Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 4 May 1740

      Ravensworth Castle  May 4th 1740

To  William Corbett  Esq.



Sir

	We reced. Yours with the Boards Minutes of the 23d April last which we duly observe, and beg leave to return you the following  Answer.

	In regard to the Number and Value of each Tree, in Dilston & Thornbrough  Woods, we must observe that a new valuation must putt upon all those Trees, as they now stand Numbered, which will Cost about £16 , & we apprehend doing the rest in the same manner, thro’ the Estate may cost abt. £64 more, valuing only, besides the Marking, wch in the whole we formerly acquainted you, we Computed would cost abt. £80, so that to mark and put Pticular Valuations to the whole, we reckon will Cost about £160. Where large Woods lye together, it is very proper to divide into Lotts of the different kinds of Timber, & to Sell those Lotts Separate, but we do not think it necessary at Dilston or Thornbrough as the Quantitys there will Sell together, better than in any other shape. There is no Expence attending Selling Timber in the manner Customary in this Country, it is generally advertized to be Sold a Considerable time before the Sale, Pticularizing the Number of each sort of Timber & the distance from the nearest & most conven.t places for consumption, & the persons who buys it, agrees to be at all expences of Cutting down & converting to Uses; & to pay a Certain Sum for a number of each sort of Trees, at such certain Payments as are agreed upon; And a limitted number of Years is granted for Cutting and Disposing thereof; which always is computed according to a greater or Lesser Quantity sold & according to the Quantity which the Marketts will take of Annually. In the present case we cannot omit offering our sentim<en>ts & hope the Board will not take amiss, that we are of Opinion, a Second Valuation will be of no real use. You have already a valuation of the whole distinguishing the severall Lotts and the Bark Separate, by which the Value is as well known as it will be, if it is done Twenty Shapes, which we apprehend is all that can be usefull or necessary, but this we only offer as our opinion & humbly submitt it to the Boards Consideration.

	We observe that the Board approve the measures we have taken for Securing the Arrear due from Joseph Green of Raw Green, as also that his Sons should continue Tennants, provided that no Loss arises to the Hospital. In Answer to which we beg leave to Observe, that we have taken the best method we could think of, to Secure the Arrear & to prevent any Loss arising to the Hospital, and by appearance they are Secure, yet notwithstanding that, some unforeseen Losses may happen, & should it prove so, we think it would be hard, we should be subjected to it, as we apprehend, we are by the Boards Minutes;  We therefore humbly desire that Minute may be laid before the Board to be Altered by Strik<ing> out the Words, Scor’d under, if they approve of it, or that they will be pleased to Signifye their displeasure with their directions for our Conduct in that Affair.

	We find that Mr Stephenson has reported ½ of Windy brow to be possessed & wrought by G.L Esq. & Ptners, which it has not, but since his undertaking it has been always wrought by the Govern.r & Company in Dead Work under a Lease from the Proprietor of a Moiety. Now as that Proprietor and the Hospital are tennants in Common , the Govern’ & Comp. will be liable to Accot. for Profitts when any arises to G.L.Esq. & Ptners & they to the Hospitall, for the Dues thereof, so that G.L Esq. & Ptnrs Claim the ½  as Tenn[ant]s in Common, & for that reason it was not reckon’d forfeited, or Advertized to be Lett. This we intended but omitted to remark to the Board, when we sent Mr Watson’s proposal, as we did, that Cocklake was not in the Number Advertized, being a thing Supposed of little or no value, & never demised to G.L.Esq. & Ptners amongst the enumerated mines. We have wrote to Mr Watson to know, what is the utmost he will give as Dues to the Hospital.

	We have made no Contingent payments, without order of Board for the three Months ending 31 March last & are Sir, Yours &c

      Nicho’ Walton  Hugh Boag