Volume 10

AD1583/10
Correspondence, volume 10
Series
92 items (95 documents)
Manuscript
1798

AD1583/10/1
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding bond required from Richard Trevithick, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
3 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 3rd Jan[uar]y 1798
Addressed to:      Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson      Truro
                                                                                                Soho       3 January 1798
Dear Sir
            We have your favours of 30th & 31st Ult[im]o and having considered the circumstances you mention relative to Trevithicks working single at Dingdong for some time to come, we think upon the whole it will be best to make out the Bond upon that supposition now, & have a fresh bond when it is intended to be made double. The Lump Sum for working single is £158, which, if convenient to Trevithick, may be paid at once and there will be no occasion for a bond. The Instalments were proposed to accommodate him, but if he has the money, he will save you and himself trouble by paying it down. Should this not suit him, we would wish you to propose to him to pay by four Instalments at three months distance each, with Interest on Arrears, which will make the whole payable in one twelvemonth. - But if Trevithick should object to this, and say that it was understood the payments were to be monthly, you will insist upon the whole being liquidated in two Years at the utmost, with Interest as before upon Arrears reckoning from the date of the Bond, which should bear date the Day of starting the Engine. - The Bond to be simply an Engagement for the Money on the part of Trevithick & to express no Covenant upon our Part. -
            We observe that Trevithick has concluded his Agreement for the St. Agnes Engines. As soon as the Dingdong business is concluded and we understand that a formal application is made by him for leave to work them upon our principle, we shall state the Sum for which he is to give bond, in which we shall make allowance for the time necessary to get them to work. -
            At the time of mentioning Mr. Edwards name, I had not in mind the circumstance of Mr. Warren's being employed. You are at full liberty to employ whichever gives you the most satisfaction. -
            Mr. Murdocks Aff[idavi]t is received & sent up to Mr. Weston. It appears to us very proper in every respect, except perhaps, that allusion ought to have been made to the Engine being similar to that constructed by Bull against which Verdict was obtained. If this is essential, Mr. Weston will send it down to be resworn. -
            We have as yet not communicated his Instructions upon the case of Pednandrea, nor has he sent the Memorandum for entry in the Mine Books. -
            We have nothing farther to add at present, but our earnest request that the main subject of this letter may be brought to an early conclusion and remain very sincerely
                                                            Yours
                                                                        for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                    Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/2
Letter, G Watt to
Wilson regarding visits to Goldsithney, and the stoppage of Wheal Jewell
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
4 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            G: Watt 4th Jan[uar]y 1798
Addressed to:            Mr. Wilson, Truro, & forw[arde]d by Mr. Jenny

                                                                                    ''Penzance Jan[uar]y 4th 1798.
Mr. Wilson.
            Dear Sir
            I  rec[eive]d yours in due course and immediately went to Goldsithney but found both the Gundrys were at Penzance - I went again to Goldsithney next day & found old Capt[ai]n Gundry - and settled to go to Dingdong with Capt[ai]n Thomas on Saturday - In the course of the week I shall obtain information concerning the wherry - Wheal Jewell has stopped being unable to keep the water - They will probably lie by till May -
            I proposed if I had procured the requisite information to have come to Truro on Saturday but this arrangement precludes it - On Tuesday I go to an account at Herland and on Sat[urday] next week shall perhaps come to Truro.
            with Comp[limen]ts to Mrs. Wilson who I hope is well I remain Dear Sir
                                                            your obliged & Humble Servant
                                                                                    G Watt

[marginal] Shall thank you to get the tables for me by the time I come''

 

 

AD1583/10/3
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding form of entry for agreements with mines
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
10 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r Jan[uar]y 10th 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho 10th January 1798
Mr. Wilson
     Truro

Dear Sir
             Your favour of the 6th is at hand. My last of [blank] Inst[an]t has I hope been found explicit with regard to Trevithick. It was left optional with him to pay by Instalments, because it was thought it would not be in his power to pay down & that by insisting upon it we should defeat our own purpose. -
            We have written to Mrs. Matthews about the India Bills & when we have her answer shall let you know our determination. -
            You may send the 10 Blocks of Tin as you propose.
            The following is Mr. Weston's advice respecting the Entry of Agreements, which you will please to adhere to.
            ''I recommend that whenever you want to get an Agreement entered on any of the Mine books you should leave as little as possible for the Adventurers or their purser to do. Therefore I should advise that you  state your terms in a letter, (concerning which you cannot need any assistance from me), then let the Entry on the Mine Books be as follows,''
At a meeting of the Adventurers of -------- Mine held this Day at --------
                                                present A B,
                                                            C D &c

Read a Letter from Messrs B[oulton]&W[att] as follows,
                                                 [Insert the Letter]

Whereupon it was resolved & agreed to accept the terms offered to the Mine Adventurers by Messrs B[oulton] & W[att] in the said letter + [see below] and ordered that the Purser do transmit a Copy of this Resolution to Messrs B&W, with a request to them to proceed to execute the Agreement with Dispatch.
Where we do not erect the Engine, the part underlined, may be omitted.
            As to the letter to be sent to the Adv[enture]'rs, we approve of the form of that to Trescaw Mine contained in your favour of 24 Dec[embe]r, except that we wish you to substitute for the words ''unexpired term of the Patent'', the following, unexpired term of the Act of Parliament.
            Mr. Weston will send down Murdocks aff[idavi]t to be resworn before the 1st day of term, when Pednandrea Business will also be brought forward.                           We remain
                        D[ea]r Sir            Yours                        for B[oulton]&W[att]
                                                            J Watt Jun[io]r

[marginal] + or Extract as the whole letter need not be copied if it relates to any thing else''

 

 

AD1583/10/4
Letter, Carpenter to
Wilson submitting proposal to settle dispute by arbitration
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
13 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Mr. Carpenter 13th Jan[uary] 1798
Addressed to:       Thomas Wilson Esq[ui]r[e], Truro

''Sir!
            With a view of avoiding litigation (if possible) I do hereby offer to Messrs Boulton & Watt, through you, to submit our dispute to the arbitration of any respectable characters, residing within the county of Cornwall or Devon.
            After what had past, you, I am certain, will not be at all surprized at my late refusal of meeting you with the Gentleman, I formerly named as my referee - unless a regular submission had first been made to abide by his award. It was my most earnest wish that it might be decided by persons residing here, because they would be better able than strangers to appreciate the characters of those, by whom they were to be furnish'd with evidence: but, Sir, my anxiety is so great to avoid an expensive law suit with men, whose wealth may afford them the means of crushing me, that I will readily consent to leave the dispute to be decided, by any respectable bankers in London, persons on the Royal Exchange, Bank of England, or any eminent counsel in either of the courts of law or equity in Westminster Hall.
            Your forwarding to Messrs Bolton and Watt this proposal will oblige
                                                            Your humble Servant
                                                                        J: Carpenter
Redruth
1st jan[uar]y 98

            In the event of their compliance, I will name my referee, who shall be exempt, by character as well as fortune, from the smallest suspicion of partiality. Indeed I would go further for my own part, and wave the terms first concluded upon; by which means Messrs Bolton & Watt as well as the country in general might be possess'd of an equitable basis of compensation for the priviledge of using what they claim to have invented.''

 

 

AD1583/10/5
Letter, G Watt to
Wilson regarding his dislocating his arm near Penzance
Item
1 sheet
Manuscript
14 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            G: Watt 14th Jan[uar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro

                                                                                    ''Penzance Jan[uar]y 14th 1797.
Dear Sir
             I take up the pen to relieve your friendly anxiety. My arm certainly was dislocated partly what is called a sub Luxation, but was reduced almost immediately by Mr. Williams' holding it as we walked into Penzance - The pain is nearly gone & in a few days I shall have tollerable use of it -
            Remember me to Mrs. Wilson & Thomas who I trust are well & excuse this short scrawl as I write in some pain.
                                                I am D[ea]r Sir
                                                            your Obliged & Humble Serv[an]t
                                                                        G Watt''

 

 

AD1583/10/6
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding bonds from Trevithick and Carne, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
15 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 15th Jan[uar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                                ''Soho 15 January 1798
Mr. Wilson
     Truro.

Dear Sir
             We have your favour of the 11th Inst[an]t and are glad to find you have settled with Trevithick; We have not entered into the calculation of Interest, but have no doubt it is quite right, and you have our best thanks for your exertions in this affair. - We wish Mr. Warrens Draft to be sent to us & we will either return it signed or write a letter to Trevithick which will be equally efficacious. - You will please desire Trevithick to state by letter to you the size of the St. Agnes Engines & whether wanted to work Single or Double. -
            The India Bonds from Carne are approved of, so that you may endeavour to get the remainder of the Debt paid in the same Manner if possible. It is understood that all the Bonds are to be endorsed by Mr. Carne & that Interest upon the time they have to run at the rate of 5 per Cent per Annum is to be allowed. If you take more it will be Usury. -
            We beg you to observe that we have no objections to your employing Mr. Edwards, but what arose from his former neglect of our business. If you find him willing to attend to it, we should certainly wish him to be employed occasionally, or always, as you please.
            The case of the new Wh[ea]l Jewel near Goldsithney requires consideration & cannot be replied to immediately, as it must involve in it many questions of the utmost importance.
            We remain respectfully
                                                            Dear Sir
                                                                        Your ob[edien]t Servants
                                                                                    for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r

P.S. We had the pleasure of seeing your partner Mr. Gould at the Stourbridge meeting, but could not prevail upon him to accompany us hither. We are sorry he has such unpleasant Intelligence to communicate, for it seems now understood that among the other benefits of Mr. Pitts administration is to be enumerated a tax on Iron and the consequent starvation of one half of the Inhabitants of this neighbourhood''

 

 

AD1583/10/7
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding terms for Mr Carpenter
Item
1 folio and 1 sheet
Manuscript
29 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Copy to Mr. Carpenter no date & J Watt Jun[io]r Jan[uar]y 29th 1798

                                                                                    ''Soho 29th January 1798
Mr. Wilson

     Truro.

Dear Sir
            The absence of my father & Mr. Boulton Jun[io]r for the last week, has been the cause of your not hearing from us upon the Wheal Jewel business and in answer to your letters of the 18th & 25th Inst[an]t which came duly to hand. -
            Now that the barrier we had erected with so much trouble, has been broken down in one instance, and sapped in another, it appears to us to have become matter of necessity and not of choice, to abandon our intention of enforcing the lump sum in Cornwall. We cannot however avoid stating that we are very far from being convinced that it might not have been carried into effect had we met with a cordial & zealous cooperation, such as every change of system must require in the first stages of its Introduction. Some difficulties were also to be overcome in the other parts of the Kingdom, as well as in Cornwall, but perseverance & uniformity of language soon overcame them & since the terms have been generally understood, we have had more Orders & fewer disputes than at any former period and we must farther observe that some of these Engines, being for Mines, were under similar circumstances to those of Cornwall. We have never found it extremely difficult to convince parties it was their Interest to pay a moderate sum at once, rather than be burthened with an Annuity the purchase of which would amount to considerably more. There are many other arguments which might be deduced from our situation to shew the propriety of the measure, if it were proper to appeal to the reason, instead of appealing to the pockets of Individuals. But the principal one in which you appear to us never to have properly understood, or never properly impressed upon others, was, that we would not assent to other terms and that they must either have the Engines upon them, or not have them at all. It is very evident from your letter to us of the 6th August last, that you did encourage Carpenter to offer us the 2/3rds although you were present when our letter was written to Teague & you yourself sent a copy of it from hence to Mr. Carpenter on the 14th April 1797: nay the terms were confirmed to you again in the most explicit manner so late as in our letter of the 7th June & we never had the remotest idea of departing from them. What Inference can people draw when you hold one language & us another, but that we have no steady regulation for our business and that the whole is abandoned to the caprice of the moment. - Examine our letters ever since the lump sum was first proposed in 1795 and say whether we have not been uniform in our demands for new Engines. You must recollect that our motive for lessening our demands at Wheal Ramoth & Wheal Fortune, was, that these Engines were erected previous to any Agreement being made and upon that Account we were at the mercy of the Adventurers. Wheal Abram having been built under similar circumstances, our friendship for Mr. Kevill induced us to put it upon the same footing. But at the time these concessions were made, the principle was not abandoned, & it has been since repeatedly enforced, particularly in conversation with you in London & when last here. We appeal to your recollection whether this is not fact. We mention these circumstances not with any idea of reproach, we are persuaded you thought you were acting for the best, but it is necessary to free ourselves from the implied imputation of inconsistency and to shew you that we have not acted but upon mature consideration.
            We have a letter from Carne upon the Wheal Jewel business, which we shall answer by acceding to their proposal for the two thirds, indeed we could alledge no good reason, for refusing them the terms granted at Trescaw. You will therefore please to see that the terms are properly entered upon the Mine Book & for this purpose we shall send you by our next a copy of our letter to Carne. -
            What we have said of the two thirds, is not meant to have any reference to Mr. Carpenter, for although we are aware that that case is considerably embarassed by your conversation & by Mr. Murdocks acts, we shall readily obtain the Injunction & you may rest assured that we shall not suffer ourselves to be trod under foot, whilst we have a shilling left to pay the Lawyers bill.
            Proper Affidavits for that case are now making out for you & for Mr. Murdock and also a fresh one for the latter in the case of United Mines. These you will please to get dispatched as soon as you receive them & you will inform Mr. Murdock that we wish him to be very guarded in his Conversations with Carpenter or his Agents, & if applied to by them for an Affidavit, to refuse it, saying that he has made one already. -
            On the other side we send you the Copy of a letter which we wish to have written by you to Mr. Carpenter and remain
                                                            Dear Sir
                                                            Yours sincerely
                                                                                    for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r

                                    Copy of letter to be written to Mr. Carpenter

Sir
            I duly transmitted the Copy of your letter of the 1st January to Messrs Boulton & Watt, by whom I am instructed to inform you that their own opinion was against the proposed reference, and that being now confirmed therein by the advice of Counsel, they decline it.
            The terms they have offered to accept, are either that you pay monthly their full premium amounting to £55 per Month, during the remainder of their exclusive privilege, or so long thereof as the Mine shall work, or the that you purchase their license by the payment of the sum of £800, which you will observe is a less sum than was asked by them previous to your erection of the Engine without their consent. -                                                I remain &c &c
                                                                                    J.W.''

 

 

AD1583/10/8
Letter, G Watt to
Wilson regarding Trescaw, Wheal Jewel and Ding Dong mines
Item
1 large sheet
Manuscript
31 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Mr G: Watt 31st Jan[uar]y 1798
Addressed to:            Mr Wilson, Truro

                                                                                    ''Penzance Jan[uar]y 31 1798
Dear Sir /
            Enclosed you will receive a copy of the entry made on Treskow account book - All present signed it excepting Mr. Bull who Looked very black - Very little objection was made & that I soon crushed by hinting that unless they complied with this portion of the agreement on their side Boulton and Watt would certainly be at liberty to insist on much more severe terms & the short clause at the end was inserted at the Request of John Penrose who behaved very well and was the first to propose that it should be immediately entered.
They are very anxious to obtain B[oulton]&W[att]s answer respecting wh[eal] Jewel and wished me to write to Soho on that subject this however I declined but promised to write to you. J. Penrose told me privately and as he said in confidence that a number of the adventurers of Wh[eal] Jewel, were disposed to employ Trevithick but that if B&W would grant the same terms they had given to Treskow he would pledge himself that Murdock should be their man - This he begged me not to mention to Carne or another other adven[ture]rs. This I promised & beg you will also be silent but why any injunction for secresy should be given I know not unless either Carne or himself is playing an underhand game - When you write to Soho it may be proper to mention this and also that if B&W do not grant them the terms allowed at Treskow they will stop till summer & Men work the old engine in the dry months till the act of parliament is expired.
I arrived here very safe but thoroughly soaked as from the nature of the day you may suppose -
Thomas Gundry has promised faithfully to inform me when Ding Dong goes to work double - Trevithick has been there rectifying the Engine. I hear he is concerned in Wh[eal] Treasury Engine with Bull & Co - I dined with Tho[ma]s Revill on Sunday - and was invited by him to come & spend some days at Trevenson - the Old Gentleman is very much better -
   With Comp[limen]ts to Mrs. Wilson I remain dear Sir
                                    your obliged humble servant
                                                                        G Watt''

 

 

AD1583/10/9
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding injunctions for Mr Carpenter and for United Mines
Item
1 sheet
Manuscript
31 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Mr. A: Weston 31st Jan[uar]y 1798.
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall.

Mr. Thomas Wilson
            Merchant Truro.
                                                                                                                        Fenchurch Street
                                                                                                                               31 Jan[uary] 1798
D[ear] Sir
            I am preparing to file a Bill for an Injunction against United Mines in respect to their New Engine.
            I shall send a Draft of an Affidavit to be sworn by Mr. Murdock - which must be ingrossed on a stamp & sworn by him. If the Draft should not state the facts correctly, or if Mr. Murdock can now say more than he could before, let the Affidavit be altered by Mr. Warren. The Aff[idavi]t lately sent was not full enough in some particulars.
            I am also preparing an injunction for Mr. Carpenter. It will be a friendly act towards him to let him know it, because the expence will be large - & he must pay it, as many others before him have done, in like Cases.
            The Draft of Mr. Murdock's affid[avi]t will be sent Tomorrow - or possibly today, if the Copy can be made in time.
                                                                                    I am D[ea]r Sir Y[ou]rs
                                                                                    A Weston''

 

 

AD1583/10/10
Letter,
Weston to Wilson enclosing draft affidavit for William Murdock
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
31 Jan 1798

Endorsed:            Mr. A: Weston 31st Jan[uar]y 1798

Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

Mr Wilson

D[ea]r Sir
            Having written a Letter to you by this post I beg Leave to refer thereto & I inclose a Draft of the affidavit proposed to be made by Mr. Murdock concerning the United Mines New Engine.
            I wish to know what Mr Murdock can say concerning Mr. Carpenter's Engines which must be our next object.
                                                            I am D[ear] Sir Y[ou]rs &c
                                                                                                A Weston
Fenchurch Str[eet]
            31 Jan[uar]y 1798.''

