Letter – Henry Richmond to Walter Blackett – 4 Feb 1765

To Sir W[alte]r Blackett B[arone]t MP in                                 Newcas[tle] 4 Febr[uary] 1765  

Halfmoon Street Piccadilly London                                                      being Monday



Hon[ou]rd Sir        Your Letter of the 28th of last month, tho[ugh] it has the General post office stamp of the same date upon it, did not come to my hands till this day at 20 minutes after 2 o’clock. I imediately sent the Letter inclosed in it to Ald[erma]n Simpson who is in Town; & then went to Mr Bell the post master to know the reason of this extraordinary delay.- his answer to me is, that the London bag which should have come to this Town on Thursday last the 31 of January did not come to his office till this day about 12 o’clock. & that missing the said bag on Thursday he wrote on Friday to the general post office about it; and this is all he knows of the matter.

Mr Simpson upon the receipt of your Letter has called the Magistrates together to consider of the contents of it; & tomorrow they will have a meeting with the recorder and Mr Fawcett; and let you have an answer as soon as possible; in the meantime they think it would be right to retain the Attorney General and such other Councill as you may think proper.- And in case the papers that concern the former hearing of this matter before the House should be wanted, the Town clerk desires me to mention that they are in Mr Darwins hands. Mr Peareth says the prices of carting ballast on the different Quays are from 9d. to 14d. a ton, but adds that all this matter will be found particularly stated in the papers in Mr Darwins possession. P.S. The other London bags were received regularly here on Fryday Saturday & yesterday. I am etc Hen Richmond