Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 29 Jan 1772

To Sir Walter Blackett Bt.  Member of Parliament            Newcas Wednesday 29th Janry 1772

in Half Moon Street  Piccadilly  London



Hond Sir

  I hope you are well after your Journey, which from the Weather we have had here I fear has been an unpleasant one.  The Meeting yesterday about the Bridge was more numerous than had been expected.  & the result so far as I can learn it, is to employ the Rawlings to bore above & below the Bridge: & then to have Mr. Milne down at the rate of two Guins a day & his Expences to give his Opinion which is the properest  place for a new bridge _ & in the meantime to endeavour to get a Petition signed to parliament, requesting that nothing may be done in pursuance of the Corporation’s petition ‘till it is found whether Mr. Milne’s  Opinion coincides with Messrs. Smeaton’s &Wooler’s _ I am told they tryed to get Mrr. Ellison of Parkhouse to sign their Petition, but he declined it.  It is insinuated by this Set of people that Mr. Wooler did not employ skillful honest men to make his boreings, & that the public here have not been well used by the Boreings & Report’s having been kept a Secret from them.  They seem to apprehend, for this is a time of Apprehension, that the Sandhill & Side are to be left by the Road from the New Bridge & be in the same predicament with Battle Bank _ & this increases their party _ Mr. Milne has wrote them that he will come as soon as the Boreings are finished _ That Lord Bute will use his Interest to prevent any Resolutions being come to till they are heard but that the Bishop of Durham said he had delegated to you full Power to judge and act for him in this Matter.

  The inclosed Representation of Mr. Jonan. Thompson has been distributed about the Town today.

  I am etc                                                                             HR