ENPages
(seq. 31)
25
(who I mentioned to you among our principal Merchants) has met with embarassments in his affairs which has oblig'd him to confine himself to his house for some time past, altho' at the time I wrote you he was esteem'd one of our first Merchants for Charactor & fortune, should any of the other I mentiond to you fail in their Circumstances will let you know it. observe you have remov'd to London & are establish'd in a general mercantile way, if I can be of any service to you here in recommending you to any of our merchants or in procuring Consignments for you, you may depend on my doing it with the greatest pleasure, as well as continuing my best endeavours to procure you Correspondents in the Hosiery way. Your friend Mr. J. H. St. John has not been here as yet, when he arrives will assist him in anything I can to the best of my power, our English trade at present is very dull; Goods in general are sold at 70 to 73 /3 pct. [percent] advance at 12 months credit, & when they come due is very uncertain whether the money be paid or not, which makes remittances very uncertain, money being very scarce. Youl please in your next to order what you will have done with your Hosiery. There is no method of disposing of them here but by publick vendue & but little chance for obtainging the prime Cost for them that way. I am
Your most humble Servant [left margin] P.S. I was premature in advising to your sending your Hosiery to Phila. as they have large manufacturers of that kind there
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Boston 23 March 1765 Mr. John Hillis
Sir I wrote you by Capt. Hector McNeill to which please to be referd by him I shipt you a Hhd. sugar & 1 Hhd. coffee, since he saild your favr. of 8th. Curr.th & Attwood came to hand acknowledging the rect. of the sugar and molasses [and?] him. Am sorry the latter did not answer. I got a person esteem'd a good judge to pick it out who said it was good, at that time there was no Surrinam besides what the persons I bought of had, for the future shall be particularly Carefull, am extreamly sorry for the Losses you have met with in your Brdr & by McPhilling, note your intention of remitting my Ballc. when you meet with a Bill, I am Your humble Servant Capt Williams __________________________________________
Boston March 23d 1765 Dear Nephew Mr. Thos. Foster tells me his son Bossn a long time agoe made you a consignment, but can get not acctt., as he appears very uneasie pray youl embrace the first opportunity of setting matters right meantime I am Your Affec.te Uncle
[left margin] P.S. Capt. Simeon Potter desires if you have recd his money that you will remit it, if not desires to know whether you are like to receive & how the matter stands.
P Williams
(seq. 32)
26 Mr Richard Waller Boston March 23d 1765 Sir I duly rec.d your fav.rs of 13th + 20th {August} the former Covering Bill Lading & Invoice of a Bale of Baize {per} Capt. Bruce which came safe to hand but remains yet unsold as does the 3 Casks Ironmongery {per} Deverson, the Bale of Baize & 7 {pieces} of the Cloth {per} Jarvis & the 2 {Hogsheads}Wool Cards {per} Dashwood I have already wrote you how vastly overchargd the Ironmongery was, the Baize & the Cloth are likewise much overchargd. I got a Gentleman to examine them who understands English Goods as well as any person among us & has been an Importer of them a number of years & whose varacity is to depended upon, he assures that Baizes equal in quality with yours was Imported last year the Wide sort dyed in grain at 2/9 Sterling {per} Yard that not in Grain at 2/2 the narrow sort for 1/6 & Cloths as good in quality as yours at 1/9 to 1/11. I have offerd the Baizes at the above prices & 75 {per} {Cent}. advance at 6 months Credit, but am not able to obtain that all our Shop Keepers here are very well acquainted with the prices of all English Goods & cant be deceived in the Cost of them, Cash being very scarce & Trade dull it is very difficult to vend Goods that are properly Chargd at 70 to 7 3/3 {per} {Cent}. advance on 12 months Credit & at the time for payment a great uncertainty of having the money. I have Sold 5 peices of