstances on the Continent. – It is said that in the late arrivals of the Mails from Gottesburgh, few or no orders have been received in this Country for the shipment of Lead, and untill orders do arrive & a brisk permanent demand puts it beyond a doubt that the communication with the Continent is securely established, much stir in the Market by the Lead Merchants will not be made. – If however on ascertaining the state of the Mines you find them to continue generally poor you will of course exercise your discretion – and if need be – advance the price for raising Ore, a shilling or so p[er]Bing – I shall hope to see you in Weardale for the purpose of conversing with you on the state of the Mines; the propriety of resuming trials, that have been suspended, of commencing others & of making arrangements respecting them & I think it my duty to point out what has occurred to me in looking over the Pay Bills since my return from the Mines that what is wrong may be corrected, or if right, that I may be satisfied of its being so – I observe in the Coalcleugh Acc[oun]ts for the last

Year ending 30 September, the very large Sum of £1.147-2-3 earned by two different partnerships both under the name of Joseph Walton, for raising Ore , driving Levels & Dead Work that this person has ( including Subsistence) actually received for his annual Earning not less than £1376-16-7; - the quantity of Ore raised by these two partnerships is 439-5 b of which 422-5 b is charged at the highest price of 42/- p[er]B[in]g I select this as the most prominent in order that you may be aware of, and enquire into, the circumstances before you enter upon letting the Bargains at Coalcleugh, Allenheads & Weardale and if neglect or error exist, that they may be put a stop to – I am etc	MM