 

 

AD1583/10/11
Letter, Watt junior to Wilson enclosing copy of letter, Boulton & Watt to Carne
Item
2 folios
Manuscript
31 Jan-1 Feb 1798

 

AD1583/10/11/1
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding letter received from William Carne
Piece
1 folio
Manuscript
1 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Mr James Watt Feb[ruar]y 1 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

Mr. Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                                Soho 1st February 1798
Dear Sir
             In consequence of a letter received from Carne, of which you have a Copy on the other side, we have written the inclosed answer, which you will please to forward, after having taken a Copy. -
            We are not very certain about our Agreement with the Mine, being to the purport he mentions; we shall be obliged to you for information upon that point and also a statement of our Account with the Mine. The sum we have stated for the materials of a Six Horse Engine, will be the same at all events we have long ago reduced the Premium upon these small Engines to a manufacturing profit, and patent, or no patent, they will be much the same. We can easily conceive it may be possible to get up such Engines cheaper in Cornwall by using inferior materials & inferior workmanship, but we are certain it is neither worth our while, nor upon the whole the Interest of the proprietors to employ such Machines. -
            This affair having occasioned a reference to the Trescaw Agreement, we observe an error in the terms for the working double, which we did not Notice before, having taken it for granted that your calculations were right. You have stated the single Premium at £18. 13 [shillings]. 4 [pence] & the double at only £28 per Month; this should surely have been £37. 6s[hillings]. 8d [pence]. - If this has been a mistake, as it appears to us, the Adventurers cannot fairly object to its rectified & we must request you to get it done. -
            As the 2/3rds Plan is now resolved upon, it may be proper to give verbal intimation of this to any of the Adv[enture]'rs of Wh[ea]l Treasury you are acquainted with, as if the arrears due from the new Adv[enture]'rs were paid up, we should be disposed to accept of the 2/3rds in Monthly payments for the future, a proper Agreement for that purpose being entered into by the Adventurers. -
            Nothing farther occurs at this Moment & I remain
                                                Dear Sir
                                                            yours sincerely
                                                                 for Boulton & Watt
                                                                      Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r

                                                                        Copy
                                                                                    Penzance 26th Jan[uar]y 1798
Gent[leme]n
            Having some Conversation with Mr. Wilson last Monday respecting Wh[ea]l Jewel Mine, near Marazion, where I had a large share, who informed me you would not consent to our erecting a new Engine on the same terms as Trescaw Mine, viz to pay 2/3 of the Customary savings. -
            And having attended Wh[ea]l Jewel Acc[oun]t on Tuesday the Adv[enture]rs desired me to write you upon the subject. Will thank you to inform me by a line per return of post, if you will admit us to erect an Engine, say a 40 Inch Cyl[inde]r on paying 2/3rds Savings, or not, - in course of refusal, the mine will remain unwrought until the Expiration of your patent. -
            We want a small Engine for Herland to work our whims, ab[ou]t 18 Inch Cyl[inde]r single - please say what would be nearly the amount of one compleat, without any rotative work - You will observe in our Agreement for savings, we have liberty to erect as many Engines as we wanted on the same premium so that you will not charge us any thing for Premium, waiting your reply,
                                                            I remain &c
                                                                        W. Carne''

 

 

AD1583/10/11/2
Copy of letter, Boulton & Watt to Carne regarding the rebuilding of the engine formerly at Herland
Piece
1 folio
Manuscript
31 Jan 1798

Endorsed: Copy of a Letter from Boulton & Watt to W[illia]m Carne dated Jan[uar]y 31st 1798

                                                                                    ''Soho 31st Jan[uar]y 1798.
Mr. Carne
            Penzance.
                                    Sir
                                                 In reply to your favour of the 26th ins[tan]t we have the honour to inform you, that we shall assent to the Adv[enture]rs in the mine of Wh[ea]l Jewel in Goldsithney rebuilding the Engine late belonging to Herland with a Cylinder of 40 inches dia[mete]r upon our plan, on condition of paying the sum of £14. 15 [shillings]. 4 [pence] per month whilst working, single, that is, under the load of 10lb½ to each inch of the area of the piston, and the sum of 29. 10. 8 when working double or above 10½lb to the inch, for so long during the remainder of the unexpired term of our exclusive privilege as the Engine shall continue to be wrought on the said mine; Provided that an agreement be entered into the mine books by the Adv[enture]rs in their next meeting for the fulfillment of the above conditions & that a Copy thereof signed by the Adv[enture]rs present be sent to Mr. Wilson or to us.
We do not now make any single rota[ti]ve Engines, as we do not consider them so eligible for that pourpose as double ones. One of our double Six horse engines would be somewhat more powerfull than an 18 inch single four feet stroke, and perhaps would not on that acc[oun]t be objectionable. The metal materials of such an Engine, fitted up here in the compleatest manner, would be delivered by us at Birming[ha]m for the sum of £370. You will understand that their proposal comprehends every part of the metal materials of the Engine, excepting the boiler itself, the rotative work & the strap pins & bolts for the framing. Should we be favour'd with your order we hope to be able to compleat it, in less than 3 months from its receipt. You will observe that the above sum is payable in 3 months from delivery here.   We are respectfully -   Sir
                                    Your Ob[e]d[ien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]ts
                                                            Boulton & Watt.''

 

 

AD1583/10/12
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding William Murdock's affidavit
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
6 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Mr. A: Weston 6th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

Mr. Thomas Wilson.
            Sir,
            The delay in returning Mr. Murdocks affid[avi]t is of no consequence compared with the importance of beginning with a correct affidavit. The Draft sent you was only pro forma, & of course subject to correction as to matters of Fact, by the person who is to swear to it.
- There has been no mistake on the part of Messrs Boulton & Watt - nor is there any error in fact in the Affidavit in respect to the Engine's being similar to that which Bull erected at Balcoath Mine; For, the Affidavit after speaking of the Separate Condenser & Air Vessel states, that in those respects the Engine erected by the Adv[enture]rs in United Mines is exactly similar to the Engine erected by Bull at Balcoath Mine, w[hi]ch is correctly true.
            I had no Instructions for the Affidavit of Mr. Murdock - except his own Words in the Affidavit sworn by him the 30th dec[embe]r last in which nothing at all is said about the form of the Engine, whether Double or Single, nor is the form at all material in substance, tho' for the sake of making the complaint more explicit there will not be any impropriety in setting forth that it is a double Engine with a Rotative Motion - because these circumstances will shew the injury done is the greater. - But in principle these Circumstances make no Difference. The use of the Separate Condenser & Air Pump form the essential ground work of the Infringement.
            You may delay still the sending of the Affid[avi]t 'till I write to you again, as I intend to apply to B[oulton]&W[att] for explanation as to the History of this Engine, w[hi]ch I perceive from what you say is not new, but appears in this instance for the third time, with the addition of a Rotative Motion.
                                                            I am, Sir, y[ou]r most ob[edien]t S[ervan]t
                                                                        Ambrose Weston.
Fenchurch Street
            6 Feb[ruar]y 1798.

PS. The Injunction against Hornblower & Maberly was obtained upon an affidavit made by Mr. Watt & Mr. Southern, That the Engines built by Hornblower for Maberly were erected upon the same plan & principles as Bull's Engine at Balcoath Mine. And yet no two Engines could be so unlike in form as Hornblowers to & Bull's.
            It is the application of the method of saving Steam & Fuel invented by Mr. Watt which is alone material. And it does signify how varied & disguised in form. The knowledge of this fact should be universally diffused - & the want of it's being clearly understood has caused B&W all the plague they have met with.
                                                                                                AW.''

 

 

AD1583/10/13
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding the history of the engine re-erecting at United Mines
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
7 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            A: Weston 7th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

Mr. Thomas Wilson.
            Sir,

            I have not yet got either from Boulton & Watt or yourself what I most of all want which is to know whether when the Engine now re-erecting upon United Mines - was first built upon the Mine called Crane any Licence was granted by B[oulton]&W[att] or by you as their Agent by virtue of w[hi]ch the Adventurers in that (Crane) Mine obtained a Right to transfer the Engine from place to place at their pleasure. I know that such a Grant of Liberty to remove the Engine without further Consent is very unlikely, as such an unrestrained Right of Removal has never been granted, I believe, in any instances, & I believe I may say certainly was never granted in Cornwall.
            Your History of the Engine is by no means a detailed one nor sufficient for my purpose. I want to be informed what agreement was made & what licence granted on occasion of the first erection at Crane Mine - what premium was to be paid and whether any & what right of removal was granted; - what new agreement was made on the successive removals to Chasewater & Wheel Carpenter.
            In regard to the latter, Wheel Carpenter, I observe the Adv[enture]rs in that mine were to pay 3 Guineas p[er] month - and I conclude that this was by virtue of a new agreement & not a continuance merely of the same payment p[er] month as had been agreed upon in respect to Crane & Chasewater.
            You will understand from what I have said that the object I have in view is to ascertain this point - that the Adventurers in United Mines have no Right to erect the engine in question upon their Mine - without first obtaining Messrs Boulton & Watt's consent, in this instance, in like manner as it was obtained by the Adv[enture]rs in Chasewater & Wheel Carpenter upon the removals to their respective Mines.
            It is upon the footing of no such Right having been granted that the injunction is to be obtained - & tho' it is a manner self-evident from common sense that no such right in fact exists, I am desirous of exploring the history of the Engine to the bottom in order that our Affi[davit]s may be precise & correct.
                        I cannot possibly treat with
Franco.

            I am Sir y[ou]r most ob[edien]t h[um]ble S[ervan]t
                                                                                    A Weston.

My Compl[imen]ts to Mr Southerne if he is with you.
            I presume Nothing has been said or done by yourself or Mr. Murdock w[hi]ch can be called connivance at or Consent to the proceedings of United Mines in this Case.''

 

 

AD1583/10/14
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding United Mines engine
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
8 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Mr. J: Watt Jun[io]r 8th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr Wilson
        Truro

                                                                                                Soho 8th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Dear Sir
            We have your favours of the 1st 3rd & 4th Feb[ruar]y to which we have little to reply. -
            As you have often sworn that Bulls Engines are the same as ours, you need not be scrupulous at swearing that ours are the same as his, meaning the same in principle. We have sent Mr. Weston at his own desire, a statement of all we know of the History of the Engine now building on United Mines. It would be as well if you were also to send him a detailed history of it, least we may have fallen into errors. We suppose it will be material to state the particulars of the Agreement between us & Wh[ea]l Carpenter, whether verbal or in writing, & also what you know of the purchase by United Mines.
            Upon the other subjects of your letter we shall write tomorrow, meantime   remain   Dear Sir
                                                                                    Yours sincerely
                                                                                            for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/15
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding various matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
12 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 12th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:      Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                                Soho 12 Feb[ruar]y 1798
Dear Sir

            In consequence of the apprehensions stated by you in your favour of the 7th Inst[an]t as being entertained by Murdock, we have judged it expedient to dispatch Mr. Lawson to procure the necessary evidence and take the Oaths in his stead. He is furnished with Notes by us of what is to be done, and you of course will put him in the shortest way of getting through with his business, as he must be at Norwich on the 23rd Inst[an]t to inspect another Piracy. -
            I omitted in a former letter answering that part of your letter wherein you mention Mr. Murdock's wish to have his Account settled from Midsummer to Xmas at the rate agreed upon. We have not the smallest objection & beg you will do it in future as a matter of course, sending us statement of particulars when settled.
            The India Bills were received & are at your Credit. I have no time to say more & remain Dear Sir                    Yours sincerely
                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r

                        T[urn].O[ver].

P.S.            If you have not yet done it; do not fail to send Mr. Weston by Lawson a history of Wh[ea]l Carpenter Engine from the beginning and a statement of all the various Agreements entered into, particularly of the last one with Wh[ea]l Carpenter. send him a Copy of the licence or Agreement. He wants to know whether the Adv[enture]'rs in United Mines have any ground for alledging that we have granted a general licence for the use of this Engine by any persons to whose hands it may be transferred.
            Send also a history of the Engine built by Bull & Murdock at Pednandrea. Was it the first Engine at Poldice? or was there any Agreement for it & what? State all you know about it. -''

 

 

AD1583/10/16
Letter, Watt to
Wilson regarding Gregory Watt's recent accident
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
12 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 12th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho Feb[ruar]y 12th 1798
Mr Wilson /
            Dear Sir
            I have received your long letter which I intended to have answered to day but find I have not time & am going from home to morrow for a day or two - The letter is in general satisfactory. I thank you sincerely for your care of Gregory, but would have been more obliged to you had you wrote to me as soon as heard of the accident, I should have been easier in my mind than I was, for I suspected the real fact or something worse, concealments occasion distrust on other similar occasions, & I beg there may be no more of them & that you will always let me know the worst, particularly at present inform me whether you understand he has been hurt any where else or has any cough or pain in his side or breast - I have thought much on Tom's case but can at present advise nothing else but a sea voyage if his medical advisers see no harm in it. A sail of a few hours could easily be tried & observations made on the consequences, on this subject I shall write more fully, mean while with comp[limen]ts to Mrs Wilson & family            I remain
                                                                        Dear Sir
                                                                                    Yours Sincerely
                                                                                         James Watt''

 

 

AD1583/10/17
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding charges for double engines, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
16 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 16th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson

                                                                                    Soho 16 Feb[ruar]y 1798
Dear Sir
            Please tell Mr. Lawson, if still with you that Mr. Weston has nothing to add to the Instructions of which he is already in possession. -
            The inclosed you will have the goodness to read & forward to Gregory.
            We by no means approve of your reasons for lessening the sum for Double Working at Trescaw. It stands to reason that in every case where a double power is at the disposal of the Adv[enture]'rs, they should pay double, and you will in future take this mistake entirely upon your own shoulders, as we do not in any shape approve of it.
                                                I remain     Dear Sir
                                                            Yours &c
                                                                  J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/18
Letter, Watt to
Wilson regarding Thomas Wilson junior's illness, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
17 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 17th Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Heathfield Feb[ruar]y 17th 1798
Mr Wilson /
            Dear Sir
            In answer to yours of the 6th, I think your letter to Mr Townend an exceedingly proper one, only you need not have mentioned your tears, T. is not a man to be moved by them he is more firm, I expected to have heard from him but there has been no letter & I think we shall not write to him, till the time of payment approaches, if it shall be at all thought necessary.
            I think you should send B[oulton]&W[att] your bond for the ballance either payable by installments, or general as may suit you this will make matters clear & prevent future uneasiness to both parties. I do not admire the comp[an]ys generosity, but much was not to be expected from them, they probably argued that they had been of use to you as well as you had been to them, & every body is most convinced by the arguments on their own side of the question.
            Had you reposed confidence in us sooner, the disagreable altercation between you & us would have been totaly avoided, for we certainly were & are your friends as much as any body could be, but we thought you used us ill & could not help blaming your conduct in that affair. However the affair is over & I am not disposed to open it again. I hope the whole will be for your good in the end, & nothing is more pleasant than the getting quit of embarrassments however disagreable the means may be & I expect & pray you may soon have that satisfaction.
            I am sorry you were so unfortunate with your summer drinks, but the demand which caused the accident ought to afford you satisfaction & I hope will repay you soon, a good cellar & I believe large casks are absolutely necessary in that business.
            I feel myself much obliged to you for your kind attentions to Gregory, which I hope you will continue & give him as much business as he can do, while he stays with you, he seems to take pleasure in attending the mines which is well. I say no more to you on his accident but hope that whatever may happen to him in future you will write to me immediately.
            I am much concerned to see your accounts of Tom. In addition to the trial of a sea voyage which I recommended the only other thing I can think of is breathingoxygene air, provided he has no inflammatory symptoms. He should begin with a dose of one pint of oxygene mixed with 20 or 30 pints of common air taken twice a day, if this quantity produces no bad symptoms, the dose may be encreased to a quart of oxygene & 20 quarts common air twice a day, & if that produces no sensible effect he may take 3 of these doses daily.
            As his disease seems to lie principaly in his bowels it has occurred to me, that injections of oxygene air may be of use by stimulating them to action, the air should be retained some time in the bowels that it may have time to take effect. I believe no other air has been given in this way except fixed air, which is said to have had very good effects in fever, I should however not be afraid of any bad effects from oxygene provided there exists no inflammation of any of the viscera & if there is any suspicion of such a cause of his complaint I would try Hydrocarbonate air as an injection, which might probably remove it. I should not have proposed the injections of these airs, had any of the remedies he has taken seemed to reach the cause of his complaint, but as that is not the case, any thing should be tried which has a chance of succeeding.
            With best wishes to Mrs Wilson & family in which Mrs W. joins            I remain
                                                                        Dear Sir
                                                                                    Your's sincerely
                                                                                                James Watt

P.S. We have received your favour of the 15th Inst[an]t and one from Mr. Tremayne  of the same date, announcing the Proposal of Poldice Adventurers to which we of course accede, and you may settle the Account with the Purser at the stipulated rate of 50 Guineas per Month. When this is done we shall transmit our Instructions concerning Wh[ea]l Unity, of which, at present, you may say you are  uninformed. My father has received yours of the 16th Instant -''

[the handwriting of the postscript is that of James Watt junior]

 

 

AD1583/10/19
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Pednandrea, Maberley's Writ of Error, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
22 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 22nd Feb[ruar]y 1798
Addressed to:            Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
     Truro
                                                                                    Soho 22 Feb[ruar]y 1798
Dear Sir

             We have yours of the 18th to which have nothing to reply, Pednandrea affair being now in a course of working. Lawson writes from Exeter on the 20th Ins[tan]t whence, we infer he has reached town ere this. -
            Please to say what are the points we have left unanswered, to which you allude; upon a re-inspection of your late correspondence, I find nothing that has been neglected.
            Maberley, if he chose to indulge his Cornish Friends with a peep behind the Curtain, could assign better reasons for the procrastination. It lies entirely with him; & it is not in our power to accelerate his writ of Error, which he has not yet applied for. -
                        I remain     Dear Sir
                                                Yours sincerely
                                                            J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/20
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Murdock's being needed at Soho, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
27 Feb 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 27th Feb[ruar]y1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho 27 Feb[ruar]y 1798
Mr. Wilson
        Truro

Dear Sir
            The present is merely to acknowlege receipt of your favour of 23rd Inst[an]t covering your Bond for Fifteen Hundred Pounds. -
            Upon the other parts of your letter, my father will write at his first leisure being at present much engaged. -
            Lawson was obliged to set out for Norwich immediately upon his arrival in town, but is probably by this time returned & has compleated his business.
We wish you to spirit up Murdock to use every exertion to get here as soon as he can, for we are now very anxious to have our large boring rod at work, which need not detain him long. -
                                                We remain respectfully
                                                   D[ea]r Sir
                                                                                    Your ob[edien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]ts
                                                                                         for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/21
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson acknowledging receipt of remittance from Poldice
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
2 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 2nd March 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho 2 March 1798
Mr. Wilson
       Truro
Dear Sir
            I write solely to acknowledge receipt of your favour of 26th Ult[im]o covering remittance of £719. 12 [shillings]. 3 [pence] from Poldice, which is at your credit. We shall thank you for a particular statement of the Account as now closed. - In a few days you shall have our determination about Wheel Unity.            I am            Dear Sir
                                                                                       sincerely yours
                                                                                       for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/22
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding Mr Wilson's share dividend
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
5 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 5th March 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho March 5th 1798
Mr Thomas Wilson
            Dear Sir
            By this day's mail we were favored with a letter from Geo[rge] Townend Esq[ui]r[e] of York inclosing Garforth & Co[mpany]'s Draft value four hundred & seven pounds eight Shillings & 6d [pence] being he writes ''for a dividend of £100 p[e]r Share on your four Shares in Messrs Fenton & the Yorkshire Copper Comp[an]y & 65 days In[teres]t thereof & for £3. 17. 6 more paid by you for the Company'' - The reciept of said Remittance has been acknowledged to Mr Townend & its am[oun]t carried to your Credit in liquidation of your Acceptance transmitted herewith & seven pounds 8/- [shillings] 6 [pence] additional -
Beging the favor of your advice when the present comes to hand.
                        We remain very respectfully
                                                D[ea]r Sir
                                                Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Serv[an]ts
                                                            Boulton & Watt''

 

 

AD1583/10/23
Letter,
Trevithick to Wilson enclosing bills
Item
1 small sheet
Manuscript
8 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            R[ichar]d Trevithick 8th Mar[ch] 1798

                                                ''Redruth March 8th 1798
Sir /
            Enclosd you have two Bills Am[oun]t £30

D[itt]o - [£]13. 12 [shillings]. 8 [pence] not having Bills for the exact Sum agreed on, but will Settle in a future payment.

