- Transcription
- Comments (0) Change font
If columns/tables do not appear straight, change font
To Sr Wr.Blackett Bt. Curzon Street London
15 April 1755
Honrd Sir
I am very sorry for Mr Stevens's bad Conduct, but hope you will be no great loser by him. I find by Mr Harveys Lre to his wife th[a]t he is alive.
Mr Geo.Simpson who was Mas[te]r of a Collier last year, & was at Ipswich in Sep[tembe]r, is now Mate to Mr Jno.Wall Ma[ste]r of the Swallow of Sunderland, wch ship is now in the River Thames; if you please to order Mr Denton to enquire after him on rec[eip]t of hereof, he will probably meet with him in London, before the ship be discharged; if not, I will endeavour to get his information when he returns to Sunderland. I desire Mr Denton will let me kn ow if he meets with him.
As to Messrs Pearce, Price & Co's proposal to furnish you with Gunpowder, you will please to consider by what follows, whether it is worth your while to engage with them. You use for y[ou]r Lead Mines about 40 barrels a y[ea]r of the sort marked C & F wch they offer at 70s a barrel. The price you last paid Mr james Wilkinson was 72s a barrel, but I am informed it is lately advanced 5s a barrel, so we shall now pay 77s a barrel till there is some alteration.
40 barrels at 77s a barrel will come to 154.0.0
40 barrels at 70s as offerd by Messrs Pearce & Co 140.0.0
Freight & Charges will be abt 2s6d a barrel 5.0.0
a Wareho[use] must be rented at 4 <or> 5.0.0
150.0.0
Remains to answer all hazard of fire etc £ 4.0.0
So that in my opinion it is the better way to buy it here in town as you have always done, for the saving will not counterballance the hazard & insurance but if you chuse to oblige Messrs Pearce & Co. I do not see you are under any obligation to Mr Wilkinson or anybody else here, to deal with them contrary to your inclination; & I do not think they can have any reason to take it amiss. The Quakers Co. buy their Gunpowder in London, but their Agents charge the workmen 2d a fod[der] more than your workmen have ever paid, who have never been charged more than the first Cost & carriage.
The hoppers go on as usual, but the Corporation is determind to begin with the Ma[ste]rs this week, & w[ha]t effect their proceedingd a[gain]st them will have, a little time will shew. Mr Collingw[oo]d is doubtful as to the Consequences, but he says he will write you on this subject by the next post.
L[or]d Darlington & the other Lead Owners at Stockton continue to drop the price of their lead, so th[a]t I must either conform to the market or sell none. The Stock you have now at the Mils has cost you £11.16.0 a fo[dde]r so th[a]t I fear you will have but a poor acct. of yo[u]r mines this year.
Dr Askew tells me this morning th[a]t Mr Davison is much better.
Mr Ogle set forwards on Saturday with only 9 saddle horses & 3 coach horses.
I am etc JR
