Letters – Benjamin Johnson to Finlay & Hodgson – 25 Oct 1832

Messrs Finlay Hodgson & Co				Newcastle on Tyne October 25th 1832



Dear Sirs						

      I have your letter of the 20th Inst & annexed Messrs Maltbys & Co Contract for 5000 frs WB Lead I observe you have conditioned that I am to draw the Bills, they have generally remitted them by which we save the stamps

      Mr Thompson seems determined to pick a quarrel after the whole of his conm  Ltead was shipped & there remained only 467 p[ieces]sof refd to complete his purchase he wrote to his agent Mr Isc Cookson to ship him that quantity of Comn Lead. Mr Cookson held my order for the dely of the 5000 p[iece]s and on his application to me for an order for 467 p[iece]s Com Lead I referred him to the original order I had given him. He wrote to Mr Emerson to deliver his keelmen 467 p[iece]s Com Lead & Mr Emerson  Knowing that 467 p[iece]s Refd Lead was all that remained to be shipped for Mr Thompson sent that quantity. I have been absent at the mines & have not had an opportunity of seeing Mr Cookson but I understand from Mr Backhouse, that Mr Cookson has intimated to him that Mr Thompson will not take the Lead on its arrival. I cannot conceive how Mr Thompson can for a moment suppose that he has the right to substitute one description of Lead purchased for another. The Lead had been delivered strictly according to the conditions of his contract with the exception of giving him a portion of selected Refd to which he was not entitled by his contract. I hope in all future transactions with him all such quibbling may be avoided by an explicit understanding at the time of sale & regular Contract- I think he must be experimenting on my being green in the trade

			I am Gentm Yr most Obdt Servt

				Benj Johnson