Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 26 Jul 1787

Messrs Mulcaster, 							Farnacres 26th July 1787.



       Your Letters of the 16th & 19th Inst are now before me, and we are very sorry that Mr Mattw. Temperley has been so much hurt, but from your account of the matter hope to hear in your next that he is got well again. We have received his Two Weeks Coal Accounts and the Assays contained in yours of the 16th Inst.

       With regard to the refining of the Silver, all that can be done is to take the utmost cares and we have not the least doubt that will be attended to by you as much as possible. We do not think it will be proper to refine the Silver over again, unless something more happens than has happened to the piece of Silver which was sent away from here the beginning of June. 

       We shall not have the least objection to recommend Dixon & Robson to be taken in as partners with any who may purpose for West Heugh Lead Mine. 

       We are surprised to see Coopers Dykehead & Gallygill Syke so rich in Silver and Old Cowslitts and Carrs West of Nent so poor.

       We are sorry to tell you that the weather continues so wet here that we have about 26 Acres of very fine cut grass almost quite spoilt, and this morning it was a perfect Deluge, and rained all last night.

       Being particularly desirous to get as far forward as possible with Smelting and Refining so as to finish the whole of the Ore that will come in this year as soon as the Carriage is finished, we desire you will consider the most proper means to effect this and perhaps the Blagill Company not having so much to do might hand us the Ore Hearth which we lately had before the Blagill Mill was in being, and in other respects we might contrive to get the <works further forward than are so in a> common way of working. The present high price of Lead certainly makes it necessary to be attentive to have the Lead at Market as soon as possible but besides that we have other considerations to <induce> to get the smelting of this years Ore as quickly done as can be, but at the same time we think it our Duty to <..> that we would not have anything so far <hurried….  Produce>.

       We are afraid that the Weather being so very wet may interfere in some degree with our Operations in getting quickly forward with the Smelting etc as Peats in Stock we fear will soon run out, and as to the Bricks we should not be surprized if some part of them were by this time as far as Tinmouth Bar. We are

       Your H[um]ble Serv[ant]s

       Walton & Turner