                                                I am Sir your very H[um]ble S[ervan]t
                                                Rich[ar]d Trevithick''

 

 

AD1583/10/24
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson enclosing copy of letter to Reverend Tremayne

Item
1 folio
Manuscript
8 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 8th March 1798

Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho 9th March 1798
Mr. Wilson
    Truro

Dear Sir
            On the other side you have copy of a letter from us to Mr. Tremayne, containing our determination to put Wh[ea]l Unity upon two thirds of the full premium for a double 58. If you learn that this meets with his approbation and is likely to be carried, you will see that a proper entry is made upon the books according to the formula in your possession and get it signed by as many of the Adv[enture]rs as are present. -
            We shall not depart from this claim if therefore any opposition is made, you will say, that our proposal, if not accepted, will be considered as null by us.
            We are very sincerely
                                                Dear Sir
                                                                        Your ob[edien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]ts
                                                                             for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                  Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r

                                                                        Copy

The Rev[eren]d Mr. Tremayne
                                                                                                Soho 8 March 1798
Dear Sir
            We beg leave to express our grateful acknowledgem[en]t to you and our other friends for the trouble you have so obligingly undertaken in bringing our claims upon Poldice to a final settlement.
            After so recent a proof of your kind attention to us, we feel much regret that the particularity of our situation should oblige us to withold our assent to a proposal coming from you; but we are persuaded you will give a favourable interpretation to our motives, when you weigh impartially all the circumstances of the case of Wh[ea]l Unity. The Adv[enture]rs in that mine, considered as a body, have certainly no claims upon our generosity either in regard of their past treatment of us, or of the present situation of the Mine. The motives which induced us to favour Poldice Adv[enture]'rs do not therefore here apply; and it was with a view of making what appeared to us a proper distinction between the two cases, that we have hitherto kept them separate, as you may have perceived by our correspondence with Mr. Vivian on that subject.
            If it were not for the sake of yourself, Mr. Vivian & a few others, we should not think ourselves justified in asking less than the full premium from Wh[ea]l Unity, but considering you as parties interested, we are willing to put this Mine upon the footing of the two thirds Premium, which is as great a concession as we ever made to any mine similarly situated. -
            We hope this will give you and our other friends satisfaction, in which case, we must beg the favour of you to get an entry made to that effect upon the Mine Books, which Mr. Wilson will sign on our behalf. -
                                                We are with great regard
                                                                        &c &c

                                                                                    B[oulton]&W[att]. -''

 

 

AD1583/10/25
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding amendments to the agreement with Richard Trevithick
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
22 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 22nd March 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                    Soho 22nd March 1798
Dear Sir
            We duly received your favour with Copy of the proposed Agreement with Trevithick, but have hitherto been prevented from delivering our sentiments upon it by more urgent business. - We wish you in the first place to substitute the title of ''Engineers'' in the Preamble in lieu of that of Esquires to which we have no pretensions.
Secondly, Instead of ''who are possessed of an exclusive privilege &c''. - read ''in whom the exclusive privilege of a method of saving steam & fuel in fire Engines is vested by Act of Parliament for a limited time''
Thirdly: towards the end of the Agreement, you make a covenant to allow Trevithick the liberty of working the Engine singly either on Dingdong Mine or any other Mine whatsoever to the end of our term. Now, we always reserved to ourselves the power of preventing him from erecting his Engines upon any Mines with which we were in dispute and we by no means intend to relinquish this reservation being fully aware of the bad consequences which must ensue to our Interests. We therefore desire the clause may be altered thus. ''It shall & may be lawfull unto & for the said R[ichard].T[revithick]. &c to use & work the said Steam Engine of 28 Inches Diameter in the Cylinder now working on Dingdong Mine aforesaid for so long as the said Engine shall continue to work single or by steam pressed on one side of the piston only , on the said Dingdong Mine, or on any other mine whatsoever: with the exception of such mines with which the said Boulton & Watt are now in litigation, or which have withheld the Premiums claimed by them'', &c as you have it. This is the idea which Mr. Warren will no doubt be able to express better. -
4. We wish also to have a proviso inserted at the end, that nothing herein said, is meant to refer to the double working of the said Engine and that in case of the said R.T. wishes to apply the steam to both sides of the Piston, another Agreem[en]t must be entered into. -

What you about Poldice is sufficiently satisfactory for the present. We think you should make no mention of our concession to Wh[ea]l Unity, until the affair has been brought forward by Mr. Tremayne. -
We are much concerned to hear of your indisposition, which we hope is by this time removed. - Pednandrea business comes on in Chancery this day and we trust will be favourable. -
            When you are perfectly recovered, we shall be glad to learn that you have concluded the affair of Entries in the Mine Books for the different Engines now erecting or erected. If a clause could be inserted in these entries to prevent the removal of the Engine without our permission it would give us pleasure. -
            Nothing further occurs at present but remain with best wishes in haste
                                    Dear Sir
                                                            Your ob[edien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]ts
                                                                        for Boulton & Watt

                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/26
Letter, Boulton to
Wilson introducing Mr Deriabin from Siberia
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
28 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Boulton March 28 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho March 28 - 1798
Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson
Dear Sir
             This letter will presented to you by my Friend Mr Deriabin a Gentleman of Letters from Siberia who has resided a few Months at Birmingham & is most particularly & justly recommended to me by the Ministers of the Emperor of Russia. Mr Deriabin means to make the tour of Great Britain in persuit of Knowledge particularly Minerology & Natural History as well as to see the most remarkable Mines of every kind.
I therefore most earnestly recommend Mr Deriabin to your favour & protection & beg you will point out to him every object in Cornwall worth his attention in the line of his persuit, & assist him by every means in your power in the accomplishing of his Views there being no danger of the Siberian Mines ever Clashing with the Cornish Mines.
I have given Mr D[eriabin]: letters to Mr P. Rashley [Rashleigh] Mr Edwards, Messrs Fox's & I also beg Mr Will[ia]m Murdock would accompany him into Polgooth & some other of the most interesting Mines.
I have been honourd with a letter under the hand of his Imperial Majesty, & I have been requested By his Britanick Majestys Ministers to shew all proper attention to the desires of the Emperor & I beg you will assist me in so doing.
Although Mr Deriabin is a Foreigner I know him to be a friend of this Country & I will be answerable for his Conduct in in every respect.
Every Civility shewn to Mr Deriabin I shall consider as conferd on
            Dear Sir
                        Your faithfull friend
                                    Matt[he]w Boulton''

 

 

AD1583/10/27
Letter, Watt junior to Wilson enclosing letter to Gregory Watt
Item
2 folios
Manuscript
28 Mar 1798

 

AD1583/10/27/1
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson requesting Herland account
Piece
1 folio
Manuscript
28 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 28th Mar[ch] 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho 28 March 1798
Mr. Wilson
            Truro

Dear Sir

             We learnt from Mr. Weston by the same post which brought us your favour of the 24th that he had stopped Jonathan Hornblowers progress for the present, and will oblige him to declare to the Attorney General what the nature of his Invention is. We need not add that if it clashes with ours, there will be an end of it altogether. -
            Before we make any reply to the application of Herland Adventurers, we desire to have a statement of our Account from the beginning with them. You will state the particulars of the sums given up by us, the amount of their present debt & what they are bound to pay in future.
            We perhaps might collect these particulars by reference to letters, but it would be a work of time and you probably have the facts present to your recollection.
            The inclosed please to forward immediately to Gregory.            I am   D[ea]r Sir

                                                                        Yours faithfully
                                                                                    for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/27/2
Letter,
Watt junior to G Watt regarding injunctions to be served on Carpenter and Franco
Piece
1 folio
Manuscript
28 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt Mar[ch] 28 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Gregory Watt

''Mr. Gregory Watt
            Truro
                                                                                    Soho 28 March 1798
Dear Gregory
            The Injunction against Carpenter is obtained, but the utmost secrecy is ordered by Mr. Weston until it can be drawn out & send down to be served, which will be in a day or two. For this reason I have not mentioned it in my letter to Mr. Wilson of this date, least it should somehow get wind. The object is to keep Mr. Carpenter unapprized lest he should secrete himself and render it difficult for him to be served. - You will therefore do well on receipt of this to go to Truro & wait there the arrival of the Injunction. You will then concert with Mr. Wilson the best means of securing the service of it, either by Mr. Warren, or any other person better adapted for the office. This done, you may apprize Murdock. Mr. Franco the rich Jew, will be served at the same time in London. You will keep spies upon the Engine & if it works after the service of the Injunction procure such evidence as can be made matter of Affidavit, upon which we can ground an application to Chancery to commit the body of Mr. Carpenter to his Majesty's prison of the Fleet by Attachment.
            But should Mr. Carpenter attempt the more prudent course of effecting a compromise, you & Mr. Wilson are hereby given positively to understand that we shall not now accede to the payment of even the full monthly premium, but that we must have the lump sum of £800 paid down. This you will insist upon in the first instance, but you have a latitude given you to accept of it in Instalments bearing Interest, Mr. Carpenter & Mr. Franco entering into Bond for the same, or securing the payment by accepting bills or promissory Notes. - Carpenters bonds or Notes we suppose are of themselves worth nothing, and if so the additional security of Franco, or some monied man among the Adventurers must be had. The Instalments to be all made payable in one twelvemonth at farthest. Upon receipt of such bonds, bills or Notes, we shall grant a licence in due form.
                        I am   D[ea]r Gregory
                                                            Yours affectionatly

                                                                        J Watt Jun[io]r

P.S. I have given a letter of Introduction to you to Mr. Deriabin a Russian Gentleman sent over by the Emperor to superintend a Mint now preparing by Mr. Boulton for him. He is a scholar of the celebrated Werner and a very able Mineralogist as well as an agreable man. You will do well to cultivate his acquaintance.
            My father gets better though slowly. Tell Murdock he must positively be here by the middle of April & get him to fix it so.''

 

 

AD1583/10/28
Letter,
Watt junior to G Watt regarding Pednandrea mine, Redruth
Item
1 sheet
Manuscript
29 Mar 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt Mar[ch] 29 1798

                                                                                    ''Soho 29 March 1798
Dear Gregory
            In addition to the Instructions conveyed in my letter of Yesterday respecting Penandrea, you will observe that the repayment of all our law expences incurred on this occasion must be stipulated for & even made a sine qua non of the Agreement, such Expences not to be taxed, but to be taken as between Attorney & Client according to our actual disbursements. -
            We wish you to take an early opportunity of seeing R. Mitchell & learning from him what progress is making in the large Engine for United Mines, whether the Castings are ordered & where? - We do not proceed in that business until it is become a little riper, but we wish to be kept informed of what is going on.
                        I remain                        Dear Gregory
                                                Yours affectionately
                                                            J Watt Jun[io]r

My father continues mending''

 

 

AD1583/10/29
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding payments due from the Herland Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript

13 Apr 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 13th Ap[ri]l 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                                Soho 13 April 1798
Dear Sir
            Annexed you have Copy of a letter to Mr. Carne sent by this post. - We shall not grant any concessions until the Arrears are paid up, as they appear to make a practice of letting the Premium accumulate for the express purpose of begging it off. Requests for Abatements to B[oulton]&W[att] were always founded in Injustice and in my opinion always granted with impolicy. - As the term draws nearer to a conclusion, the impolicy of granting them diminishes, but the Injustice of asking pecuniary concessions increases. The Lords may very well afford to give up their dues for 18 Months from the prospect of future advantage; they know if they did not give up a part, the whole would be lost until another set of Adventurers could be found to take up the Mine. That is not our Case, if the Engines stopped there; they would work somewhere else and the whole of our Interest in the prosperity of the Mine does not amount to more than a couple of Years, after which (as they very well know) they will be freed entirely from the charge of Premium. We think it is highly unfair to ask of us to give up so large a part as a fourth of our future Interest and from a consideration of all the circumstances we are not disposed to concede more than three Months Premium, unless a proposition were made for the payment of the remainder in a lump sum now. We have no objections to your stating these to Carne as being our Sentiments, but the payment of all arrears must precede any Concession.
            We must beg of you to get the Agreem[en]ts for Prince William Henry & Wh[ea]l Jewel West immediately entered upon the Mine Books. We are not willing that Murdock should proceed with either until that is done. We have recommended the Wh[ea]l Fortune Adv[enture]'rs to Messrs Weston, from whom you will probably hear shortly. - The Wh[ea]l Abram Agreement should also be entered into the Books without farther delay & payment be procured upon it up to this time. Mr. Kevill will certainly not object. -
                        I remain    Dear Sir
                                                Your ob[edien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]t
                                                            for B&W
                                                                        J Watt Jun[io]r

P.S. upon farther consideration I inclose the letter to Carne. If the word ''repeatedly'' in the second line is wrong, please to strike it out before you send the letter.

                                                                        Copy
Mr. Carne                                                                                                Soho 13 April 1798

            Sir
            From the great Concessions we have repeatedly made to the Herland Mine, both you & the Adv[enture]rs must be fully convinced of our disposition to befriend them. - When we made the last very considerable allowance, we flattered ourselves that we had satisfied your wishes, and that considering the short duration of our unexpired term, nothing farther could with Justice be expected from us or would be asked. - We however notice with regret that the Payments have not been made to us as then stipulated and that nearly £600 is at this moment due. - Previous to making any farther concessions, we shall certainly expect the Accounts to be ballanced up to the end of the present Month, and we shall communicate to Mr. Wilson our Instructions in what way he is to act when that is done. -
                                                We are respectfully
                                                            &c &c
                                                                        for B&W
                                                                                    J W Jun[io]r.''

 

 

AD1583/10/30
Letter, M R Boulton and Watt junior to
Wilson regarding draft from Garforth & Co
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
18 Apr 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 18th Ap[ri]l 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr T Wilson
                                                                                    Soho April 18 1798
      D[ea]r Sir
            We have been favored with a letter from Mr Townend of which you have a copy annexed - Its contents viz Garforth & Co[mpany]'s draft value four hundred & five pounds fourteen Shillings have been duly passed to your credit & the receipt of it acknowledged to Mr Townend -
We remain
                        Dear Sir
                                                Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Serv[an]t
                                                               for Boulton & Watt
                                                        M: Rob[inso]n Boulton

                                                                         (Copy)
D[ea]r Sirs
            Inclosed you will receive Garforth & Co's Draft, value four hundred & five pounds 14/- [shillings], for a further Dividend of one hundred pounds p[e]r Share on Mr Thom[a]s Wilson's four Shares in the Yorkshire Copper Comp[an]y & one hundred & four Days In[teres]t thereon which you will please to place to his Acc[oun]t & advise him there of -
                                                Signed Geo[rge] Townend
                                                            York 11th April 1798

P.S. Please to draw out a continuation of the Statement sent in 1794 of the History of the Cornish Engines. I will thank you to bring it down to the present time. You need not copy over again what was formerly written.
                                                                                                            J W Jun[io]r.''

 

 

AD1583/10/31
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson enclosing letter to Wheal Fortune Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
27 Apr 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt April 27th 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
                                                                                    Soho 27 April 1798
Dear Sir
            We are instructed by Mr. Weston to write the inclosed letter to the Adv[enture]'rs in Wh[ea]l Fortune. You will have the goodness to let it be delivered into the hands of Cap[tai]n Cornish by some person who can attest the delivery. -
A Bill is prepared in Chancery against them & their answer to this letter, or their neglect of answering it, is all that is wanting to compleat the measure of their iniquity. -
                        I am            truly
                                                Dear Sir
                                                            Yours faithfully

                                                                        J Watt Jun[io]r.''

 

 

AD1583/10/32
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Herland, and other mines
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
27 Apr 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 27th Ap[ri]l 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                                Soho 27 April 1798
Dear Sir
             After the fullest consideration of the Herland affair, it appears to us that we ought not to concede the three months without a certainty of payment of the arrears now due, as past experience shews pretty strongly that concessions made by us have no tendency to promote punctuality. However, we shall be satisfied with Mr. Carnes Bond or Bill payable the 1st of August for the arrears due to the end beginning of May and on such, or other equivalent security being given to you, we agree to give up our dues during the Months of May, June & July. -
            We wish either you or Gregory to wait upon Mr. Kevill Sen[io]r or Jun[io]r & to press the entry of an Agreement upon the Mine books and also to urge payment of what is due. It must be stated to them that in making a reduction of 1/3 Premium in the first Instance, we meant to do away all the usual allowances for forking &c and that We hardly think it fair considering the shortness of our remaining term & the scanty pittance acruing to us, that any diminution should be asked. It certainly will not be granted, be the event what it will and we have a right after all this delay, to expect a speedy & a decisive answer.
            We are going to be very troublesome to some of your Cornish neighbours this term & they probably may yet live to ascertain the truth of the old adage, that honesty is the best policy.
            I presume you have received our letter acknowledging receipt of the money from Mr. Townend; indeed upon referring to your favour of the 23rd (which I had mislaid) I find you say so.
            You have not given the dates of removals & new erections so accurately as in your former list, this I shall be obliged to you to do, if you have the materials; Please also to send a compleat list of the Engines now working & of those lying idle & saleable. - We cannot find out what Engines have been taken for Wh[ea]l Jewel West & Prince W[illia]m Henry. Can you or Gregory procure us information of the progress making at United Mines. I have received G[regory]'s letter of the 18th Inst[an]t but he gives no information whether the castings are ordered and in what state of forwardness? - It is material that Mr. Weston should be written to upon this head. -
We must consider of some arrangement for John Lander, but would wish him to be kept employed in Cornwall until we can see Mr. Murdock & settle something decisive. -
            Please forward the inclosed with such extracts from this letter as you think proper. -
            My father recovers now very rapidly from his accident, which has been a very unpleasant one. We shall be happy to hear a good Account of your own health and of Toms, to whom & to the remaining branches of your family, the writer begs to be particularly remembered. - Being faithfully
                                                            Yours
                                                                        J Watt Jun[io]r.''

