Letter – Nicholas Walton to John Ibbetson – 12 Nov 1770

Part of Messrs Walton & Smeatons Letter of 12th Novemr. 1770 to Jn Ibbetson Esq

 

      We understand that the Commissioners of the Glenwelt Turnpike Road at an advertised meeting for taking into consideration the mode of carrying Lead thro' Summerrodds Barr in order to avoid Payment of Tolls have come to a resolution of taking the Opinion of two of the most Eminent Council in the Kingdom, but that the case is to be communicated to us before it is sent. We have already apprized the Board of the merits of this Affair in our Letter of 23d September last with Councellor Fawcetts Opinion upon a Case stated here, and as the Act of Parliament says expressly ‘that no Person shall be liable or compelled the same day to pay the said ‘Tolls more than once’ we cannot advise the Hospital to Subject their Lead Carriers Voluntarily to pay the Toll twice thrice or four times a day for going two Miles upon the Road when any other Person pursuing the Road can go 17 Miles for the same Toll: nay so Sollicitous have the Commissioners been to raise a Toll by catching every body as much as possible, that the three Barrs, which are the whole upon this Road whose Total length is 25 Miles, are all within 4 Miles of Hexham.

      Inclosed we have sent a Short State of the Lead Mill Accounts wherein tho' there are some lesser matters that depend on Estimation, as must always be the case in a Work going on, yet as we have chosen such a Period as brings the whole into the smallest compass possible, we flatter ourselves that this concise View of the Understanding will enable the Directors to judge of the several matters proposed concerning the Lead Mill Agents in our last Letter of the 10th Instant better than any further Enlargement thereon only we beg leave to observe that the last bidding of the Lead Company was but 52s P Bing when Lead sold for £14.15 P Fodder whereas the average price almost ever since being about £14 we chose to fix the Price upon what it has actualy Sold for, all biddings before hand being matters of Speculation, in which the bidder may be over or under as it happens to turn out from Changes and Chances to him unknown.





An Acct Showing the Produce from Langley Lead Mill from the Outset to the 29th May 1770 and taking in the Expence of Smelting & all Charges on the Lead Ore received from the Mines in Alston Moor the years 1768 and 1769.



Value of Lead, Bullion etc Produced                      £24,532.18.10

Deduct

Charge of Carriage of Ore Smelting, Refining & other 

  Charges at the Mill, Carriage of Lead and Bullion 

  to Newcastle and Commission and other Charges at 

  Newcastle including the whole Expenditure on the 

  above Account.                                           5,644.18. 2

 

Net produce from 6951 bings 4 5/10 of ore                £18,888.  . 8

The above ore according to the price of Lead should

  Have sold as follows

  6678 bings 3/10 Cwt of Bouse ore at 52s £17,362.17.11

   273 bings & 4 2/10 cwt of Cutting ore

       At 47s per bing                        642.15. 8  £18,005.13. 7

Profit by Smelting and Refining.                            £882. 7. 1



NB The Mill being built by the Hospital in order to enable 

  the Commissioners of Greenwich Hospital to Sell their Dues 

  to the best advantage, the Mill Rent is not considered in 

  the above Sum; but if 5 PCent upon a Capital of £2000 be 

  applied as a Rent of the Mill, the Wear and Tear being 

  principaly accounted for in the above Expenditure, then 

  for Two years Rent deduct.                                 200



Profit remaining after all the disadvantages of a beginning 

  Work                                                      £682. 7. 1

 

      Farnacres 12th November 1770		Errors Excepted

      Nich Walton Junr

      J. Smeaton



PS to Mr Robt Lowes 13th November

      We should be glad to know as much as ought to be known without Books, what was enacted at the Turnpike Meeting concerning the Lead going thro' Summerrodds Barr to avoid the Payment of Tolls.