Letters – Benjamin Johnson to Thomas Key – 13 Jan 1833

T Key								Newcastle Jany 13 1833



Dear Sir

      I am in receipt of your lre of the 8th inst with abstract of accts.  The £ 4000 paid to the Bp of Durhm & the £300 paid to Batson & Co on the 29th Sept was carried to the Exhors a/c at your request as you will find on referring to your lre of that date. The 300 frs Slag were shipped on board the Beaufoot on the 27th Decr the ship however from some cause has not sailed until today – we have had a brisk demand of late for Litharge, and at present quite out of stock, and must remain so for ten days or a fortnight until the Blaydon – which are undergoing repairs – are set to work again. We send you a keel of Seld Refd this week on your sending a order to agent here to apply for it.

      Have you arranged with Mr Hodgson how your future supplies are to be furnished & prices fixed? The last offers I have had had, have been £13 & £12-10 for Refd & Com including 1/10 Slag which I have refused to accept, & shall stand firm at £13-10 & £13. With respect to the Slag Lead we barely make a 1/10 to meet our sales of Comm, which makes it of equal value. I mention these points that we may commence with a correct understanding which I am sure when once understood will ever after continue to exist.

      Our last 100 Casks of Litharge were sold last week to Mr Bulman for a Welsh house, at £14-10 and I have since been obliged to decline two smaller orders for want of stock at the same price. There is but one opinion here of the Lead trade & that is of an immediate & permanent advance.

	I am Dr Sir Yr Obdt Servt   Benj Johnson



P.S. Mr Backhouse has paid the money he recd from Mr Clapham to Mr Batson agreeable to your request.