 

 

AD1583/10/33
Letter, Boulton to
Wilson regarding recent business
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
28 Apr 1798

Endorsed:            Math[e]w Boulton 28th Ap[ri]l 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''London 28 April 1798
Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson
            Dear Sir
             Be assured my long silence arises from no other Cause than from the impossibility of doing all those things which I have undertaken to do & from the want of two heads & 2 pair of hands. If it will be any consolation to you I can with truth assure you that the state of my correspondence with all those friends, to whom I write with my own hands, is exactly similar with yours, & even the Ladies complain of me: but tis better to neglect words than things. I am now engaged in the Service of three Crown heads as well as enlisted in 2 Corps of Cavalry & one of Infantry. I am also Erecting a superb Mint at St. Petersburg upon my own Plan which Covers near 2 Acres of Ground & requires (particularly the internal part of it) much midnight oyl as all is totaly new - I am now summonsd to Town by our Privy Council to assist them in a Reform in the English Mint which will confine me here about 8 days longer but we can never make it equal to the Russ Mint, the plan of which has been layd before ye P[riv]y Council & Expl[ain]d.
I have taken the liberty of giving a letter of recommendation & introduction to my Friend Mr Deriabin whom I expect will present it to you in few days. This Gent[lema]n is a Native of Siberia & extreamly well informd in Mines & Minerology & is sent by the Emperor to transact some business with me; as well as to make a tour through great Britain, as he has already done through the most remarkable Mineral Countries of Europe, & as I will answer for his not takeing away any of the Cornish Mines, I hope my Friends will not obstruct his pleasure in seeing them, & I will thank you & W[illia]m Murdock to direct & assist him in obtaining the inspection of some of the most important. If he should want any money I beg you will furnish him under my Guarantee -
            I hope your Son Will[ia]m goes on as much to your satisfaction in Cornwall as he did to mine at Soho. Give him work enough, keep him constantly employd, & he will do well: but I fear he scarcely took time enough in London to gain all the necessary knowledge & Experience to be the Prime Conductor of a Brewery: at present, however, I hope he gaind knowledge sufficient to improve your Brewery, & make it profitable to you & himself.
            In regard to your transactions with Mrs. Matthews you would not wonder at my Silence if you were acquainted with sundry other circumstances of a similar nature that have occurd to me in the Cource of the present year all which have arisen from Friendly & not Commercial motives, such as
Holbrook desired to draw in that way for 200£ but it soon encreased to 3 & then to 4 to 5 to 6 & even to double that sum & there I put a dead Stop 1200£.
Jac & Eginton whom I have done many kind things for begd an indulgence to the extent of 300 but they crope on to 900 & then one dyed & the other became Bankrupt 900[£].
Chipindale, whom you know, insensebly got into his hands our Money & then Stopt & cannot pay 5 p[e]r Cent 2000[£].
a Mr Gray in London an old fr[ien]d & Correspondent has made a dead stop & will not pay 2/[shillings] 6 [pence] in ye £ owing to me 800[£].
One of my oldest friends at Amsterdam has had such a fraternal Squeese by the french that he, within ye Past Month, is gone - 750[£].
As I have lost all my Continental Trade except at Hamburgh I have lately done much there but my Agent advises that it is now on a very precarious footing -
Although I could not bring my self to say no to you, yet from such a train of discouraging circumstances you will not wonder that I was backward in saying yes & more particularly so when you take into consideration the very precarious state of the Kingdome & even of the Bank & all other property. I therefore beg you will not extend an Acc[oun]t that is in itself ruinous, but on the Contrary I hope you will adopt such plans as will enable you to annihilate it in a short time, for the sake of your own peace as well as mine & Mrs. M[atthe]ws for she doth not like it. -
I observe by the Tickiting papers that the Standard price of Copper has lately risen which I presume is in some degree owing to the Mines being obstructed by the Winter Water & if that is ye sole cause I presume the price will now lower again pray what is your opineon.
I shall be happy to hear that Mrs. Wilson is in good health that Tom is recoverd & beg you will remember me kindly to W[illia]m & all your family remaining ever
                        Dear Sir
                                    Your faithfull friend
                                                Matt[he]w Boulton

present my Love to Gregory & assure him I am happy to learn he is so perfectly well''

 

 

AD1583/10/34
Account of Boulton & Watt engines working in
Cornwall
Item
1 large folio
Manuscript
3 May 1798

Endorsed:            Acc[oun]t of B[oulton]&W[att]s Engines working in Cornwall 1798

                                                                                    ''Truro May 3rd 1798
Messrs Boulton & Watt
            Gentlemen /            Above you have Mr. Murdocks A[ccoun]t C[redi]t which he has furnished me with this day, which you will be pleased to say whether I am to settle with him, he desires me to say that he waits your further orders whether he is to come to Soho; as he is apprehensive if he does, the Adv[enture]rs of the Mines for whom he has Engines building & ordered, will employ Trevithick, particularly Wh[ea]l Jewel & Prince W[illia]m Henry or new Reskeare 37,16, Wh[ea]l Susan & removing Wh[ea]l Ramoth to Herland.
With Mr. Murdocks assistance you have the best Acc[oun]t we can give of your Engines in this County, numbered the same as in the former list -
No 1            Chacewater 30 inch stopt at Poldory in Dec[embe]r 1794, sold to Wh[ea]l Susan Adv[enture]rs to be built on that Mine near Godolphin -
2,            Ting Tang 52 in[ch] at Wh[ea]l Rose, Cy[linde]rs Piston &c remaining, I am commission'd by Mr W[illia]ms to say will be sold cheap -
3,            Kestal Adit 63, remains working on Wh[ea]l Rose -
4,            Chacewater 63, entirely annihilated -
5,            Hallamanin 40, this Engine stopt at Wh[ea]l Treasury in Dec[embe]r 1793, but was removed to another situation on the same Mine, & set to work in July 1795, where it continues workt.

6,            Wh[ea]l Chance 63, stopt at Polgooth in Oct[obe]r 1796, & one of 66 ordered for Poldice, now working in its place -
7,            Poldice 63 No.1 stopt in Agust 1795, sold to Wh[ea]l Treasure and went to work on Bull's plan about the 18th of April last -
8,            Poldice 63 No.2 sold to Penandrea, set to work Oct[obe]r 1797 -
9,            D[itt]o 63 No.3 Cy[linde]r destroyed, a 64 new is working at Herland with part of the Materials of the old one -
10,          D[itt]o double 24 sold to Wh[ea]l Gorland, set to work March 1796 and still at work there -
11,          D[itt]o D[itt]o 58 working on Acc[oun]t of Wh[ea]l Unity, since Jan[uar]y 1797 -
12,          Ale & Cakes 58 working but about to be replaced by one of 64 inches -
13,          Poldory 48 stopt Dec[embe]r 1794, replaced by one of 60 inches formerly Pool, afterwards Chacewater, old 48 Cy[linde]r worn out -
14,          D[itt]o 45 working at Cupboard from its first erection -
15,          D[iyy]o 45 double working at Ale & Cakes D[itt]o -
16,          Tresavean 28 rebuilt & set to work on Wh[ea]l Peever Mine Xmas 1794, where it continues to work -
17,          Wh[ea]l Treasure 36 in[ch] working at Wh[ea]l Crenver, with 1 of 60 in[ches] in the same House -
18,          Dolcoath 63 continues working at Wh[ea]l Gons -
19,          Pool 60 working since Dec[embe]r 1794 at Poldory -
20,          Consol[idate]d Mines Elvan 58 stopt in Sept[embe]r 1797 -
21,          D[itt]o East 56, now fitting up to be removed to West Wh[ea]l Virgin -
22,          Wh[ea]l Maid East 58 removed to Wh[ea]l Virgin East in the place of the above 56, went to work in Sept[embe]r 1797 -
23,          Wh[ea]l Maid West 50, idle in the same house with the Elvan -
24,          West Wh[ea]l Virgin 52 working, but to be replaced by the east W[heal] V[irgin] 56 as above -
25,          Wh[ea]l Maid d[ou]ble 63 working -
26,          Wh[ea]l Virgin 20 double working at Wh[ea]l Jewel -
27,          Wh[ea]l Crenver 48 stopt at Godolphin Dec[embe]r 1794, & was set to work on Herland Mine in June 1795 where it still continues -
28,          Wh[ea]l Crenver 60 working in the same house with 36 W[heal] J[ewel].
29,          Trevaskus 45 stopt at Halebeagle Dec[embe]r 1796, removed to new Brigan & set to work there Dec[embe]r 1797 -
30,          Polgooth 58 Cockshead, used occasionaly -
31,          North Downs 45 double, Briggan working -
32,          D[itt]o 42 D[itt]o, Lemons Shaft D[itt]o -
33,          Wh[ea]l Maid 18 rotative sold to NA Co[mpany] & resold by them to Herland, set to work by them in May 1797 to draw Ores -
34,          Crane double 14¾ stopt at Wh[ea]l Carpenter in Dec[embe]r 1796, since sold to the United Mines & set to work in April last -
35,          Wh[ea]l Towan 18 d[ou]ble sold to Mr. Morris at Swansea -
36,          Wh[ea]l Mount 20 D[itt]o working at Beerferris since August 1797 for Mr. Crawshaw -
37,          Wh[ea]l Reeth 20 D[itt]o stopt at Wh[ea]l Jewel west in Jan[uar]y last and sold to Mr. Jno [John] Williams now laying idle on Wh[ea]l Jewel Mine in Gwenap -
38,          Prince George 20 D[itt]o working at Seal hole -
39,          Hallamanin 60 sold to Wh[ea]l Ramoth, & set there to work in Dec[embe]r 1796, stopt in Jan[uar]y 1790 sold to Herland Adv[enture]rs where it is now building -
40,          Wh[ea]l Butson 36 stopt at the Bog in May 1793, sold to Wh[ea]l Fortune and set to work in Nov[embe]r 1796, where it continues working -
41,          Herland 64 mentioned before, in the place of Poldice No 3 -
42,          Hewas 45 double stopt in Jan[uar]y 1798, rebuilt at Treskow and set to work the 21st April last -
43,          Cardrew Downs double stopt in March 1796 & remains on the Mine Idle -
T[homas]:W[ilson]: believes the above acc[oun]t is perfectly correct, the only Engines which are idle, are at the consolidated mines, & I could get no answer whether to be sold or not, Cardrew is intended to draw ore at North Downs, & the small engine from Wh[ea]l Jewel bought by J Williams is intended for the same purpose at Wh[ea]l Jewel in Gwenap, or North Downs -
44,          Cooks Kitchen 36 Inches set working May 1793.
45,          Halebeagle new 52 Double D[itt]o Dec[embe]r 1796''

 

 

AD1583/10/35
Letter,
Westons to Wilson regarding injunction against Wheal Fortune Adventurers
Item
 folio
Manuscript
5 May 1798

Endorsed:            A J & G Weston 5th May 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Thomas Wilson
                        Truro
Sir,
            We have received your letter of the 1st instant, & have had an opportunity of shewing it to Mr. Matt[he]w Robinson Boulton & Mr. Lawson & they have explained to me that what you call & describe as an Engine of 64 inches diameter upon United Mines is only a new Cylinder of that size intended to be applied to the old Engine & to replace the Cylinder of 58 inches which is worn out. Therefore, when this new Cylinder is made use of, the Engine will still be the same, with only an increase of power. I wish to know whether this is the true way of understanding the matter; - and whether you understand this increase of the power to be warranted by any agreement subsisting between Messrs Boulton & Watt & the Adventurers in the United Mines. - We conceive this increase of the power without a new Licence from B[oulton]&W[att] constitutes an infringement of the Patent as much as the using of the small Engine, which clearly is an infringement.
            We have prepared a Bill for an injunction against the Adventurers in Wheal Fortune Mine - and have it ready to be filed but we want to know the Names of the Def[endan]ts the Adventurers. At present we know only of Silvanus Jenkins & Mr. Edsell. The Christian name of the latter we are not acquainted with. -
            Therefore please to let us know as soon as you can the names of all the Adventurers in Wheal Fortune.
            We cannot get the order against the Penandrea Adventurers out of the office owing to the fault of the Register. He promises fair, but does not perform. From what we hear we are afraid the Engine, will stop of itself before we get the injunction.
                                                We are Sir
                                                            Your most obed[ien]t Serv[an]ts
                                                                        A J & G Weston.
Fenchurch Street
            5. May 1798.''

[the handwriting is that of Ambrose Weston]

 

 

AD1583/10/36
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding various matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
9 May 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 9th May 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho 9th May 1798
Mr. Wilson
    Truro

Dear Sir
            I have to acknowledge your favours of the 30th April, 1st & 3rd Inst[an]t which are partly answered by my letters to my Brother.
            Carne should be pressed for an Answer, as we positively will not give up the three months unless we have security for the Arrears. Inclosed an Account of £45. 9 [shillings] against Herland of which please procure payment. Also an Account against North Downs, particulars of which need not, I think, be delivered. You had best make the charge in one line ''for a set of nozzles compleatly fitted with D[ou]ble sets of Valves &c £92. 15 [shillings]. 8 [pence].'' -
            If Chasewater is erected at Wh[ea]l Susan, you must inform Mr. Williams that the 2/3 say £8. 6. 8 admits of no modifications nor deductions whatever. -
            I thank you for your list of Engines which appears correct. I only notice that you have omitted the time of erection of the new 52 D[ou]ble on North Downs. -
            I do not know any thing to say about the Wherry; I presume we shall gain something by the Ores and at all events have the satisfaction of plaguing our Brother Adv[enture]'rs & giving some mortification to our friend Jonathan. By the Newspapers I see that Parson Cartwright has taken out a Patent for an improvement on our Engines, by condensing in a separate vessel by the External application of cold Water to the Condenser. - Much good may it do him; he is in the high way to get acquainted with a Writ of scire facias.
            We wrote a letter t'other day under Cover to Gregory to be delivered to old Mr. Kevill, we rely upon that having been done, and if not done already should not be delayed. The inclosed is in answer to one from his Son. -
            As so much difficulty is likely to attend Murdocks leaving Cornwall at present, we must make up our minds to flounder on as well as we can until July; but for Gods sake, let us not be disappointed again. -
            We have this morning received a letter from Mr. Townend covering Garforth & Co[mpany]s D[ra]ft value £872. 5 [shillings]. - which he states as a final Dividend of all the Money received, - amounting to £214. 5. 0 per Share & 130 days Interest thereof, since the 28th Dec[embe]r last on your five shares in Fenton's & the Yorkshire Copper Company.
            We have passed this sum to your Credit and have advised him of the receipt. -
            Please to send us an Account of Pearson's time & exp[ence]s at Longmead & Co[mpany]s of Plymouth, as we wish to send in that Account. Please to note also any monies advanced to him by them. - Murdocks account appears right but I have not had time to examine it. -
                                    I am            D[ea]r Sir Yours faithfully
                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r.

P.S. Mr Townend says the Company have a Security for £200 in the Swansea Harbour, which is not yet saleable.

[marginal] I believe there are some acceptances of yours which should be transmitted but I do not know where they are & Mr B[oulton] Junior who has had the more immediate management of this business does not return home before the end of the week -

[here is given table of accounts for North Downs Adventurers, debtors to Boulton & Watt, and for Herland Adventurers, debtors to Boulton & Watt]

 

 

AD1583/10/37
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Maberley's Writ of Error
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
11 May 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 11th May 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho 11 May 1798
Mr. Wilson
       Truro

Dear Sir
            In your list of Engines, I perceive no mention of Cooks Kitchen. Please to fill up that deficiency. -
            You will much oblige us by making out lists of Hornblowers & Bulls Engines in the same manner. Great accuracy in point of Dates is not necessary, but the removals should be ascertained. -
            Maberley has at length reluctantly taken out his Writ of Error; by his dilatory proceedings, he appears to have been laying himself open to proposals from us, and most probably would rejoice at any Compromise which would save the paym[en]t of the Great Costs of the Action. But we have no intention of offering any such. -            We are respectfully
                                                            Dear Sir
                                                                        Your ob[edien]t h[um]ble Ser[van]ts
                                                                             for B[oulton]&W[att]
                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/38
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Herland and Wheal Fortune mines
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
12 May 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 12th May 1798 -
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
''Mr. Wilson
        Truro

                                                                                                Soho 12 May 1798

Dear Sir
            We have your favour of the 9 Inst[an]t covering India Bill for £400 from Carne on Account of Herland. In reply to his petition, you will please to observe to him that there is upwards of £200 still unpaid, some security for which, or the actual payment thereof, ought to precede the cessions of the three months according to what we have formerly said. - We have no doubt that £200 would be more pleasing to the Adv[enture]rs than £180 & if the Arrears now due are paid up in Cash, we are willing to gratify them, but not otherwise, nor do we indeed consider the three months as given up until the terms of our proposal are acceded to. -
            In respect to Wh[ea]l Fortune, you will please to see the entry properly made & a Copy of our letter inserted in the Mine Book; A Copy of the Resolutions to be delivered you, as before directed in other cases & all Arrears paid up. Payments in future to be Monthly, or at most quarterly at your convenience. -
            I have been fully explicit in my former letters with regard to the conduct to be pursued by ourselves, you & Murdock in all cases of applications for new Engines, or removals Viz that we will not stir a step in them until the Ag[reemen]t is entered upon the Mine Book. You may write or say to Mr. James, that such are our positive orders & decided determination in consequence of the treatment experienced at Wh[ea]l Fortune. Mr. Murdock will have the goodness not to give any drawings, nor be assisting in any way, until this necessary preliminary is settled. -                        I am with true regard
                                                                        Dear Sir
                                                                                    Yours Sincerely
                                                                                        f[o]r Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/39
Letters,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Herland engine, and other matters
Item
2 folios
Manuscript
7-22 May 1798

 

AD1583/10/39/1
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Herland engine
Piece
1 folio
Manuscript
22 May 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt May 22 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
        Truro
                                                                                                May 22 1798

Dear Sir
            We are favoured with yours of the 18th & Gregorys of the 12th & 17th Ins[tan]ts - We have also a letter from Carne accepting of our Terms for the little Engine on Herland, but desiring us not to furnish duplicate racks & valves for the nozzles & to deduct an allowance for them. When you see him, you will please to inform him, that we did not include duplicates in the Estimate, as he will see by referring to our Note of Particulars & consequently have no deduction to make for not sending them.
            Every thing at the Wherry reference appears to have been well managed and you are entitled to our best thanks for your exertions.
            If Franco wishes to settle for Pednandrea before the Law lays hold of him, he must make up his mind quickly; nothing short of the full Sum demanded for purchase of the Premium will be accepted. -
            Inclosed we return your Acceptance for £1300, being paid within a triffle.
            I am in much haste.
                                                                        Yours faithfully
                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/39/2
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding engine parts for the Herland Adventurers
Piece
1 folio
Manuscript
7 May 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 7 May 1798

''Boulton & Watt will undertake to furnish the Adv[enture]'rs in Herland Mine with the following Materials of an 18 Inch 4 feet stroke single Engine, delivered at Birmingham for the sum of £189 payable in 3 Mo[nth]s from the date of delivery. - viz,
1. Cylinder, its Top & plate; its Bottom, Gland, Brasses, screws &c compleat. -
2. Piston, its Cover & Spanners, Piston Rod, Cap & Cutters.
3. Air Pump; its Bucket & top & bottom Valves compleat Air pump bucket rod with Cap & Bracket.
4. Perpendicular steam pipe & eduction pipe.
5. Nozzles compleatly fitted & Working Gear.
6. Condenser Vessel with Blow pipe & Blowing Valve, Injection Cock, rod handle & Index.
7. Steam Case & Screws.
8. Barometer Pipe, Cock & scale & Steam Gage. -

            Soho 7 May 1798. -                         for Boulton & Watt
                                                                        Ja[me]s Watt Jun[io]r.''

