Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 29 May 1772

To Mr Mulcaster.                               				Farnacres 29th May 1772



Sir,

      As William Labourne has got into some very great misunderstanding in regard to providing Bricks for the Furnaces and as your Operations we observe are suspended, for the want of them: we desire that you will let them stand til you get the Bricks expected.  Tis true they will come very high by the time they get to Langley Mill, but you will be pleased to use them for such places only as are absolutely necessary, safely keeping the remainder, with the Clay for future operations, and as we doubt not of your frugality in these respects, we further desire that you will not be over frugal by pinching the use where you are dubious whether they shd not be put in.

      In regard to the Land conditionaly agreed for with Thomas Brown, you are at liberty to let the Cottagers know that our Agreement is for 6s6d P Acre measured good and bad Hedges and Ditches all away together and that we took this trouble merely for their accommodation, as we understood how very desirous they were to have Allotments of Grounds in their own hands; that a further part near the Mill will be fenced off, as spoiled by the Mill, and applied to the Mill Account at the same average Price of 6s6d P Acre, but that as we do not expect to be either loosers or gainers by the agreement nor can an additional Expence be laid upon Greenwich Hospital, so they have to consider (with you) whether it can be so divided, according to its value,  as to pay the average price of 6s6d P Acre and Interest for the Money to be expended by the Hospital in Fences etc, and also, something that may be an equivalent to you, for the loss it will be to you.  If it will not be of value to them to make up these several Articles, the Agreement had better be given up, however as we have ordered a Surveyor to measure it, we shall defer the giving of it up til it is measured, and set out, and it is seen how it looks, but even then we shall give it up; unless it is clearly made out to us, that it will be of real Advantage to the People: for we shall not, chuse after so much trouble as this will give us to have them complaining of hard Bargains; tis far better they should complain for want of Land, than by having Land by which they are loosing.   In <fine> we shall always take real pleasure in doing real service to those under us; but we cannot take them to please in attempting this we shall never have done.

      In regard to the Fume we desire you will contrive to keep it til we have made a further Tryal to dispose of it in kind, and in the mean time send word at what price in your opinion we might Sell it for at Newcastle, including Carriage & Package in Bone Ash Casks, so as to be preferable to that of Smelting it.

      We are Your hble Servts

      NW

      JS