the Cloth at 3/6 Lmo. {per} yard on {Credit} but have no prospect of disposing of the remainder, when our Spring Trade opens hope to find a market for the Wool Card at the old price. am really at a Loss how to get the other goods off, it gives me great concern that I have not been able to give you satisfaction in the disposal of your Goods, but will venture to affirm no one could have done more for you than I have, should be glad of your orders what to do with them, there will be no Chance of a Sale for the Baizes & Cloths in an ordinary way till towards the Fall by which time I may receive your further directions. I could wish you had not sent any Goods except Cards till I could have procur'd Invoices, which method I wrote you, was the only one in my oppion would have been for your Interest. your Ironmongery as well as the other Goods are of the same Quality & goodness of the same Articles Imported here at the prices I have mention'd to you, I have tried every method I can think of to get of the Ironmongery but cant meet with any person that will take them at any rate, all our dealers in that Article keep themselves fully supply'd from England. I observe you had {received} the Tar {per} Hatch with the Naval Store Bill, which hope turnd to better {Account} then the other as I have not been able to obtain payment for the Cask of Ironmongery I Sold Messrs. Southwick & Clark, I have not above £12 {Sterling} of your Cash now
[*{per} Capt. McKinlay. Copy {per} *]
(seq. 33)
27
in hand, for such a small Sum cant light of a Bill, as soon as I can will remit you. I have orderd {Messers} Southwick & Clarkes acctt to be put in suit which suppose is done ere now, by what I can learn of their Circumstances there dont appear any danger of a Loss by them, the difficulty of raising Specie I suppose has prevented them making payment before now, they are oblig'd to allow Interest thereon from 4th June last. I have not been able to procure a Certain Sale for any Cards this Spring but the one I wrote you, for Aaron Davis, or should advis'd you. The Quantity that will vend is very uncertain. mine per Jarvis of 17th {January} 1764 in- formd you there was no pitch or Turpentine at market (& no price for those articles) Whale Oil [pound symbol]16 @ [pound symbol]17. Sperma Ceti {Ditto} [pound symbol]20. Liver {ditto} [pound symbol]19.4/ in June last the price of Pitch was not fixt ^ there being none at market Turpentine 13/4 - Sperma Ceti Oil [pound symbol]22.13.4 Liver {ditto} [pound symbol]16 @ [pound symbol]19.4/ Whale {ditto} [pound symbol]1[8?] @ [pound symbol]19 - I am
Your most {humble} {Servant}
Price Currtt
| Tar .. 12/ | |
|---|---|
| Turpentine 13/4 | } per retail, no price fixt per wholesale |
| Pitch .. 24/ |
Boston March 25th 1765
{Mister} Hugh [?all] Wentworth
{by} post
Sir I recd your favr of 22d Curtt & agreeable to your request have made the inquireys you desired respecting freight & Insurance from your place from Newfound Land {namely} Premium 6 {by} 6' to a[?] there, from Harbour to Harbour & back, 2 {by} 6' to be return'd if Sold there. freight of large Sugar {hogsheads} if full 18/, Common {hogsheads} 12/ @ 15/, [?] 8/ @ 10/, Barrells 4/ @ 5/, Boards 40/ {per} {thousand?}, Barrell Staves 40/ {per} {thousand?}, {Hogsheads} {ditto} [pound symbol]4 - there is a small {Ballance} due from your father of Considerable standing, which Imagine he has forgot, by reminding him of it youl oblige
Your {humble} Servant
{by} post
Boston March 25th 1765
{Mister} Aaron Lopez
Sir I recd your favr of 22d Inst[?] Note you decline taking the Baize the Breeches Patterns & all the Stockings I could find of the Number you order'd in the Case I have open'd went {per} Freeman some days ago, am oblig'd for your readiness to comply with the demand of {Mister} Woolseys Executors for discharging your Obligation due to the Estate, it will suit rather better to to receive it at York then here, you may rely on my best endeavours in collecting the Outstand[?] Debts, mean time I am
Your most Humble Servant
Raisins [pound symbol]16. price of Oil not yet broke Exchange at par
(seq. 34)
28
Boston March 25th 1765
Messrs. Nicholas Brown & Co.