 

 

AD1583/10/40
Letter, Watt junior to
Wilson regarding, Charles Wilson, also New Roskear agreement
Item
 folio
Manuscript
24 May 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt May 24 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
        Truro
                                                                                    Soho 24th May 1798
Dear Sir
             We have received your favour of the 20th covering the New Reskear Agreement, which appears right, and the Nozzles will immediately be put in hand. If they wanted to have had them sooner, they should have got this business over at an earlier date & not have delayed ordering the Nozzles until the other Castings were ready. They cannot suppose that we shall let our other business stand in order to accommodate them. -
            The anxiety you express to have your son Charles placed under us, renders it impossible for us to refuse compliance, although we do not feel ourselves well calculated to restrain the sallies of Youth and perhaps our situation upon the whole is not the best adapted for that purpose. But what we can do, we will. We have not yet determined in what situation to place him; that must be an after consideration, as well as the Salary to be allowed him. - It will be proper you should impress him with the idea of this being a place of work & not of idleness or dissipation, that we are naturally disposed to enforce application & regular attendance & that you have begged of us to be strict with regard to him. - We have no place in view to lodge him at present, but shall cause enquiry to be made. -
            You will please to settle Mr. Murdocks Account according to the ballance delivered in & believe me to be
                                                            Dear Sir
                                                                                    Yours sincerely
                                                                                          for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/41
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Wheal Susan, Wheal Fortune and Wheal Unity
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
26 May 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt May 26 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson, Truro
                                                                                    Soho 26 May 1798

D[ea]r Sir
            Yours covering Wh[ea]l Susan Ag[reemen]t and a remittance of £96 from Wh[ea]l Fortune is at hand. -
            The Wh[ea]l Susan Ag[reemen]t is probably sufficiently valid, but we should wish in future Erections where the Engine is not subject to previous Ag[reemen]t containing a Clause to prevent the Removal of it without the consent of B[oulton] & W[att], that a Clause to that purport should be inserted in the Entry on the Mine Book. Mr. Weston thinks this would be an additional security to ourselves. - When there is such a previous Ag[reemen]t it may be well to say, that in other respects (besides the Prem[ium]) the Engine remains subject to the conditions of such Ag[reemen]ts.
            Wh[ea]l Fortune Adv[enture]'rs have certainly complied with the Spirit, if not with the letter of our Demands. We have stated to Mr. Weston what has been done & if he is satisfied, we are so likewise. -
            It will give us pleasure to receive the arrears of Wh[ea]l Unity, but if accompanied with an Entry in the Book, they would be doubly welcome. -
            I set out tomorrow upon a Journey Northwards & am truly            Yours
                                                                                                     for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                            James Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/42
Letter, Tremayne to
Wilson regarding Wheal Unity and the Poldice Meeting
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
31 May 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Tremayne May 31st 1798
Addressed to:       To, Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, at Truro

                                                                                    ''Heligan 31st May 1798

Sir -
             I received your Letter and am sorry that my Endeavours to settle the Wh[ea]l Unity business sh[oul]d meet with such Opposition as I c[oul]d hardly expect. The Majority were certainly of my Opinion at our Poldice Meeting at Truro. I had replied to Mr. W[illia]m Pauls Letter giving me an acc[oun]t of the business, before I heard from you. I have desired from him an early Answer, having delayed my writing to Messrs Boulton & Watt - till I am better informed.
                        I am
                                    Sir
                                                Your most obed[ien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]t
                                                            H Hawkins Tremayne''

 

 

AD1583/10/43
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding injunctions against United Mines and Pednandrea
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
1 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt June 1st 1798
Addressed to:       Mr T Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho June 1st 1798
Mr T Wilson
            Dear Sir
                        Your letter & a transcript of the entry made in Wh[ea]l Fortune Books have been submitted to Mr Weston's consideration & you have below a copy of his observations thereon - You will please to furnish us with any particulars that may tend to satisfy his doubts upon this case.
            You will probably be in possession of the injunctions ag[ains]t United Mines & Penandrea before this reaches you. When R Mitchel is served you should take an opportunity of explaining to him that he has been included from friendly & not hostile motives - It will deprive the Adven[ture]rs of any pretext of ill will against him for refusing to finish the new Engine as his conduct will no longer be optional in this respect but regulated by higher Authority than Messrs Reed Daniel & Co[mpany]'s -
A letter from Messrs Foxes to the purport you intimated has been recieved, but they must surely entertain feeble expectations of our acceeding to terms which were refused before we were in possession of an injunction - our answer will be sent in a few days & a copy of it transmitted for your govern[men]t by the same post, in the interim let Mr Warren proceed to serve the injunction without any regard to this circumstance -
                        We remain
                                    Dear Sir
                                                Yours sincerely
                                                            Boulton & Watt

                                                Extract from Messrs Weston's letter
                                                                        May 29th 1798 -

            ''In any ordinary case I should think this payment & the entry made in the Mine Books sufficient to secure the payment of the future Monthly premiums, but you have had so many saucy tricks practiced upon you that I can hardly say that anything can make you secure except payment in a lump sum before hand - I do not think the delivery of the Minute signed would have much mended your situation if it had been obtained - Next to actual payment security by a bond or note for payment of a certain sum by installments would be desirable - in which way of paying allowance might be made for the probability of the Engines ceasing to work, which might I suppose be easily calculated now, the remainder of the term being so short as to admit of applying foresight to ye whole period yet to come - Mr Wilson must state how far he has bound you to grant a Licence to these adven[ture]rs - If it is promised either expressly or if the circumstances will warrant the inference that a licence was to be granted, I fear there is no Remedy but such as the sense of honour of the parties shall furnish - I am fearful the future payment will not be obtained in case Mr Wilson by accepting the arrears has bound you to an implied grant of a licence -''

[the handwriting is that of Matthew Robinson Boulton]

 

 

AD1583/10/44
Letter, G Watt to
Wilson regarding his plans to leave the county
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
6 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Greg[or]y Watt June 6 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro -

''Dear Sir
            Mr Deriabin does not mean to leave this Part of the county till the 25th. I have determined to give up all thoughts of going with him. I shall be at Truro on Saturday and Sunday and go early the ensuing week - Charles may therefore hold himself in readiness.
                        I am your obliged Humble Servant
                                                G Watt
Redruth June 6th 1798''

 

 

AD1583/10/45
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding injunctions against Pednandrea Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
10 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt June 10th 1798

Addressed to:       Mr T. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                                ''Soho June 10th 1798
Mr Wilson
            Dear Sir
             We notice from your favor of the 5th Ins[tan]t that R Mitchel is not included in the injunction transmitted by Messrs Westons. He has been unintentionally excluded from the company of the Adven[ture]rs & we have urgently requested them to rectify the mistake if it can be done without the time & trouble of obtaining a new order - We understand Mr Franco has been served with the injunction & was very indignant upon the occasion, we hope to learn from your next that his colleague Mr Carpenter has undergone a similar ceremony - They must now consider that they have to deal with the L[ord] Chancellor & that their contumacy will become the object of his animadversion. Their motions should therefore be carefuly watched & in the event of their manifesting a refractory disposition we shall take care to have them properly represented to the Chancellor, who will not be inclined to suffer his orders to be disregarded with impunity - We considered Messrs Foxes mediation in the same light you have represented it & our answer has been framed accordingly - a copy of it is annexed for your government in conversing with these Gentlemen upon this topic -
We are expecting Messrs Weston's reply to your observations upon the transactions at Wh[ea]l Fortune & if it contains any suggestions of moment they shall be transmitted -
            We observe your son's intention of forming a connexion with Mr Mudge of Truro - Influenced solely by a regard to his welfare & prosperity, in the event of it's being settled to your mutual satisfaction, the measure has our entire concurrence & we very sincerely wish our friend the success, his Industry & Assiduity so well deserve -
We hope also that the plan will be attended with every benefit to his health which can be expected or desired & remain
                                                            D[ea]r Sir
                                                                        Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Serv[an]ts
                                                                                    Boulton & Watt

P.S. You don't mention a syllable of the award in the case of the Wherry Mine - we are curious to learn the issue of the business -

Mr Boultons respects to Mr Wilson & begs to know if he has got an Assay made of the bit of Ore sent by Mr Deriaban & the result thereof as he has promised to inform Lord Dudass.
Mr B: is about agreeing w[i]th Messrs Fox's to take all their ♀ [the alchemical symbol for copper] at a certain rate above ye average Stand[ar]d of each Q[uarte]r & has proposed to leave it to Mr Wilson & Mr Christo to determine that Standard.

[this previous paragraph being written in the hand of Matthew Boulton]

                                                                         (Copy)
Messrs Foxes.                                                                                                Soho June 25th 1798
            Gentlemen
            It is very far from our inclination to impute your interposition to other than friendly motives, & in this view it will always ensure on our part due regard & respect. - Our little personal knowledge of Mr. Franco must both to you and him free our conduct from every imputation of a personal nature & prove that the measures we have pursued were solely necessitated by what we conceived a just regard to the protection of our property & the security of the right granted to us by the legislature of the country. - Concieving that the whole Circumstance of the case have not come to your knowledge we shall briefly relate the outlines of the Transaction - The first letter from Penandrea Adven[ture]rs was to say that unless we made considerable abatements from our monthly premium they should erect other Engines. - This declaration was followed by their erecting an Engine under the direction of Edw[ar]d Bull with various devices to evade our patent till at length failing wholly in their attempts they had recourse to the assistance of Mr Murdock who under a promise on their part to accede to our terms, extricated them from their difficulties by remedying the defects of the Engine - our demand with the reasons for stating it in the shape of a lump sum appears in the annexed copy of our letter to Mr. Carpenter.
            The Offer, notwithstanding the assurances given to Mr Murdock & Mr. Wilson was rejected & they have since persisted to use our invention in defiance of a formal notice to desist & in contempt of Mr Wilsons repeated intimations that the consequences must be an application for an injunction which upon the facts we have mentioned being stated to the L[or]d Chancellor was obtained and this mark of the Chancellors approbation of the measures pursued by us we cannot but regard as a confirmation of their equety -
            We must observe to you in confidence that there has been an evident want of candour in some persons concerned in the origin of this dispute & that a spirit far from conciliatory has been manifested in the course of the negotiation & which we fear is not likely to be influenced by - motion of Amity - Some of the parties have we understand been served with the injunction and in this stage of the business therefore we can only say that every attention shall be paid to your mediation which the future conduct of the principals & agents shall render possible -
            We remain very respectfully

                                                     Gent[leme]n y[ou]r &c
                                                                                       (signed) Boulton & Watt''

 

 

AD1583/10/46

Letter, Weston to Wilson regarding injunctions against the Pednandrea Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
13 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston June 13th 1798
Addressed to:            Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

Mr. Thomas Wilson                                                                        Fenchurch Street
                                                                                                      13 June 1798
Sir

The error in respect to sending the Writ to you; instead of Mr. Warren arose from the over great haste of a young gentleman in the office, who supposed I had written a letter to you about it - and my removal into the country for my health at that time occasioned the mistake not being corrected.
            In regard to what you suppose to have been an impudence in serving Mr. Franco first, I see nothing in that - for if the Law is to be total Defiance it may be done as well in the first instance as in the last. Supposing the injunction served, of what avail would that be if an attachment could not be executed, but at the peril of the officer's life?
            If you will send me the materials for an affidavit of the threats & declarations of resistance &c, I will find a way to come at Mr. Carpenter. Send me also if you please the names of the principle Engine men, & those concerned in working & repairing the engine - & you may be assured a remedy will not be wanting for the Evil you appear so much to dread.
                                    I am, Sir, Y[ou]r most obed[ien]t Serv[an]t
                                                            A. Weston.

[marginal] I hope you will be able to state circumstantially the threats - & the names of the persons who threaten to oppose the officers employed to serve the Writs.''

 

 

AD1583/10/47
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding injunctions against the Pednandrea Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
14 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston June 14 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Thomas Wilson

Sir,
            I wrote you yesterday to which I beg leave to refer. From what you say it is plain that Carpenter's design is to answer the bill, & then move to dissolve the injunctions. This is the regular course, and is no way injurious to us. The question will then come before the Court, and will be decided upon the merits, which is all we can desire.
            If he had been served with the injunction, & had immediately proceeded to put in an answer, I do not think his continuing the working of the engine till the Chancellor's pleasure could be known would have been considered as so heinous a contempt as to subject him to an attachment. Indeed he need not have been the acting party, for any other adventurer in the mine could have taken him upon the continuing the working of the engine; - I mean any adventurer not known to us at present & consequently not included in the injunction. Or Mr. Franco might have eluded the injunction if Carpenter had been first served.
            All this will end as it ought, if we have substantial grounds to go upon, which is not quite clear as you well know.

It ought to appear from Carpenter's answer whether Penrose is concerned in the mine or not. In the mean time, from your information it would be wrong to serve him with the injunction.
I wish it to be ascertained that threats &c are employed to prevent the service of the writ. Let the facts on that head be ascertained upon oath. Mr. Franco himself made a most improper declaration when he was served with the Injunction.
            I observe the United Mines adventurers are disposed to come into Terms. I rather think they only mean to gain time. I presume they are aware that the business is not ended in which we are engaged with Hornblower & Maberly, and they are probably looking to the issue of that business.
                                                            I am Sir
                                                                        Y[ou]r most obed[ien]t h[um]ble S[ervan]t
                                                                                    A Weston.
Fenchurch Street
            14. June 1798.

There is not any such place now as the St. Clements Coffee house to which you refer as the house which Carpenter is probably come to. That coffee house is pulled down in consequence of the improvements at Temple bar.''

 

 

AD1583/10/48
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding form of negociations for future erections
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
14 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt June 14th 1798
Addressed to:       Mr T. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                        ''Soho June 14th 1798
Mr Wilson
            Dear Sir

            Your favors of the 8th & 10th are at hand. The suggestions we have to offer in regard to Carpenter's refractory proceedings have been communicated to Mr Weston & we have therefore only to refer you to his instructions upon that point. Our present will be chiefly confined to the consideration of the case of United Mines - We beg in the first place to recall your attention our letter of the 2nd June of last year -
            You will see the settlement of the arrears there made a preliminary to any negotiation for future erections & to this principle we mean to adhere & as the overtures repeatedly made by us have never produced on their part the least indication of a conciliatory disposition we shall in the present instance follow in this respect a different line of conduct. If you are applied to by the Adven[ture]rs to make or convey proposals from them we beg you to inform them that you have none to offer from us till our former demands are settled & that you have our positive instructions not to recieve any verbal proposals or to convey any other than written ones authenticated by the agent or purser of the Mine - The necessity of this precaution must be obvious to you from the recent instances of retraction & prevarication in the case of Wh[ea]l Fortune & others - By entirely disregarding verbal agreements & offers our Cornish opponents have enjoyed great advantages in personal negotiation & sensible of their superiority in this respect, they have constantly avoided with the greatest caution committing themselves in black & white - Mr Daniel practiced this artifice in his treaty with you upon the Consols settlement & the same manœuvre has been successively attempted by Trevithick Carpenter & the rest of this honorable corps. Our situation however no longer requiring us to be the dupes of it we should be worthy of such a treatment if from our long experience we were not convinced of the necessity of guarding against it by requiring written attestations of their acceptances or rejections throughout the course of our negotiation - This plan we wish to be pursued in treating with the United Mines & your observance of it will materially oblige us -
            For our government you will please to furnish us with a copy of the last Acc[oun]t delivered to the United Mines, with a statement of our demands ag[ains]t them to this date made out upon the same footing - We much lament Mr Kevil's fate, honest Men are not so numerous but that his loss will be severely felt -
                        We remain
                        D[ea]r S[i]r            Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Ser[van]t
                                                            Boulton & Watt''

[the handwriting is that of Matthew Robinson Boulton]

 

 

AD1583/10/49
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding the employment of Mr Warren
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
17 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston June 17 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Dear Sir
            I duly received Mr. Gregory Watt's Letter & have this morning received your's of the 15th - I write this from Westminster Hall where I am attending in expectation of Maberly's writ of error being argued. Therefore I can only say that your communications are attended to. -
            We should never have employed Mr. Warren if Mr. Edwards would have done the business, in Boulton & Watt's concerns. Nothing but necessity obliged us to have recourse to Mr. Warren, whom we must say we have found very attentive & sufficiently intelligent.
                                                I am D[ea]r Sir, y[ou]rs sincerely
                                                                        A Weston.
                                                            Monday 17 June
                                                                                    1798''

 

 

AD1583/10/50
Letter,
Harris to Wilson regarding the Pednandrea dispute
Item
1 sheet
Manuscript
18 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Jno [John] Harris June 18 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro

''Sir,
            The Sum which you say Messrs Bolton & Watt expect to be paid by Pednandrea Adv[enture]rs is so large that Mr Carpenter declares he cannot consent to saddle himself & his Friends with it; he therefore intends to set off for London to morrow morning for the purpose of preparing his C[ounter?].fence & entertains no doubt of representing the Case so effectively to the Chancellor as to dissolve the Injunction -
            I am sorry an amicable Settlement cannot be effected, but at the same time must observe that I think Messrs B[oulton].&W[att]s were rather hasty in commencing their suit & that they are still unreasonable in expecting the Gent[leme]n concerned in this Mine to pay a gross Sum at all Events whether the Mine may answer or not which is contrary to their usual mode of dealing with the proprietors of other Mines.
                                                            I am            Sir
                                                                   Your obed[ien]t Ser[van]t
                                                                        John Harris
Falmouth
18th June 1798}''

 

 

AD1583/10/51
Letter, G Watt to
Wilson regarding Charles Wilson's employment, and various mines
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
19 Jun 1798
Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt June 19 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho June 19th 1798
Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson
                        Sir /
                                    Wh[eal] Abraham business must for the present be allowed to remain dormant. When Trevithick communicates to you the result of his application to the adventurers please to inform us.
Nothing farther can be done respecting Wh[eal] Unity untill Mr. Tremayne's answer to B[oulton]&W[att] letter is rec[eive]d.
Information must be obtained respecting the transactions at United Mines whether they have or have not discontinued the working the Whim & the erection of the new engine.
            It is also necessary that measures be taken for procuring evidence to the working of Pednandrea after the service of Carpenter in order to procure the attachment against him. What will afford matter for such an affidavit the Westons have been desired to inform you - If old Zackius Andrew has not yet been personally served you should obtain information from the Westons whether it is indispensibly requisite if so he must be served with another copy.
                        I remain
                                    yours obed[ien]t Servant
                                                            for B&W
                                                                        G Watt

[next page]

                                                                                                Soho June 19th 1798.
Dear Sir /
            Your son and myself arrived here safely yesterday morning - and had the pleasure of finding all friends in good health. Charles stood the Journey well and is in good spirits, His cough has rather abated & I hope will soon leave him entirely.
He will be stationed in Mr. Formans counting house at first - till he knows something of the nature of Business - We have found much difficulty in procuring him lodgings but have at length suceeded. Mr. Forman will accommodate him with lodging & Mr. Hodges will board him.
I have not yet made up the expence of the journey and therefore do not know how much you are indebt to me but will send word next time I write -
There is no news of importance Mr. M R Boulton proposes writing to you in a few days on business.
Please to remember me in the kindest manner to Mrs. Wilson Tom Peg & Mary & believe me your
                                    obliged & Humble Servant
                                                            G Watt”

 

 

AD1583/10/52
Letter, G Watt to
Wilson regarding Carpenter's going to London
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
21 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            G Watt June 21 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro. To be delivered To night -}

''Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson
            Dear Sir
            The bird is flown - Carpenter yesterday morning betook himself off in a chaise for London - Intelligence should be sent to Westons of this - I did not know it till late last night. All that can be done now is to serve Penrose - Westons certainly were too early in serving Franco - Both should have been taken on the same day & then no cross communication could be given.
I shall come to Truro on Sunday & probably Murdock also -
& send by Post - My Portmanteau - 3 Boxes.
Dont go quite mad - Franco clenches the nail - C[arpenter]. has nailed up the doors & windows of the Engine house & no one is admitted. The men got orders to remove all their cloathes from the boiler - as they would be seized by B[oulton]&W[att]'s agents.                        Yours &c            GW''

 

 

AD1583/10/53
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding costs arising from current legal causes
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
21 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston June 21 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Thomas Wilson
            Sir,
            I have not time to make out the Bill of Costs in the Cause against Carpenter, but from former instances, I can ascertain that the Expences will be from £70 to £90. If the Def[endan]ts will pay the former sum you may accept it for the Costs in this cause.
            The Cause in the King's Bench respecting the Validity of the Patent will be argued probably tomorrow, but will not be determined then, as there will be another argument next Term.        We have no fear of success.
                                                                        I am D[ea]r Sir y[ou]r most obed[ien]t Serv[an]t
                                                                                                A Weston.
Fenchurch Street
            21 June 1798.''

