Letter – Nicholas Walton to William Corbett – 8 Feb 1747

To Wm. Corbett  Esqr                                  Ravensworth Castle  February 8 th 1746/47



Sir             

      We wrote you the 30th January last, in regard to the intended Turnpike from Buckton Burn to Berwick etc & therein acquainted you that we apprehended the Affaire would not goe forward, but that if it should, we thought a Clause shou’d be Incerted to exempt Scremerston Colliery from the payment of Toll.  We last post reced a Letter from Mr Armorer Tennant of the Colliery, acquainting us that Mr Watson Member for Berwick had wrote the Promoters of this Bill that he had hopes to have it tack’d to the Northumberland Bill & in order to have that done a Petition has been signed & sent him to be presented to Parliament.  We therefore beg leave to repeat our opinion, that unless a Clause is Incerted to exempt Scremerston Colliery from the payment of Tolls, the Tennant will not be able to stand the present Rent, as it will give the Collieries to the Westward, a very great advantage by bringing the Trade from the North side of the Tweed cross that River above Berwick Bridge, to these Collieries instead of Scremerston from whence that Country is most supplyed.  We reced. Mr Horne’s Letter the same post we reced. Mr Armorer’s, so that as the Petition was dispatched to Mr Watson, without our knowledge, we had no opportunity to send there with proper Clauses to be incerted in the Bill nor is it possible now to doe it in time; we therefore hope the Director will think it right to give such opposition as may prevent any thing being done this Session, which will allow time to give the Affair a proper Consideration.  We have wrote to Mr Airey who is now in London to speak imediately to the Members who have the Conduct of the Northumberland Bill & hope he will prevail upon them not to Countenance the other, and in case a stop cannot be putt to the Affair we have desired him to wait upon you with a Clause proper to be Incerted in the Intended Bill for the purposes before mentioned.

      We are etc  W & Boag