Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 29 Jun 1781

Mssrs Peter & James Mulcaster.               				Farnacres 29 June 1781



       We have had an application for 25 Tons of Grey Slag for the new undertaking at Bell's Close which we have promised to let them have by way of Tryal and they will after the Tryal make us an offer.  You are therefore desired to acquaint us in what time we could let them have 25 Tons without laying off our Slag Hearth Men and also what it will cost P Ton for carriage of the Slags from Langley Mill to Bell's Close and also from Langley Mill to Newburn.  So you will immediately make enquiry of the Hexham Carriers and also of Wm Pattinson etc what you can get them carried for delivered at both the above places.   We reckon Bell's Close will be 3 Miles further than Newburn.  If we don't agree upon price to go on delivering Slag after the Tryal is made we shall have the fixing of the price of the 25 Tons ourselves. We are

       Your Humble Servants

       Walton & Turner 



PS  Pray be expeditious as possible in giving us a full and particular Answer to the above and we shd be glad to know what Quantity of Slag is produced P Week from one Hearth we however cannot doubt that will be uncertain as it will in some degree depend upon the kind of Ore and whether the Hearth is upon the whole in a good or bad state of working.