Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 1 Feb 1782

Messrs Mulcaster                                             			Farnacres 1st Febry 1782 



       We have received your Letters of the 27th & 30th Ulto and also the accompanying papers therein mentioned for which we are much obliged to you.  We have not had time yet to look thro' the Estimatory Paper relative to the Values of the respective Ores in Alston Moor but on thinking of the busyness we judge it may not be expedient to give all the Lead Mine Adventurers information as to our Opinion of the Values of their Ores as it would look like interfering with the persons who purchase Ore we notwithstanding are clearly of opinion that in all Cases where the Ore realy looks worse or from extraordinary circumstances is considered of less Value than it ought to be, information should be given to the Lessees that they may know the value thereof.

       We have ordered James Watson to chuse some Deals that they be sent to you by Corbett with a Bill of Parcels.

       The Frost is now very hard and therefore the Lead Carriage may go on as fast as you will.  We are extremely angry with Mr Ions about the bringing the Lead down.  All that we can say to him he will bring it down irregularly either in small quantities or large & when the latter it fatigues our Men so much in getting it into the Warehouse that our best labourer has given up & left us and the others we now have are talking of doing the same & there is another thing which is farr worse;  we have sold a Quantity of Lead which if called for we cannot deliver if the Frost continues occasion by the Lead being locked at Newburn.   You will therefore press the Carriers as much as possible to bring the Lead to Newcastle.

                 Gr. 80th       Oz.pwt.Gr tenths

Lough Vein Assays    51. Equal   6. 4.22. 8. PFodder



Refined Lead.  £17.         P Fodder

Silver             6.2. P Ounce & expected to fall



       We are Your Humble Servants

       Walton & Turner 

PS We are rather surprised to see so small a Week at Stublick Colliery ending 26 January.  T. Temperley not mentioned the Bore Rods tho' they belong to Nent Force Level they shd have been put into the Stock as such.