Letter – Thomas Crawhall – 3 Jan 1804

      N[ew]C[astle] 3rdJan[uar]y 1804

Sir,								

	Mr Blackett being somewhat indisposed desires me to acknowledge the rec[eip]t of y[our]s of 31 Ulto the Contents of which he duly observes & feels much obliged by the information which he begs me to assure you shall not go further. He presumes you have already been acquainted with the late Sales of the Lead Co of 22000 p[iece]s Lead as well as those of the G[reenwich] Hospital, the latter have sold all the Lead they had at Market to Walker’s Houn @ 30 & 31 per fo[dder] Slag L[ea]d ¼.

	The Market here is now very bare in that article except what WB holds, amounting to upwards of 40,000 p[iece]s ready for delivery. After offering a quantity of the London Houses @ 30 1/2 for 1/3 Ref[ined] & 2/3 Com[mon], which was refused by them. W Blackett has advanced his price & has lately been selling small quantities @ 31 1/2 p[er] fo[dder] & entertains great hopes of his being able to accomplish that price for a larger quantity in the course of next Month. Mr Beaumont has for some time observed the endeavours of the London Houses to beat down the prices he has been much urged by them to sell at a reduced price which he did not think proper to accede to & had thought of mak[in]g a consign[men]t to London in the manner you have done, their supplies must have been scanty for some time & he has little doudt but they will be necessitated to come to Market in the spring.

      I am 		TC