 

 

AD1583/10/54
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding the Pednandrea and Hornblower legal causes
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
22 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston June 22 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr Thomas Wilson
            Sir,
            Our Adversaries Hornblower & Co[mpany] received a severe mortification this day by having the argument on the writ of Error put off to next Term. Delay is death to them, and yet they got a pretty smart censure from the Court for bringing on the question at present, after having done nothing since the Argument in the Common pleas upon Bull's case. For the Court saw clearly that the present Agitators of the Question & those who acted in Bull's Case are in fact at the bottom the same interest.
            The Penandrea negotiation has ended a[this part missing]. It was plain enough the Adventurers never meant to act bonā fide in their last offer any more than in any of the former ones. I presume they have been looking to a decision adverse to Boulton & Watt in Hornblower's Case. They will be disappointed by what passed today.
                                                I am, Sir,
                                                            Y[ou]r most obed[ien]t S[erva]nt
                                                                        A Weston.
Fenchurch Street
            22 June 1798.

Whatever you may think about B[oulton]&Watt's Terms &c in relation to Penandrea, I presume you do not declare to them what you write to us.''

 

 

AD1583/10/55
Letter, G Watt and Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding the Hornblower and Maberley case
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
24 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt June 14 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thom[a]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho June 24th 1798
Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson
            Dear Sir
             Give me leave to remind you of the request I formerly sent you to forward my keys which I am not a little in want of - or at least to mention whether you have them or not - Charles expenses on the road amounted to £6. 11 [shillings] - which I beg you to deduct from my account. Mr. B[oulton] having something to add in reply to yours rec[eive]d to day I subscribe myself
                                                                        Yours &c
                                                                                    G Watt

[this next letter is written in the hand of Matthew Robinson Boulton]

Mr Tho[mas] Wilson.                                                                                    Soho June 25th 1798
            Dear Sir
            It has uniformly occurred that every motion in our cause with Maberley has been preceeded by the exultations of our adversaries & followed by their dejection - From the frequent recurrence of this conduct we should not have thought that the late reports of Mr Martyn would have caused you a moments solicitude, they have as usual been the harbingers of our enemies mortification -
We shall transcribe for your edification Mr Weston's report of what passed in Court.
            He says ''They (H[ornblower]&M[aberley]) experienced likewise some rough usage from the Court - who attributed to them the delay & loss of time that have occurred in Boulton & Bull. The Court seemed to think them not sincere in wishing to have the Matter ended - Their counsel replied that they were not the same parties - but the treated that suggestion with disregard & apparent disbelief
            The judges who spoke on this occasion were L[or]d Kenyon & Mr Justice Grove - Maberley's Counsel was rather pertinacious in endeavour[in]g to force on the agument but in ended in L[or]d Kenyon's saying with some heat ''It must stand over to next term.''''                        Tho' the motion has only been postponed, the observations which have fallen from the Court cannot be very flattering either to the feelings or expections of Mr Maberley & his partizans.
There is certainly nothing to put them Cock a Hoop as you intimate on the contrary we are well persuaded that Maberly has been sorely disappointed by the event of this motion -
            We trust you are before this in possession Mr Westons instructions relative to the Penandrea Affair - We must beg you to state fully whether any & what difficulties you foresee in their effectuation. If you think the business likely to be attended with any unpleasant consequences to you personally we beg you in first instance to apprise us that we may have time to send from hence somebody to carry them into effect -
            We hear nothing from Mr Tremayne, be pleased to mention in your next when the settling Account Day at Wh[ea]l Unity will take place - If you prevail against the Wh[ea]l Abraham Adven[ture]rs you will exceed our expectations - They are a most precious set & Mr Reed a very worthy member -
                                    We are
                                                D[ea]r
                                                            your obed[ien]t humb[le] Ser[van]ts
                                                                        Boulton & Watt.

Mr B[oulton] will acknowledge your last fav[ou]r in 2 or 3 days''

[this last sentence being written in the hand of Matthew Boulton]

 

 

AD1583/10/56
Letter,
Weston to Warren regarding injunction to be served on Richard Michell
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
27 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston June 27 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Warren, Attorney at Law, Truro

''Mr.Warren.                                                                                    Fenchurch Street
                                                                                                     27 June 1798.
Sir
                                                Boulton v[ersus] Michell & others (United Mines.)

We herewith send you another copy of the Writ of Injunction in this cause - and we request you will cause this copy to be served upon Richard Michell (the Engineer) one of the Def[endan]ts herein. We recommend your sending for Michell, who will give you, we doubt not, candid answers to any questions you may put to him - and we wish therefore you would ask him what effect has been produced by the service of the writ on those Def[endan]ts who have already been served with the injunction - and whether the Engine is continued to be worked notwithstanding the injunction.
            We have hitherto refrained from serving the Def[endan]ts universally on account of the expence w[hi]ch would attend that measure - but we expect that we shall be driven to it, and also to follow up with a Motion for Attachments against the Def[endan]ts or some of them.                                    We are, Sir, your most obed[ien]t Serv[an]ts
                                                                        A J & G Weston.

[marginal] PS. Michell is friendly to the Pl[ain]t[iff]s, but must not appear so: It may be proper to serve him first, & then send for him.''

 

 

AD1583/10/57
Letter, G Watt to
Wilson regarding specimens of minerals required
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
30 Jun 1798

Endorsed:            Greg[or]y Watt  July 30 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho June 30th 1798
Mr. Thomas Wilson

            Dear Sir /
            My absence from Home for the last 10 days prevented my returning you an earlier answer. - As to my account. I must beg you to place the following articles to my credit which comprehend all that is due
            Copying machine                                                                     £6. 10 [shillings]. -
            Charles expences                                                                  [£]6. 11. -
            Grate for William bought at Dearmans                                      [£]1. 12. 6 [pence]
                                                             [Total]                                    £14. 13. 6.
When these sums are deducted I believe the balance against me will amount to £79. 4. 8 -
Mrs. Wilson paid me for Mr. Hicks bag - and she had no other article that I know of - Perhaps she might get the plated mouthpiece. If so you may also place it to my credit.
            I have made all possible enquiries about that Pneumatic apparatus sent to Edward Rogers - and the result of my investigation is that the mistake lies between
Thomas & William. Mr. Forman told Will that it would be better to send only part to which he replyed. ''Do you notice that they have ordered the whole? We must send as they direct'' However tho the blame does not attach to any of our people we are willing to take the machine back on Neddy paying for the articles he has taken & the carriage back by sea - which I think he may do out of the £3. 3 [shillings] he squeezed from Deriabin. If there appears to be no chance of disposing of the remains of my apparatus I will thank you to stow it into the vacant space of the big apparatus packing boxes which I dare say will be more than sufficient to hold it - Perhaps the Manganese & picked charcoal may be found of use at Truro -
I have the pleasure to assure you that Charles has enjoyed perfect health since he came here & I have every reason to be pleased with his conduct. His hand writing is as yet too bad for to admit of his being employed in the books but by writing copies of invoices &c he has an opportunity of improving it and acquiring some general knowledge of business -
My Brother is not yet returned tho we expect him soon. We hope William Murdock will be ready to come here by the time of his arrival. Be so good as to Remember me kindly to that Gentleman and endeavour to learn from him what time he can leave Cornwall. Above all beg him to enter into no new engagements which may retard that desireable event. Tell him I shall be much obliged to him if he will bring me - a Specimen he knows my size of Denabole slate. Of the Tintagel slate in which the quartz chrystals are found. Of the Lelant sand. Of the limestone used at Hayle I believe from Aberfraw - And if he will purchase for me from Moses Jacobs - some very good specimens of Chrystalized quartz about my size - He must not give himself particular trouble about any of these only to bring them if he happens to be in the way where they are to be met with.
You may also inform him that all my goods arrived safe & that I hope to have all my minerals arranged before he reaches Soho -
My father & Mother will soon set out for Scotland on a visit to their friends there. The time they may be absent on that excursion is uncertain. I have heard of our friend Deriabin having arrived at Bristol in safety - None of the party have had the grace to send me a line - When you see Mr. Williams I beg you will remember me in the kindest manner to him and his family & tell him I shall be much indebted to him if when he writes to his son he will mention my wish to receive a few lines from him or either of his companions who may be most disposed to take up the Pen -
I am extremely happy to hear of the prosperous state of your brewing concerns at Truro & Penryn & sincerely wish the Camp may have an increasing thirst for porter -
Remember me affectionately to Mrs. Wilson & Peg, Mary, James &c - I wrote some time ago to William about his grate which I hope to hear arrived safe & answers well.
I beg you will remember me to all my old Friends without exception & believe me
                                                            Your much obliged Humble Serv[an]t
                                                                        G Watt''

 

 

AD1583/10/58
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding injunctions against the Pednandrea Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
2 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston July 2 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Thomas Wilson.                                                                        Fenchurch Street
                                                                                                     2 July 1798.
            Sir,
                                    Penandrea.

     We obtained copies of the answers of Mr. Franco & of Carpenter & Paul Penrose this morning, & we now send you copies thereof for your perusal. We are concerned to observe the very unhandsome manner which Mr. Carpenter's spleen has led him to adopt in speaking of you. (We only send Carpenter's answer - As there is nothing material in Francos for you to reply to.)
            We have received a notice of a motion to dissolve the injunction for next Friday the 6th instant, but we shall get the motion postponed to the 14th in order that you as well as B[oulton]&W[att] may reply to the answers by affidavits, if our Counsel the attorney gen[era]l &c should think it necessary to do so. - We shall want to know particularly whether the Engine continues to work now.
            You will please to peruse the answers attentively & send us such remarks as occur to you in order that we may prepare a proper Affidavit to be sworn by you for the purpose of giving the true explanation of the matter.
            It will be proper & necessary that Mr. Murdock should make an Affidavit, either separately, or jointly with you. Therefore please to communicate with him.
                                    We are, Sir, y[ou]r most ob[edien]t S[ervan]ts            A J & G Weston.

[marginal] PS. There are some inaccuracies in the office copies which will appear in the Transcripts sent you, but the sense is plain enough.''

 

 

AD1583/10/59
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding depositions required for legal cases
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
4 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt July 4 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho July 4th 1798
Mr T Wilson
            Dear Sir

            We presume before the reciept of this you will have perused the scurrillities of Mr Carpenter, the abuse of such a scoundril can scarcely excite surprise or indignation & if Mr Weston, as we have no doubt he will, takes proper care to give the Chancellor an insight into his character, it will have it's effect in recommending him to a snug birth in the Fleet - You will of course lose no time in furnishing Mr Weston with your answer to their allegations & we should suppose you will find little difficulty in exposing, by circumstantial evidence the unbounded effrontery & injustice of their accusations -
            We observe Mr Weston has not given any instructions as to the tenour of the evidence for the motion of Attachment perhaps such affidavits will not be wanted till the present motion of our adversaries is disposed of, but nevertheless we think you should profit of any opportunity to procure an affidavit of the working of the Engines under the direction of any of the parties included in the injunction. We should wish you also to procure similar depositions in regard to the United Mines for whatever may be the event of our proceedings against Carpenter there can be little doubt of their success in the case of United Mines, as the latter is disembarrassed from all the legal perplexities attending the Penandrea transaction - The service of the attachment itself will either be done by a proper emissary from London or perhaps Mr Tippet will be a proper person to be employed on such a business - The zeal & ability displayed by him in serving Carpenter has given us a very favorable opinion of his talents for such undertakings & it will certainly be prudent to retain him in our interest by a liberal remuneration of his services on that occasion - You have a discretionary power as to the quantum as you can best judge of his deserts & expectations -
            You are perfectly right in supposing the communication of the Judges observations intended rather for your private government than for the public ear - It appears however to us that you misconcieve the cause of the satisfaction we derive from them - It does not proceed from the judges having recommended delay but from their having indicated a conviction of an unjust confederacy carried on under the name of Bull in the first instance & afterwards in that of Maberley - They are therefore satisfied of a point we have much laboured to prove & they have also plainly intimated a suspicion of Maberleys sincerity in wishing to rest the question fairly upon its merits - They accuse this confederacy of having caused the delay & loss of time which has occurred in the case of Boulton & Bull & why! Because instead of bringing the legal question to a discussion in the Court of Kings bench as they might have done after the first trial, they have in the name of Maberley instituted a new trial relying rather upon their attempts to invalidate our patent by some new flaw than by an agreement upon the reserved question. Our oponents may not perhaps agree to this construction but we have good reasons to believe it grounded -
            We are not as you may suppose inclined to dispute the force of your reasoning to Mr Giddy, but we cannot agree with you [this part missing] the propriety of such a letter to an abi[this part missing] especially while the award is in susp[this part missing].
            It does not appear to us that you would be justified in conveying your opinion to an abritrator by a private letter - The information it contains should have been stated at the meeting of the referrees when the other evidence was produced. Tho' the judgement formed by Mr Giddy from the statement then laid before him may be erroneous we think it would be improper to attempt to bias it by any partial communications which your adversaries have not an opportunity of refuting - Such a conduct, from whatever motives it may proceed on your part would be considered as tampering with the abitrator & if Mr Giddy is much alive to the scrupelous feelings of honor it would have a very opposite tendency to what you propose by it -
            We are not ourselves apprehensive for the reputation of our Engines from any decree of cornish arbitrators & surely if their genorosity awards a premium to Mr Hornblower's merits we shall hereafter find less difficulty in justifying our premiums -
            We remain
                        D[ea]r Sir
                                    Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Serv[an]ts
                                                Boulton & Watt''

[the handwriting is that of Matthew Robinson Boulton]

 

 

AD1583/10/60
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding the legal case against Pednandrea Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
6 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston July 6 1798
Addressed to:       Thomas Wilson Esq[ui]re, Truro, Cornwall
''Mr. Thomas Wilson.                                                                        Fenchurch Street
                                                                                                    6 July 1798.
            Sir,
            The motion in the Penandrea Case was put off as I expected to the 14th instant. I shall not be here tomorrow & very little on Monday - so that if you do not hear from me so soon as you expect please to impute it to my absence. If any instructions should come tomorrow for your affidavit, it shall be prepared notwithstanding my absence. Mr. Murdock should join in confirming what you state so far as his knowledge extends.
            As the 14th will soon be here, I am anxious about the affidavit you & Mr. Murdock are to make & it's return back from Truro, after being drawn or settled here - and to prevent disappointment in that particular, it may be best for you to get your affidavit & Mr. Murdock's also drawn & ingrossed & sworn without waiting for communication with me. The affidavit must be intitled ''In Chancery - Boulton & an[othe]r v[ersus] Carpenter & others.''
            I made Mr Carpenter (who was present in Court) an offer of taking the Middle sum between £36, & £55 p[e]r Month, instead of a Lump sum. He refused the offer.
                                                I am D[ear] Sir Y[ou]rs
                                                                                    A Weston''

 

 

AD1583/10/61
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding the case against Pednandrea Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
7 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt July 7th 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho July 7th 1798
Mr Wilson
            Dear Sir
            Forwarned is forearmed. This maxim applies to our transactions with Penandrea for tho' we are not positively sure of procuring an Attachment ag[ains]t Carpenter it behoves us to be prepared for that event with the necessary evidence - Mr Weston wishes you without loss of time to report the facts with the names of the person or persons who can make oath of the Engines being continued in work - The Affidavits he will prepare & transmit you to be sworn by the parties - We suppose it is unnecessary to point out to you what constitutes a breach of the injunction, it is in fact doing what the injunction forbids to be done - Your friend Mr Tippet can assist you with his advice & probably if you cannot find a person to make the necessary affidavits he will also be able to provide a proper subject - We cannot too strongly recommend dispatch in this business & we beg you to understand that similar evidence will also be wanted to prove the contempt committed by Mr Beauchamp & others in the case of United Mines.
It should if possible be stated by whose orders the Engines are continued at work.
            In case Trevithick has not informed you of the result of his application to the Wh[ea]l Abraham Adven[ture]rs, a letter should be written to him requiring to know the determination of the Adven[ture]rs that you may apprise us of it - Please also to mention in your next whether there any hopes of Mr Kevil's recovery - We hope you & Murdock have given a full rejoinder to Carpenter's accusations ag[ains]t your verity of Speech & that you will give him a Rowland for his Oliver -
                        We remain
                                    D[ea]r Sir
                                                Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Ser[van]ts
                                                            Boulton & Watt

Charles is well & nearly if not quit of his cough''

[the handwriting is that of Matthrew Robinson Boulton]

 

 

AD1583/10/62
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding affidavits required
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
9 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston July 9 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr Thomas Wilson.
            Sir
             We observe you intend sending off your aff[idavi]ts tomorrow which design we much approve.
            Please to let me have an aff[idavi]t that the adventurers continue to use the Engine.
                                                We are Sir    Y[ou]r most ob[edien]t S[ervan]ts

                                                                                    A J & G Weston.

[the handwriting is that of Ambrose Weston]

 

 

AD1583/10/63
Letter, Forman to
Wilson regarding nozzles for Roskear Mine
Item
1 sheet
Manuscript
10 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Forman July 10 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson.
            Sir
            On the other side I send you Invoice of the Nozzles for the Reskear Mine. They are this day sent p[e]r the Canal to the care of Mrs. Barlow Bristol and She is advised to send them by the first Opportunity which offers to Hayle, to lie there till sent for by Mr. Silvanus James.
            I have the pleasure to inform you that your Son is very well and should be very happy to hear the same Acc[oun]t of his good Brother to whom I beg to be kindly remembered also to Mr. William.
                                                                        I am most respectfully
                                                                                    Sir
                                                                        Your most obed[ien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]t
                                                                                    for Boulton & Watt
                                                                                                W[illia]m Forman.
Soho 10th July 1798.''

 

 

AD1583/10/64
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding affidavits of Wilson, Rogers and Murdock
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
12 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston July 12 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr Thomas Wilson.
D[ea]r Sir
Your aff[idavi]t is quite satisfactory, but Mr. Rogers's is of no manner of use whatever. I presume Mr. Murdock's expected aff[idavi]t will supply all that is wanting. - I flatter myself we shall make a good end of the business.
            In my opinion nothing can be more honourable than your Conduct in this business - You are extremely ill-treated in this matter by Mr. Carpenter of whom I entertain a very bad opinion.
                                                                        I am D[ea]r Sir Y[ou]r most ob[edien]t S[ervan]t
                                                                                    A. Weston.
Fenchurch Street
     12 July 1798.''

 

 

AD1583/10/65
Letter,
Weston to Wilson regarding settlement of the Pednandrea dispute
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
14 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Weston July 14 1798
Addressed to:      Mr. Thomas Wilson, Merchant, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Thomas Wilson.
            D[ea]r Sir,
            As I know you have always wished the Penandrea Business to be compromised, I have the pleasure to say this is now done. -
            The adventurers are to pay £600; - Vizt by £300 at 6 months, & £300 at 12 months from this date. No Costs on either side - Each to pay his own.
                                                I am D[ea]r Sir Sincerely y[ou]r most o[bedien]t S[ervan]t

                                                                                    A Weston.
Fenchurch Street
     14 july 1798.

The payments are to be secured by Bills drawn by Carpenter upon Franco.''