Gentlemen
I Rec'd yours of 22d Currt. [current; that is, this month] Inclosing first & Second Bills drawn in Surrinam on Amsterdam for 2454 Holland Guilders which I'll endeavour to dispose of for 18/P Guilders but much doubt of obtaining it it I should not will return them per next post & sell the Bill on [Belfe?] with the discount of 2 pC'n [2 percent] if cant do better, it will sell as well as a smaller I have not seen Mr Hunt to be assertain'd that he has offer'd candles at 13/6, Mr Thomas Gray tells me he will take 14/ Cash & believe rather then miss sell a Quantity would take up with 13/6. Capt. Sheldon does not yet appear
I am
Your most Humble Servant ____________________________
Boston March 25th 1765
Mr Moses Lopez
I Recd. your favr. of 22nd Currt. & agreable to your request will send will send you another Barrell of Potash when to be procur'd as also the process of making it in the present method if can prevail with any person acquainted with it, to give it in writing, tho' believe it will be more for your advantage to come down & attend the works a few days by which you'l gain more knowledge then is possible to do from any written discription, or if this dont suit your convenience I can procure you a person who can go through the whole process from the Buildg. [of] the House & Furnace to the reducing the Ley & Salts to the best Potash, but dont know whether he can make the Cisterne, am doubtful whether the Kettles you make use of for refining Sperma Ceti are sufficient to sustain so intense a Heat as is requisite to Flux the Salts & the method of setting them I suppose to be different. I am
Your most Humble Servant ___________________________________________________ Boston March 25th 1765
Mr. John Freare
Sir
Inclos'd is copy of mine per McNult of 15th Inst. w'ch hope got safe to hand with the sundrys for your & the contract acct. in a short passage, as the winds were favourable here. When I was writing you last Capt. Attwood arriv'd & on the first reading your letter I thought you forbid shipping any more beef in quarters this season, but on overlooking imagine you mean to stop after Capt. William's vessell is gone, & the weather proving cold I have shipt you per Schooner Mary John Williams master 60 quarters beef 5 bbs salt & two bbs suet amount as per inclos'd invoice to L99.7.10 [?] which have charg'd to your agent victualling acct., also have shipt you by him for you rparticular acct. the sundrys ammouting to L5.2.4 [?] which
(seq. 35)
29 which is Charged to that {account} Bill Lading for all which you have Inclosed, this beef falls short of the weight Contracted for 138 lb Mr Bryant told me he would put on Board 2 small Quarters of Beef to make up that & the deficiency of 36lb in the former parcells Gratis, as to the Extra short weight you mention I cant Account for it, unless the Tallys were shifted, as I am sure great care was taken to weigh it exactly. & I am informed there was a remarkable bad parcell of Beef put on Board Attwood, it is hard to suspect such a peice of villany from any sett of men, nor should I have thought of it was I not very well satisfy'd the Beef was weigh'd exact. I suppose a Violent Storm , Storm we had yesterday prevented his being in Town to day, he doubtless will put the Beef on Board tomorrow if Capt Williams dont sail before. I have engag'd 32 Casks of Rice @ 12/ {per}{Cent} which will be sent you with 12 Live Bullocks & what Suet I can Collect for your Agent Victualling {Account} {per} Capt Attwood who Imagine will Sail in about a fortnight by him will also send you the half {barrel} Neats Tongues for your own use, there is no Lisbon Lemons at market that are in proper order for Shipping, should any arrive before Attwood Sails that are in good order will ship your {Ballance} in them, Inclosed is {Account} of the returned Cattle {per} Attwood {Balance} £22.4.11 Lmo which have Carried to {Credit} of your Agents Victualling {Account} which is Inclosd also {Ballance} in my {favour £270.16.11 like money Inclos'd also is {your } particular {Account} of Supplys. {Ballance in your {favour}£30.14.10 3/4 L money, all which if you find right please to settle accordingly. the letters you Inclosd me {per} Attwood for Mr Henry White, Messers Baynton Wharton & Morgan & Mr Richard Coxe were forwarded {per} post 18th {Instant}. those to Messers Biggin, Bacon & Co. Henry Davidson & Lawrence Robinson go {per} Ship Dianna, Partrick McKinlay master for Liverpool who Sails in a few days. I am your most {humble} Servant
1 {Gallon} Kegg Pickled pepers £ 5.4 1 ditto [pickled] Cucumbers 7.8 4 Bottles Capers @ 4/ " 16 2 Jarrs Walnuts 13/4 1.6.8 4 jars olives 3/8 14 . 8 4 Bottles Anchovies 4/ 16 4 do.[bottles] Ketchup 3/ 12 pails & packing 3/ porterage 1/ 4 [ total ] £5.2.4 P.S. before I determind to Ship the Beef {per} Capt Williams I consult ed Capt John Homes, a noted [illegible] [???] Capt who for many years {Carried} beef in Quarters, he gave it as his opinion the present Season is as good as in {December}.