Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 9 Jun 1780

Mr Peter Mulcaster.                       				Farnacres 9 June 1780



Mr Mulcaster

       As we do not observe that your Letters of the 5th, 8th, 10th, 12th & 29 April Your Memorandums of the same Month of the 16th, 19th, 20th & 29th or your Letters of the 14th, 16th, 22nd, 25th and 28th of May & 1st June inst have been particularly taken notice of, we now acknowledge to have received the whole as also your Letter of the 7th inst which is just come to hand.

       The Silver mentd in yours of the 29th April weighed 623 Ounces.

       In answer to yr Memorandums above referred to, we now are to acquaint you as follows.

       The Prices of Carriage of Ore thus Season to be as ordered viz. 

Windy Brow                 6s/   P Bing

Thorngill & Blagill        4s/6d P Bing

All the rest East of Tyne  4s/8d P Bing 

The Price of Smelting to be again reduced to 6s/8d P Fodder.

       Mr Mulcaster's House Roof to be repaired til further Order.

       The Dam at the Mill had best be cleaned by making a Cut thro' the Middle of the Slake and removing the Slake part as opportunity best served on each side of that Cut or it may be done by making a Cut along the West Side of the Dam as was talked over with Mr Walton when he was at the Mill.

       The Pipe that has been stopped must be taken must be taken out again and fixed in such a manner as to make it the least liable to be stopped again.

       The Conduit across the Waterrace which was ordered to be taken up and Widened it is expected is now completed.  You are desired to employ such Number of Smelters from time to time as you may judge most proper for the good of the Works and therefore James Robinson's Absence during the Ore Carriage Season, occasioning a deficiency will be best judged by yourself the quantity of Ore from the Mines this Season is expected to be about 4000 Bings.

        Your not having led Stones to Your House is for the reasons you have given quite proper and that matter will be fully determined upon after a little further consideration. 

       When last at Langley Mill Mr Walton gave directions to Mr Thornton to Rail off Langley Limekiln Bank to prevent damage to Mr Browns Cattle and we desire you will put Mr Thornton in mind of that.  If you have not already followed the directions given by Mr Walton when at Langley Mill With regard to the Repairs of the Mill Troughs and other Matters wanting repairs we desire you will proceed therein and get the same done with all convenient expedition.

        We have not yet received any directions from Greenwich Hospital respecting the Applications on Acct of damage by the Lead Mill Smoke but have no doubt the Applications of the Sufferers have been duly attended to and that we shall receive directions in consequence thereof.

        If in the Course of carrying the Ore this Year it shd appear to you necessary to increase the Number of Horses after having had consultation with Mr Hilton and Mr Friend we beg you will jointly consider this and make such addition as shall appear necessary at the same time acquaint us with what you do from time to time on acct of this busyness we hope Joshua Elliot  and family have been permitted in increase their Number to Twelve and that the several Ore Carriers in the Neighbourhood of Langley Lead Mill have in preference to other Carriers been allowed to load their Ore as soon as they arrive at the Mine.

        We have every wish to serve the Inhabitants of and in the Neighbourhood of Langley Lead Mill we therefore wish that the Neighbourhood may be accommodated with a School House but shd first of all be glad to know who will contribute and what, or at least what it is wished Greenwich Hospital may contribute, may indeed at any rate we wish to know this Cash, as well as the other.

The Silver first mentioned in your Letter of 16th May from the Slag Lead weighed 522 Ounces and the other from the Silver Litharge etc weighed 274 Ounces and we wish as you do that the produce of refined Lead was always as good as it was in the Operation of Reducing the Litharge made from the Rich Litharge Lead and it is certain we must try Throckley Coals again if the good Coals at Stublick Colliery Level when the Men finished their bargain and shall certainly attend duly attend thereto we have already acquainted you that we thought it necessary to take care of the Stones which are drawn from the Level.

       We are much obliged to you for the trouble you had about seting out the Alston Road.  If you see Mr Smith you may acquaint him we have paid £200 to Mr Ord on Acct of that Road.

We are much surprised to find that you had no advice of the Gunpowder and shall take due Notice of this to the Person of whom it was got.

       There is no objection to your letting James Johnson have £5.-.- on Acct.  if you want Money we shd be glad to know and as we are certain you will not make an ill use of it we will readily grant a supply.  It gives us very great concern to hear if John Robsons Illness not only on Acct of Greenwich Hospl but on his own Account, as he appears to us as well as to you to have been a valuable Servant and we hope very soon to hear of his getting well again as yours of the 1st instant gives us hope he will do.

       What you did with regard to the Lead laid down as you apprehend by Batey or Hutchinson we cannot but approve and think that the Offender whoever he is ought never to be employed as a Carrier again unless we shd be satisfied that the step you took has convinced him of his error so as to induce him to behave properly for the time to come.

       What you propose as to bringing the Expence of the Conduit into the Lead Mill Pay Bill is Proper, and its being made in a substantial manner certainly necessary. The Operations ending the 20th& 27th May are safe arrived, as also the Acct of Lead delivered to the several Carriers.

       Tomorrow we shall know what quantity of Lead has arrived at the Warehouse and we will write to yours soon as all is come in.

       The Silver mentioned in yours of the 7inst is arrived at Newcastle it us larger than common and we will try it as well as several others upon which you have had report as soon as opportunity offers.

We are truly satisfied of your endeavours to obtain a good produce in the reducing as well as in every other part of your Operations but there is undoubtedly some secret in this part of the busyness which we do not get at the bottom of.

       It is quite clear from the Circumstance you mention that the matter which the Level Men have now cut is softer than they had before but we wish you to <> that by looking at the Matter which is drawn at the Staple and not let the Men know you have <> the least found out that they want less Gunpowder.

       We are glad to hear the Ore Carriage goes well on and hope the case the Galloways will experience by Hexham Races enable the Owner of them to make an extraordinary trip to the Mines.

We have not yet heard that Mr Thornton has got any Bricks made and therefore should be glad you would send him or see him and desire him to get forward as fast as possible that we may have it in his favour to serve the Mill.

       We have reced John Corbett & Jas Johnsons Bills which we shall examine the first opportunity and add them to the Pay Bills when we receive it.  We are    Yours etc

      W & T