Letter – Nicholas Walton to Peter Mulcaster – 6 Oct 1769

Mr Mulcaster		                                                       	Farnacres 6th October 1769



      Both your Letters are now before me, and in answer this to inform you, that I have received the piece of Silver and sent it away as 660 Ounces ; it is a very pretty piece as I ever saw.

      I do not approve of your going to Alston to settle Accts and must insist upon every thing of that kind being done at Langley Mill for the time to come.

      I think your agreement with Spark a proper one, and tho' we pay 12s I hope our Masters will find this Account in our doing so. The Agreement will stand as it does til Mr Smeaton comes here.

      The first Time I see Mr Charnley I will Order you some Paper but as the Time is Uncertain you may furnish yourself as well as you can til we send you some.

      If Joseph Cragg can have leave to enter into the Hospitals Service I should like much that he was Employed at Langley Mill, but not otherwise, you will therefore make such application as you see most proper.

      I intend Weighing the Assays to morrow and will write to you by Sundays Post. I am

             	Your most Hble Servt

             		N Walton Junr



PS. I dare say Mr Smeaton will not disapprove of the Agreement with Sparke.

      There does not appear to be any Objection to employing Robson as a Smelter,and if on further considering this you think it right you will set him on accordingly.

      As I lost the Post last Night I send you the Produce of the last Assays on the other side by which you will see Thorngill Slag stil continues Unrefineable.

      I have Observed that the Lead produced from the Ore by Assay generally, indeed I believe almost always, produces less Silver than the Lead taken from the Ore in the great Work and therefore, tho' it may appear by Assay of Lead taken from the Ore in a Crucible, that it is not worth Refining yet til the Tryal is made from the Lead in the great Work, no certainty can become at.

 

Guddamgillburn 	2 Ozs. 2 Dw.  21 Gr. PFodder

Cowhill 		3 Ozs 18 Dw. 9 6/10 Gr 

Thorngill Slag 		5 Ozs 11 Dw. 11 9/10 Gr 

Lead last Refined 	10 Ozs. 16 Dw 19 8/10 Gr



      By computing what sort of Lead should have been produced I reckon the last Cake of Silver ought to have Weighed only 581 Ozs 9Dw 18Ga but by the Assays made from a Chip off each Pig I make it out that it should have been 699 Ozs 10Dw 9 Ga and its real Weight was 660 Ozs from which it appears it runs over the calculation of Particulars 78 Ozs 10Dw 6Ga and falls Short of the Assay from all the sorts Smelted together 39 Ozs 10Dw 9Ga.

      We shall hope to hear the Smelters are all got to Work again and are Your Hble Servts

 		Nich Walton Jnr

      J Smeaton



PS. We inclose you an Abstract of the Smelters Acct as settled to last Pay.