Letters – Benjamin Johnson to Finlay & Hodgson – 2 May 1833

Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Co  London		WB Lead Office May 2nd 1833



Dear Sirs

      I have duly recd your letter of the 30th ult advising of receipt of £209-10-3- from Messrs Grace & Freeman and payment of the same to Mr Bt credit with Batson & Co at Glynn & Co. The error you notice you have corrected. I send you a statement of our engagement to the end of April. To which must be added Messrs Walker Parker & Co purchase for May and June & Messrs Grace & Freeman. I also send you a statement of our stock of Lead with the exception of Blagill Mill, which will not be considerable and contains no Comm Lead. By some accident this return has not come to hand. Mr Pattinson is making out at the Mills a prospective statement of the quantity each mill will make the next three months, which I will send as soon as I receive it.   

You will perceive our great deficiency of Comm Lead and I see no means of meeting it unless we substitute a portion of ordinary refined for it casting it in [Nft] pieces. Mr Pattinson’s process will aid us a little, but we shall still fall short to meet the extraordinary quantity of refinable lead which has increased considerably since accurate assays have been made. The Buyers I have no doubt would gladly agree to accept ordinary refined in lieu of comm, but I deem it imprudent to offer it in that shape. I mentioned in my last lre having supplied Messrs Bayley & Co with 600 frs comm lead which is all we can possibly do at present, and was done to a disadvantage as it would have paid a small profit to have refined it.

	I am Dear Sirs Yours truly Benj Johnson