 

 

AD1583/10/66
Letter,
Trevithick to Wilson regarding savings due from the Wheal Abraham Adventurers
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
16 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Rich[ar]d Trevithick Feb[ruar]y July 16 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, paid

                                                                        ''Camborne July 16. 1798

Sir /
            at Wh[ea]l Abraham meeting held the 10 Ins[tan]t was brought before the Adv[enturer]s Mr. B[oulton]. & Watts demand for Engine Savings but not having orders from a Majority of them for entering such in the Book and of course cannot chardge it untill farther orders from the Adv[enture]rs.
                                    I am Sir your very H[um]ble Ser[van]t
                                    Rich[ar]d Trevithick''

 

 

AD1583/10/67
Letter, Kevill to
Wilson regarding savings claimed from Cook's Kitchen mine
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
19 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Mr Tho[ma]s Kevill July 19 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Wilson, Truro

                                                                        ''Trevensen 19 July 1798
Dear Sir /
            I yesterday rece[ive]d your favour addressed to Mr R_ the savings at Cook's Kitchen have not been for the months you demand charged at more than £12 per Month - Cook's Kitchen having ever paid without any sort of dispute the whole savings we conceived that Boulton & Watt would not by any means object, after so fair and honorable a conduct, to put us on the same footing as they now consent to make mines who have wholly refused any payment whatever - we trust they will still permit us to charge the £12 p[er] Month instead of £18 more especially as our Mine is become a losing adventure. My poor father, had he been alive and able would have himself written you on this Subject. I holding the same situation have on the behalf of the adventurers stated these circumstances to you & am    Dear Sir - with best Compl[imen]ts to Mrs Wilson & family -
                                    Yours, most faithfully
                                                Thomas Kevill''

 

 

AD1583/10/68
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding various matters
Item
2 folios
Manuscript
20 Jul 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt July 20th 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                        ''Soho July 20th 1798
Mr T Wilson
            Dear Sir
            Your two favors with Copies of the Affidavits & since one dated by mistake Nov[embe]r 14th cover[in]g a bill value £136. 10 [shillings] have been severally recieved -
            An extract from your letter of Oct[obe]r 26th 1795 touching the remission of Hewas premium accompanies this. It fully confirms your statement to Mr Fox & accords entirely with the sentiments we have uniformly expressed & entertained upon this subject - We do not see upon what grounds Mr Fox can expect a further modification of our demands - The poverty of the Mine does not induce the Merchants to relinquish their profits or the purser to wave his salary & yet they are materially more interested in the existence of the Mine than ourselves - Our claims upon the Mine cannot possibly exceed two years, but they may expect to benefit from it for several & we think it therefore unjust to be called upon to sacrifice the Modicum of our premium while they enjoy their emoluments undiminished - You know as well as ourselves, that upon several occasions & particulary in a recent instance very ungenerous advantages have been taken of our concessions to particular Mines, in all litigations they have constantly been alledged as precedents for ye abatements claimed by our opponents & thus our very acts of generosity have been construed to our prejudice -
            By such manauvres our rights have gradually incroached upon & our premiums in most instances reduced to two thirds of the sum originally stipulated. In order to prevent the remainder from being equally frittered away you will recollect we came to a resolution of regulating our future demands upon an invariable principle & the modified premium of two thirds was considered as the standard from which we ought not to depart upon any pretext whatsoever. We intend most tenaciously to adhere to this determination from a firm conviction that any deviation from it would produce a sucession of the perplexities & losses which ensued from our former cessions & would soon totally annihilate the emolument to be expected from the short residue of our priveledge - You will readily anticipate from these observations the purport of the answer we wish to be given to Mr Fox's application & in informing why it cannot be Complied with you will not fail to impress upon him that it is by the Machinations of some of his neighbours that we are precluded from making any discriminations in our demands.
            We have perhaps unnecessarily dilated upon this subject from our desire to put you fully in possession of the sentiments which will in future actuate our conduct & to satisfy you of the propriety of discountenancing in the first instance all further applications for abatements -
            You will probably have learnt from Mr Weston the issue of the Penandrea business -
            Carpenter has certainly escaped upon better terms than he deserved, but Weston was reluctant to risk any diminution of the good opinion of the Court by bringing forward a cause in any degree embarassed & such, it appears there was grounds for apprehending the present one might be thought by the Court, Mr Carpenter's Character not being so well known there as is Cornwall - It is now become doubly necessary to pursue with additional Vigour our attacks upon the other refractory Mines & we are only hesitating as to the proper object to be selected - Mr G Watt reports that Trevithick has erected an Engine similar to Hornblower's at Wh[ea]l Unity - The reasons which induced us to disregard the neglected infractions of Hornblower not applying to this case Mr Trevithick's contempt may perhaps recommend him to this post of honour in our next contest - What particulars can be learnt with[ou]t putting him upon his guard we shall be glad to recieve as early as possible - We mean any authentic information of the principles of the Engine & of its being constructed by Trevithick - Endeavour to learn these facts without giving the Alarm to Trevithick as we should not wish him to have any intimation of our intentions till we are ready to pounce upon our prey - We perfectly approve of your proposal to make the payment of the arrears due from Wh[ea]l Leeds Adve[nturer]s a preliminary to our licencing their Engine -
            If you are applied to upon the subject, avoid entering into any negotiation & simply notify to them that the liquidation of the arrears upon the footing of the full premium must precede any treaty for the future premium & if any modified proposals are offer'd by them, we request you will not recieve them but in writing authenticated by the purser or some responsible person concerned in the Mine - When a settlement has taken place for the arrears we should propose to put them upon the same footing as Wh[ea]l Susan & others, subject to a similar entry upon the Mine Books -
            You will of course desire Murdock not to give them any assistance till an agreem[en]t is concluded - There is considerable analogy between this & the case of United Mines & a reference to our letter of the 14th Ultimo may perhaps more fully explain our sentiments - We are much confirmed in our opinion of the propriety of adopting some regulation of the nature there pointed out by the late proceedings of Carpenter, & it may be a consideration whether the precaution we have proposed should not be strengthened by a circular letter addressed to the Mines stating ''that after the attempt which have been made in a recent litigation to pervert an interposition arising on'' your part solely from conciliatory motives, to the prejudice of yourself & Messrs B[oulton]&W[att] you feel yourself called upon to declare in contradiction to those unfounded assertions that your agency for B&W is confined to the management of their pecuniary concerns &  by no means empowers you to act in the settlement of their disputed claims with[ou]t special instructions - From a desire to prevent all further misconceptions you request that the communications relative to their litigated premiums may be stated in writing or transmitted directly to B&W themselves - We submit to your own consideration whether a notification something to the above purport would not have its use in securing both of us from many perplexities -
                        We remain
                                    D[ea]r Sir
                                                Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Ser[van]ts
                                                            Boulton & Watt

PS. Your favor of the 17th cover[in]g a bill value £105. 6 [shillings]. 11 [pence] on acc[oun]t of Wh[ea]l Unity Adven[ture]rs is at hand -
            In regard to your quiry concern[in]g Carpenter's abuse we shall consult with Weston, if legal cognizance can be taken of it. In case he thinks it cannot we should think Mr Carpenter's notorious character would render any other notice of it unnecessary - These are however our hasty sentiments & we shall further consider the subject - Has the payment of Wh[ea]l Unity arrears been accompanied with any & what entry upon their books -

                        Extract of a Letter from Mr Wilson Truro  Nov[ember] 21. 1797

----- However yesterday I was told by two different persons that Bull was discharged on friday last, & the Engine put under Mr Murdocks care. This induced me to set out this morning and the first persons I saw on my arrival were Mr Carpenter & Paul Penrose, they at once confirmed what I had heard & told me they intended to write me this day, they were willing to execute any agreement I chose to have drawn for the payment of your premium; I saw the steam going from the Boyler & enquired why they had not stopt, Carpenter said it was not their intention to stop till the condenser was got ready which would take some days, this I did not like, as Murdock might    what Bull could not, but on my arrival at the Engine found W[illia]m [Murdock] had stopt all further proceedings, till put upon the old plan, & was heartily congratulated by him, on being in at the death of the Bull. There remains now for you to state the quantum of Premium; they are fallen and at your mercy, Carpenter Penrose, & Mr Murdock all say, that at a former meeting at Redruth, I would have engaged at 2/3 say [£]36. 13 [shillings]. 4 [pence], they expect to pay no Less, but hope not to pay more. Mr Murdock & Paul Penrose both pressed me earnestly to use my endeavours with you not to ask more, Murdock says they have already suffered enough to satisfy your vengeance, & that you ought to put them on the same footing as Wh[ea]l Treasure; I have nothing to say for them more than I am desired, but we wait your determination both as to terms and sort of agreement; I do not even know whether you will approve of Mr Murdocks altering the Engine without your concurrence, I would not however take upon me to stop him, & he hopes to have her at work next monday. -

                                                                         (Copy)
                                                                                                Truro Oct[obe]r 26th 1795
Dear Sir
            Yesterday Morning Mr Murdock left us on his way to Soho; & suppose he will be with you by this comes to hand or soon after, since I wrote you the 23[r]d Mr. E. Fox & I have settled for Polgooth & Hewas to the end of Sept[embe]r. It is pretty certain the former mine lost 5000 from March 94 to this year & at Hewas they have sunk at least £16,000. I understand Polgooth is now gaining some money, but Hewas is still losing, many of the Adv[enture]rs have thrown up their shares & more are about so to do, under these circumstances I proposed to E. Fox that B&W should give up any demand for past time to Hewas; & as they had agreed at Xmass to remit 1/3 at Polgooth, that the latter mine should pay 2/3 still this was £36. 13. 4 p[e]r Mo[nth] after a long discussion he proposed to pay £31. 10 which I accepted & he gave me the inclosed bill for £189 which is for 6 Mo[nths] to the end of Sept[embe]r. I hope this will meet your approbation, I considered that if I took time to write to you that you would not consider the £5. 3. 4 as worth contending for, & again that you would think this connexion (having behaved much better than others) more entitld to favour -''

[the handwriting of the main letter is that of Matthew Robinson Boulton]

 

 

AD1583/10/69
Letter, Watt and G Watt to
Wilson suggesting treatments for Tom Wilson, also other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
7 Aug 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 7th August 1798 -
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall, Double

                                                                        ''Soho Aug[us]t 7th 1798
Mr Wilson /
            Dear Sir
            I am very sorry to hear that Tom continues in such bad health - Dr Wittering is himself so much indisposed that I have not yet been able to consult him But Dr Carmichael says that he thinks instead of the Rhubarb which Tom takes, he should take castor oil in such doses as will keep his belly open - That in his opinion a sea voyage might be of service to him & that if he is not strong enough for that he is not strong enough to travel to Bath (to this I add that if he goes to sea some person should go with him to take care of him) Thinks that a Tepid bath about 90° to 96° of heat would be very serviceable to him, which may be had at home & if made with sea water so much the better, he should stay in it about half an hour at a time (to this I say from experience that all baths in small vessels fall much short of the effects of large quantities as you have at Bath, you could however come near it by putting him into some of your large vessels at the Brewhouse) The D[octo]r says he should take the Bath about 3 hours before he goes to Bed & should dress himself after it, in order to prevent any sensible perspiration which would be hurtful to him. So far as Dr C[armichae]ls advice, when Dr W[ithering]. recovers I shall consult him.
            In the mean time if you should determine upon taking him to bath, he should Bathe in the cross Bath or Queens bath, at first sitting upon the stairs & not going in to the Bath & for the two first times staying in only from 15 to 20 minutes - Dr C. says he should not drink the Bath water.
            I have given all the advice at present in my power & wish I could give better.
Charles seems to do very well & is sufficiently attentive, I have not heard him complaining since he was cured of his cough by the Hydrocarbonate.
            Mrs Watt Joins me in kind remembrances to Mrs Wilson & all your family & I remain
                                                            Dear Sir
                                                                        Your's sincerely
                                                                                    James Watt''

                                                                                    ''Soho August 7th 1798
Dear Sir /
            We beg you will apply for payment of the balance due to us from North Downs £92. 15 [shillings]. 8 [pence] for goods as per account delivered - We enclose our account against Herland for their new whim Engine. The very low The very low terms and which that engine was executed render prompt payment absolutely necessary and we beg you to dun Carne till he discharges the account. We do not chuse that this payment should be made in India bills as ready money is what we are in need of. We are unable to send Clark and Langmead their account till Pearsons time and other particulars are ascertained. Repeated applications were made to this drunken delinquent during my stay in Cornwall and we must request that whoever pays him his wages will abstain from so doing until he has given the information needed. Mr. Murdock gave me a note of his time & expences there which I gave in here but which has been mislaid, We beg he will be so good as to renew it. My Brother is expected at home almost daily & will be extremely anxious to be informed which we may expect his arrival here. Beg him to state at what period that so long protracted event may be expected to take place.
            We remain Dear Sir
                                    your very obed[ien]t Humble Servants
                                                for Boulton & Watt
                                                            G Watt''

 

 

AD1583/10/70
Letter, Boulton to
Wilson regarding the ticketing standards of copper, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
12 Aug 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton M[atthe]w 12th August 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
''Dear Sir
            I am now in a lonely Village in Bedfordshire alone & without a Serv[an]t & where neither Chaise or Horses can be had. - As I have a leasure ½ Hour before I go to Bed, I cannot employ it more agreeably than in writing a line or two to you; which I dispair of doing from home, where I am incessantly engaged or interupted: otherwise I should have wrote you many letters & acknowledged many of yours which I have rec[ei]vd, but cannot at this place refer to them. I am particularly obliged to you for the labourious calculations respecting the Tickitings & the Standard which have been of much use to me, & I must beg ye fav[ou]r of you to continue them through the present year only - I have agreed at the Rose ♀ [the alchemical symbol for copper] Co[mpany] to pay them 5 p[e]r Cent above the average of the Standard which they buy at, & though they buy their ores very well, yet I fear I must change that plan or confine it to one Co[mpany] only; for haveing made a similar agreement with 2 or 3 others I am thereby put into a situation of biding against my self at the Tickitings.
   I want to know the Tickiting Standard price of Copper from the year 1770 to ye year 1789 each Year or as many Years within those limits as you can come at. I also want to know the selling ready money price of Copper each year within those limits. This would be of Material use to me if I could receive it soon & beg you will furnish me with such part of it as come within the Latitude of your own Books Pray have you any Idea of the quantity of ♀ now produced by
Anglesey mine.
I saw your last letter to Mrs. Matthews from which & from one I rec[ei]vd from you some time since. I think you have misunderstood me or that I did not explain my own Ideas about your drawing on Mrs. M[atthews]: I only meant to check an Evil that I considerd would be a growing one to you, as well as to me, haveing in many instances seen ruin arise solely out of that plan; & the recent Exampl[e] of 2 persons whom I shall loose largly by convinces me of the bad effects of it & yet I am perswaded there are moments in a mans life that a temporary assistance may save him, or at least be of important Service to him, & when ever such moments occur, I assure you I shall be happy in being instrumental to your prosperity & happiness: & for any temporary assistance that will promote either I consent to your drawing on Mrs. M: on my Acc[oun]t but these drains like Brandy, may cheer for the moment, but too frequent use, will parch & dry up a mans Vitals.
None of my Family know where I am, for I am come here to save from Ruin an amiable & worthy family, which a very few Hundred £ will do: & I shall do it because I know the Extent of the Mischief. -
Pray why will not the Cornish & the Copper Co[mpanie]s sell me Copper for ready money at as low a price as they will sell the E[ast]:I[ndia]:Co[mpany] for a long Cred[i]t.
I am happy to hear that your Son William is going on very well, which I hope he will continue to do: but I recommend that he doth not cherish an opineon that he knows all that is to be known on Brewing - I saw a new Book on that subject advertisd a few days ago, but I could not get it; however I desire he will read, mark, & learn.
I hope to hear that Tom is quite Well as I shall do to learn that Mrs. Wilson, & your self are so, to whom remember me very kindly & believe me
                        Dear Sir
                                    Your faithfull friend
                                                Matt[he]w Boulton

Ounley [Oulney, now called Olney] in Bedfordshire

Aug[us]t 12 - 1798.
a few days ago I bought 15 Tons of tough Cake of Mr Harris at 106£ a Ton for a Bill at 2 Mo[nths] - I wish to buy more on those terms w[hi]ch I have offerd him through a friend
Messrs Fox's asks 111£ but that I have refusd''

 

 

AD1583/10/71
Letter, M R Boulton to
Wilson regarding various mines
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
13 Aug 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 13th Au[gu]st 1798 -
Addressed to:       Mr T Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                                    ''Soho Aug[us]t 13th 1798
Mr T Wilson
            Dear Sir -
            We have your favor of the 7th with particulars of the Engines erected by Trevithick at East Pell [East Pool, Illogan] for which we thank you -
            The Commission we have now to trouble you with is of a more pleasant complexion than our late ones have usually been - The inclosed letter which we beg you to seal & forward when it has been perused, will inform you that we mean to accede to the request of the Cook's Kitchen Adven[ture]rs & you are accordingly authorised to settle the Arrears upon the terms mentioned to Mr Kevil provided an agreement similar to the Wh[ea]l Susan & others is entered upon the Mine Book - We propose also to make a similar concession to Wh[ea]l Jewel & Gorland & have signified our intentions to Mr Tremayne requesting him at the same time to use his influence in getting a memorandum of agreement entered upon the books of these Mines & Wh[ea]l Unity - We wish you to write or see him upon this subject the first convenient opportunity - These Mines have certainly a claim upon our generosity & we think an unsolicited abatement may have some effect in convincing them that we are not solely actuated by intent in our conduct & will strengthen our reasons for not deviating hereafter from the Stand[ar]d of the reduced premium - The concession would have soon been demanded by them & it is therefore as well to have the credit of making it voluntary -
            Trevithick may be informed that our demand for a 24 Inc[h] working single will be £90 payable in one sum or payable in 3 Inst[alment]s with Int[erest] in the same manner as for Ding Dong - We shall require also a similar bond includ[in]g both the am[oun]t of the new premium & arrears due from the former adven[ture]rs - If our terms for the new Engine are assented to, you need not be very rigid in your statement of the time with regard to the old one - We shall agree to his acc[oun]t of the time provided it is not notoriously erroneous - The terms for the 24 in[ch] shall be communicated when the agreement for the other is concluded, it would be useless to enter into calculations upon the second of our present proposal is not accepted - It is also needless to encumber the Bond with provisos in case of the Engine being double; when such alteration takes place, it will be more simple to have a seperate Bond made for the additional sum - You will please also to bear in mind that the bond should be simply an engagement for the money on the part of Trevithick & not expressive of any covenant on ours -
            The Wherry award cannot possibly be binding on us or influence the decision of the Westminster Courts & we most sincerely trust it will never be our lot to have the merits of our claims determined by a Cornish Arbitration or Jury - We have before observed that if Hornblower can succeed in substantiating his rights to a premium we think such a precedent will rather strengthen than invalidate our claims -
            In short our opinion is, that in so far as the reputation of our Engine is concerned you need not be under any apprehension from the award were it even to be dictated by Moyle himself -
                        We remain
                                    D[ea]r Sir
                                                Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Ser[van]ts
                                                            For Boulton & Watt
                                                                        M: Rob[inso]n Boulton
P.S. Somebody upon whose report you can rely, should be sent to inspect the Engine at Ding Dong & ascertain whether it continue to be worked single -''

 

 

AD1583/10/72
Letter, M R Boulton to
Wilson enclosing copy of letter to the Rev. Henry Hawkins Tremayne
Item
1 large folio
Manuscript
14 Aug 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 14th Au[gu]st 1798
Addressed to:       Mr T Wilson, Truro, Cornwall, Single

                                                                        ''Soho Aug[us]t 14th 1798
Mr T Wilson
            Dear Sir
            We wrote to you yesterday to which we refer. The original of the annexed copy was sent to Mr Tremayne by the same post but we had not time to transmit you the copy - You will see more fully from it our sentiments in regard to the urgency of getting an entry upon Wh[ea]l Unity Books. It appears to us a point of considerable moment & we are certainly disposed to press it by every means in our power consistent with our respect to Mr Tremayne - . We request your early to the business, our procrastination in the affair of Wh[ea]l Abraham was a primary cause of it's miscarriage & we shall never be more likely to succeed in our wishes with regard to the other Mines than while the impression of our concession is fresh upon their Minds - We remain
                                                Sir Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Ser[van]ts
                                                                        For B[oulton]&W[att]            M Rob[inso]n Boulton

