Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 15 Jan 1762

To Sir Wr. Blackett M.P. at the Cocoa tree in Pall Mall London                    15th January 1762

Hon[ou]rd Sir       

     Mr Davison, whom I saw last week, said he thought the ore had been brought back, & promised. if it was not done already, it sho[ul]d be done directly. On the 15th of last month I desired Mr Harrison to join Mr Maughan in considering what points were proper to be laid before the Referees, & that they wo[ul]d both take care that nothing wch was clearly your Right, was submitted to Their decision.

     If Weardale pays can be made any time before mids[umme]r it will satisfy the people. We got 4000 p[iece]s of Lead sold towards It just before the declaration of war ag[ain]st Spain; & hope, if the arrears & last Mart[ims]s Rents are tolerably well paid up at the next collection, & your own Occasions do not require any large sums, that we may be able to make these pays before that time. But the prospect beyond That is not agreeable; especially as the Int[e]r[es]t & annual payments stand so thick & require so much punctuality.

    As to the Terms upon wch the Lease for Y[ea]rs may be sunk into the Lease for Lives: I believe, if you were to offer his L[or]ds[hi]p £30 a year additional Rent to the £150 wch you pay as Moor Ma[ste]r, He wo[ul]d slight the proposal: And yet, It would be equal to offering him a Fine of £420. That being the pres[en]t worth of £30 a y[ea]r for 21 years. If you were to offer his L[or]ds[hi]p £50 a year, That would, by the same computation, be equal to a Fine of £700. & besides you would have the charge of the Act of Parliament to pay. But it is principally to be considered, that the increasing the certain Rent of £150 a year will be found very Inconvenient in case the Groves sho[ul]d fail, or you be obliged to lay in many of them on acco[un]t of the Lot & Tithe being taken in kind after the Expiration of the pres[en]t composition.

Mr Ord & partners got to the Coal at Walker yesterday I am etc  HR