Letters – John Erasmus Blackett to Thomas Richard Beaumont – 10 Nov 1799

Coln. Beaumont                                                 Newcastle  10th Novr  1799

Bretton    Wakefd Yorkshire



Dear Sir       I am favoured with your letter of the 7th inst & and shall tomorrow desire Messrs Surtees & Co. to purchase Stock to the Amount of £2622.4.9¾  for the Purpose of reducing your Land Tax agreeable to your Direction & for the reason that you assign: the Certificates that I sent you with those from Yorkshre must be sent up to Town to the Person that you employ to settle that Business, & make the Purchase.  The Event of the very unfortunate Expedition to Holland, & the Consequences have put a stop to the Demand for Lead for the present, and I fear will occasion a reduction of Price.

The very high Price of Corn, the Prospect of it still being higher is a most serious & alarming Consideration. The Corn of the present Harvest has been greatly injured by the Weather in the Northern Parts of this Country, it has likewise been the Case in the Eastern Countries which has advanced the Prices there and has been the Occasion (with some other Circumstances of a small Importation from thence, & it is much to be feared that a Stop will soon be put by the foreign Powers to further Exportation from thence, this is a most serious Matter to this Country for from the best Information that I can obtain there is likely to be a Real Scarcity:  It is most astonishing that Government does not put an immediate stop to the Distilleries.  I am endeavouring to procure a Quantity of Rye for the supply of your Miners but I am doubtful whether I shall succeed.

                        I am etc    J E B 



Much Corn is yet out in these Parts; in Scotland they are in a worse Situation, & little or no Seed is sown owing to the wet Season: A good deal of Corn was led on Friday & Saturday, but the Rain this Day will prevent anything being done tomorrow.

Novr.  11th   On mentioning the Matter respecting the Purchase of your Land tax to Mr Aub. Surtees he says that they must have the Certificates before they can execute that Business; now I am of Opinion that your Bankers in Town Messrs. Ransome & Co will be the most proper Persons to transact this Matter being on the Spot; should this meet with your Approbation the Certificates sent you with that for your Yorkshire Estate must be sent up to them, and a Sum must be purchased in the Stocks (or transferr’d by you from your Stock) equal to produce the annual Amount of the whole of your Land Tax Calculating the rate of the Stock at the Time of the Purchase.  Mr Brother made the Purchase of his Land Tax in Town from the Certificates from Northumberland, Durham, Surry