                                                                        COPY
                                                                                                            Soho August 13th 1798
Rev[eren]d Henry Hawkins Tremayne
                                    Dear Sir
                                                We cannot reflect upon the time elapsed since the date of your favour of June 27 without accusing ourselves of some degree of remissness in not sooner answering it; though from the frequent abcences of our Mr Boulton in attending the privy council in town and my own inability to Transact business from a long confinement caused by a wounded tendon the delay has been in some measure unavoidable and we hope that your goodness will not impute it to any want of consideration for your kind offices.
Permit us now to assure you that we are fully sensible of your friendly interposition and support in the various difficulties which have occurred in the mines in which you are concerned and our recent obligations to your countenance in the transactions with Wheal Unity will always be gratefully acknowledged.
It has lately been our lot to trouble you with correspondence upon unpleasant topics but we hope that what we shall now propose will prove more agreeable. Having lately in several instances modified our premium to 2/3 of the former sum we think it equitable that those mines which have uniformly manifested a friendly disposition should reap the benefit of this alteration we propose therefore in such instances to make an unsolicited concession of one third of our premium. Wheal Jewel & Gerland in which we believe you are interested are in this predicament and we shall accordingly instruct Mr. Wilson to settle our future demands upon these mines upon this modified premium as soon as an agreement analogous to those adopted in similar cases is entered in the mine books for which purpose we shall desire him to consult with you and we beg the favour of you in communicating our intentions to the adventurers to obtain their concurrence to a resolution expressive of such an agreement. We hope likewise your influence with the wheal Unity adventurers will prevail upon them to enter a similar record on their books - When we relinquish such a portion of our claims it appears to us but just that the modicum of premium should be protected by some security against the cavills of the litigious and we have therefore made an Entry recording the terms of our agreement a preliminary to our licensing Engines on the reduced Premium - We have upon several occasions found to our cost that our claims were only to be inforced by the strong hand of the Law and were our rights to be unprotected they would soon be annulled - Among other instances the conduct of Wheal Abraham Adventurers fully confirms this opinion In consideration of our regard to the late Mr Kevill we consented to license their engine upon the reduced premium with which the adventurers expressed themselves perfectly satisfied and the engine was suffered by us to work upon the faith of their verbal assent, The entry upon the mine books being delayed from various causes. A short time previous to Mr K[evill]s death payment of the arrears of premium was demanded to which they demurred and immediately after his decease protested against our claims which they set at defiance intending to abandon the mine and obliging us to seek redress by law. - You see from hence that the same liberality of spirit with which you are actuated does not regulate the actions of others nor supercede the necessity of some precaution to guard against the recurrence of such conduct. Your candour will ensure us from a misinterpretation of the motives of our wish in requesting an entry to be made upon the mine books of Wheal Unity. We are apprehensive that by deviating even in a single instance from a regulation which we deem essential to the security of our rights we may furnish our opponents with a pretext for rejecting it others In this point of view we presume to hope for your sanction to the measures and your influence in procuring the concurrence of the other adventurers -
   We should exceed the limits of a letter were we to enter into a vindication of the steps we have been obliged to pursue in counteracting the designs of Mr. Daniel which have been more extensive than you are probably apprized of. His opposition to the payment of our claims upon Consols & united mines is only part of the plan he had formed to effect his hostile intentions towards us - He has colleagued with persons totally unconnected with Cornish afairs but who having pirated our invention were instigated by expectations of support from him to accomplish our ruin by every artifice which malignity could suggest. However we might be disposed to overlook such proceedings we certainly should not be inclined to sacrifice the very great disbursements they have caused by acceding to terms which were proposed and Haughtily rejected by him before they were incurred. We have no doubt of obtaining an indemnity for them by the sum we shall ultimately recover in this case and you must allow it would hold out encouragement for renewed attacks upon us and afford just reason of complaint from our friends were we to concede to Mr. Daniel more favourable terms than they enjoy. The want of candour and good faith displayed by Mr. D[aniel]. in the negociations which have taken place in the course of our dispute will certainly preclude any farther overtures from us and we shall expect as a pledge of his conciliatory disposition that he empowers some other person to treat with us. No one would be more agreeable to us than yourself but we must take the liberty of premesing that we could not consent to admit as the basis of a treaty the proposal of £70 per month or any other sum which would be a deviation from the standard of premium we have adopted in other mines -
   We beg our respectful compliments may be accepted by yourself and Mrs. Tremayne & remain with great esteem &c -''
[this copy of letter being written in the hand of Gregory Watt]

 

 

AD1583/10/73
Letter, J Gundry to
Wilson regarding fire engine at Treskowe
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
14 Aug 1798

Endorsed:            Gundry Jno [John] 14th Au[gu]st 1798
Addressed to:      Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro

''Sir.
             In reply to your Letter respecting TresKow Fire Engine - &c Our Working begun 21st April 1798, but where not in proper order nor yet in Fork, untill the 1 May - Our Acc[oun]ts are held once in Four Months, when the Saveings will be Charg[e]d regularly -
                                                                        I am Sir
                                                                                    Y[ou]r H[um]ble Serv[an]t
                                                                                                Jno Gundry
Aug[ust] 14 1798''

 

 

AD1583/10/74
Letter, Carne to
Wilson regarding remittance to be sent to Soho
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
14 Aug 1798

Endorsed:            Carne W[illia]m 14th August 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro

''Dear Sir
            I have y[our] favour & note y[our] request. If you should have Occasion to Write Messrs Bolton & Watt - please to Inform them that Ill Remitt the Amount of the Small Engine in the Course of a fortnight to them at Soho -
                                                                        I Remain y[ours] Sincerely
                                                                                    Will[ia]m Carne
Penzance 14 August 98

PS Its probable I may Remitt next week -''

 

 

AD1583/10/75
Letter, Watt junior to
Wilson regarding engine required by Mr Hodge junior, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
23 Aug 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 23rd August 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                                Soho 23rd August 1798
Dear Sir
            Annexed is a copy of a letter from Mr Hodge Jun[io]r of St. Erth, enquiring our terms, for which we have referred him to you. We should have thought that by this time they were sufficiently known in the County, to render such applications unnecessary. We wish to be informed who & what this Gentleman is, whether he means to purchase old Engines, or erect new ones, and what Engineer he intends to employ, and also what founders. These circumstances being detailed to us, we shall inform you what answer to give. -
            Your favours of the 16th 18th & 20th Ins[tan]t are at hand and your Account credited for £92. 15 [shillings]. 8 [pence] received on Account of North Downs.
            My father in his letter to Mr. Tremayne, was apparently not aware of the circumstance you mention of Wh[ea]l Jewel & Wh[ea]l Gorland paying only single premium whilst working double, and if that is the case, it will be highly proper for you to explain the mistake verbally to Mr. Tremayne and beg the favour of him to pass it over in silence. - The intention of Boulton & Watt, will be sufficiently obvious. - Perhaps I may have occasion to investigate this matter farther & write to you again upon it; - if not you will act as above.
            In consequence of what you say about Trevithick, I have gone over Mr B[oulton]. Junior's calculation of the Premium for a 24 single, and find that he has undervalued, instead of overvaluing it, taking it at the same rate as Dingdong 26 Inch, so that you & Mr T[revithick]. are certainly wrong in your calculations & no deviation from the terms proposed is admissible. As Trevithick has it in his power to pay at once, we shall expect that to be done. The Interest upon the arrears is hardly worth asking & may be given up, but it may be proper you should inspect the Coalbooks. As we have no great desire to correspond with Trevithick, you may settle this with him upon your return. -
            I do not observe any other points of your letter that require an Answer; if there are any you will point them out -
                                                            I am in all haste
                                                                        Dear Sir
                                                                                    Yours sincerely
                                                                                                J Watt Jun[io]r

                                                Copy                                                                                    St Earth 8th Aug[us]t 1798
                                                                                                   n[ea]r Marazion
                                                                                                                  Cornwall
Messrs Boulton & Watt
            Gent[leme]n
            I am pretty largely concerned in some Mines where it will be necessary to erect steam Engines shall be obliged by your informing me the lowest sum Monthly youl except as savings, say for a Cylinder Sixty three Inch[e]s Diam[ete]r or any other in proportion -
            Your immediate reply will oblige
                        Gent[leme]n
                                    Yo[u]r m[os]t obed[ien]t Ser[van]t
                                                 (Signed)   Rich[ar]d Hodge J[unio]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/76
Letter,
Trevithick to Wilson regarding savings on Wheal Leeds engine
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
4 Sep 1798

Endorsed:            R[ichar]d Trevithick 4th Sept[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro

                                                                        ''Camborne Sep[tember] 4 1798
Sir /
             Nott receiveing any answer from Mr. Bolton and Watt respecting the Engine Saveings on Wh[ea]l Leeds. sho[ul]d be oblig[e]d to you to send mee notice what time wo[ul]d be most convenient to you to settle the above as I much wish to get the Engine at Work.
                                                I am Sir your very H[um]ble Serv[an]t
                                                   Rich[ar]d Trevithick''

 

 

AD1583/10/77
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding the size of the cylinder at Ding Dong mine
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
19 Sep 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 19th Sept[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
     Truro

                                                                                    Soho 19 Sep[tembe]r 1798
Dear Sir
             This seems to be a Comedy of Errors from the beginning. - If Dingdong instead of being 26 as we calculated it, was, as you say, 24, the Premium would be more than we stated, instead of being less! - But it so happens, that in setting us right, you have committed a greater mistake yourself!!
            By reference to Trevithick's letter to you of 16 Dec[embe]r 1797 & to the Copy of Agreement with him, in your favour of the 8th March, I find that Dindong is 28 Inches Diameter, which makes £80 the right sum for a 24, but how you come to have made it so from your data, I cannot discover.
            Mr. Tremayne has not yet written, and I hardly think it necessary that you should call upon him on purpose, as you will probably see him before he comes to any Meeting; if that is not likely, you had better get the mistake rectified at all events.
            Where in the name of goodness is Murdock. Gregory has written to him & so have I. My stock of Patience is exhausted & we have begun to build a boring Mill before the Season is too far advanced. We expect him as soon as he can possibly come. -
            You promised me half a year ago, to let me have a correct list of all Bulls & Hornblower's Engines, made out in the same manner as those you formerly sent of Boulton & Watts, which have proved very useful. - Do this your first leisure time. -
            I have not yet had time to pay much attention to your son Charles, but he seems an active, clever lad & I think may be made something of. I am truly glad to hear that Tom is mended. I would strongly recommend a much longer Sea Voyage, say to Portugal or America. -
                                                I am            Dear Sir
                                                                        Truly yours
                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r

P.S. I am quite alone here. My father is in Scotland. Mr Boulton at Cheltenham, not for any illness, but to prevent one. Mr. M. Boulton & his Sister at Scarborough. Gregory at present in Shropshire, Lawson in South Wales & Creighton in Cumberland.''

 

 

AD1583/10/78
Letter,
Trevithick to Wilson regarding savings on Wheal Leeds engine
Item1
folio
Manuscript
24 Sep 1798

Endorsed:            R[ichar]d Trevithick 24th Sept[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro

                                                            ''Camborne Sep[tember] 24th 1798
Sir /

            Yours of the above date just come to hand in which you propose next Monday for settling Wh[ea]l Leeds saveings. I can not give you an immediate a[nswer res]pecting the time that may be m[ost] agreeable to the Adv[enture]rs but will call on them within the time proposd and send you the result I expect that Day will be suteable to some or one of them who will be in power to settle for the Whole consarn.
                                                            I am Sir your very H[um]b[le] Ser[van]t
                                                        Rich[ar]d Trevithick''

 

 

AD1583/10/79
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding arrears from Ding Dong mine
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
26 Sep 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 26 Sept[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
     Truro

                                                                                    Soho 26 Sep[tembe]r 1798
Dear Sir
            I have your favour of the 20th Inst[an]t w[hic]h is already in part answered by mine of the 19th - If the time is right stated for Dingdong, you are right in the Sum.
            You will please to observe that it is our positive determination to have nothing to do with the Mine, nor its resolutions. We expect to deal with Trevithick solely & must have his bond for the arrears, unless he prefers paying it with the principal. This was his original proposal as stated by you in your letters of the 7th & 20th August. - We beg you will get this affair brought to an early conclusion, as more time has been bestowed upon it already than it deserves.
                        I am            D[ea]r Sir
                                                Truly Yours
                                                            J Watt Jun[io]r.''

 

 

AD1583/10/80
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding premiums from Wheal Jewel and Wheal Gorland
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
30 Sep 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt Sept[embe]r 30 1798-
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Thomas Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                                Soho 30th Sep[tembe]r 1798
Dear Sir

             Your favour of the 29th Inst[an]t is at hand & I am sorry to remark that you have most compleatly misunderstood me in relation to the Wh[ea]l Jewel & Wh[ea]l Gorland Affairs. -
            In my fathers letter to Mr. Tremayne of which a Copy was sent you purposely for your Government, is the following passage.
            ''having lately in several Instances modified our Prem[iu]m to 2/3 of the former Sum, we think it equitable that those Mines which have uniformly manifested a friendly disposition should reap the benefit of this alteration. We propose therefore in such instances, to make an unsolicited concession of 1/3 of our Premium. - Wh[ea]l Jewel & Wh[ea]l Gorland, in which we believe you are interested, are in this predicament, and we shall accordingly instruct Mr. Wilson to settle our future demands upon these Mines on the modified Premium &c.'' -
            Upon this you make the following very proper remark in your favour of the 16th August. ''Have you considered, in what you have written to Mr. Tremayne, that the Adv[enture]rs of Wh[ea]l Gorland & Wh[ea]l Jewel have been paying only single Premium, though working double''. -
            This undoubtedly had not been taken into consideration, and as I wrote you word on the 23rd of August, desiring you to explain my father's mistake to Mr. Tremayne and beg the favour of him to pass it over in silence.
            By this mistake, I could be supposed to mean nothing else than the one you had pointed out; viz, my father's ignorance of the fact, that the Engines alluded to, paid only single Premium, whilst working double. Indeed, the propriety of Mr. Tremayne's being apprized of it in time to prevent his taking any steps to lower the Premiums of Wh[ea]l Jewel & Wh[ea]l Gorland, appeared to me sufficiently obvious, as by complying with the letter of our request, he would have acted very differently to what our real intentions were, & would have done us an Injury, whilst seeking to oblige us.
            In yours of the 16th Sep[tembe]r, You say you do not see any harm in what has been written to Mr. Tremayne, for you suppose he will be as much against entering such a resolution on the Mine books, as any of the other Adv[enture]'rs. But you think it best not to see him until you know whether he has written to us. -
            In Answer to this, I inform you in mine of the 19th Inst[an]t that Mr. T[remayne]. has not written, and that if it is probable you shall see him (meaning at Truro) before any meeting takes place, you need not be at the trouble of calling upon him on purpose but if that is not likely, (viz your meeting with him at Truro), you had better get the mistake rectified. By this I meant to say, that at all events you had better see him & inform him of my father's mistake.
            What is now to be done, I cannot say nor advise. There is nobody at home to consult with, and it strikes me that this demand of double Premium, must make us appear very inconsistent, when we are at the same time offering to Mr. Tremayne to lower it.
                                                                        I am
                                                                                                Yours &c
                                                                                                     J Watt Jun[io]r.''

 

 

AD1583/10/81
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding premiums from Wheal Jewel and Wheal Gorland
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
3 Oct 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 3rd Oct[obe]r 1798

Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
     Truro
                                                                                    Soho 3 Oct[obe]r 1798
Dear Sir
            Perhaps from our misunderstanding one another, good may result! I certainly had not any idea of advising you to claim the 2/3rds of D[ou]'ble Premium, but as you have done it, so be it.
            I am more reconciled to it, upon considering your letter of the 16th August, where I observe you say, that these Adv[enture]'rs have taken upon themselves to order new Cyl[inde]rs and to increase their power, without consulting us. These will certainly become the subject of fresh Injunctions in due time & we shall thank you to apprize the Adv[enture]rs of the danger to which they expose themselves.
            I see now that you can easily explain the apparent inconsistency of these proceedings to Mr. Tremayne & wish you to make a point of explaining the whole to him before you leave the County.            I am truly yours
                                                                                                            J Watt Jun[io]r.

[marginal] I was very much stupefied with a headach when I wrote on the 30th Ult[im]o, or should have seen that no great harm would result from the claim you had made''

 

 

AD1583/10/82
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding Wheal Unity, Wheal Leeds, Wheal Jewel and Wheal Gorland
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
14 Oct 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 14th Oct[obe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
     Truro
                                                                                    Soho 14 October 1798
Dear Sir
            We duly received Yours of the 4th Ins[tan]t covering Remittance for £91. 19 [shillings]. 1 [penny] on Acc[oun]t but as we have been in expectation of hearing from you again upon the sundry matters therein mentioned, we have hitherto deferred replying.
            We are desirous of learning the Issue of Wh[ea]l Unity meeting & also of your settlement for Wh[ea]l Leeds & of your having seen & explained your late demands to Mr. Tremayne.
                        We are respectfully, Sir
                                                Your ob[edien]t h[um]ble Ser[van]ts
                                                            for Boulton & Watt
                                                                        J Watt Jun[io]r''

 

 

AD1583/10/83
Letter, T Gundry to
Wilson regarding Wheal Jewel account
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
17 Oct 1799

Endorsed:            Tho[ma]s Gundry Ju[nio]r 17. Oct[obe]r 1799
Addressed to        Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro

''Mr. Wilson
            Sir /

            Wheal Jewell Acc[oun]t was last Week, when the Book was indebt upwards of £1900. - . - the Engine is sold, & the other Materials will also be sold in the Course of a few days, as soon as the Money for the Engine is rece[ive]d, which will be shortly being sold for ready Money; the amount of the Savings will be paid as ch[ar]g[e]d; - it is not at present in my power to pay you -
                                                            I am Sir
                                                                  Y[ou]r mo[st] obed[ien]t S[ervan]t
                                                                        Tho[ma]s Gundry S[enio]r.
Goldsithney
     17 October 1799}''

 

 

AD1583/10/84
Letter,
Trevithick to Wilson regarding payment of savings on Wheal Leeds engine
Item
1 large sheet
Manuscript
6 Nov 1798

Endorsed:            R[ichar]d Trevithick 6th Nov[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro

                                                            ''Camborne Nov[embe]r 6th 1798
Mr. Willson
            Sir /
            I wo[ul]d thank you to let mee know what day will sute with you to meet Cap[tai]n Hodge and my self at Truro to fineally settle Wh[ea]l Leeds Engine Saveings.
                                                                        Your very Humble Serv[an]t
                                                                       Rich[ar]d Trevithick

NB I am under an engagements next Friday Saturday, and wednesday in next week please to give two or three Days notice that Cap[tai]n Hodge may make it conveeent [convenient] also''

 

 

AD1583/10/85
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding argument in the King's Bench, and other matters
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
17 Nov 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt Nov[embe]r 17 - 1798-
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr. Wilson
     Truro
                                                                                    London 17th Nov[embe]r 1798

Dear Sir
            The Argument came on yesterday in the Kings Bench, and the court ordered that a second should take place in Hilary term which commences the end of January. The decision of these Judges cannot till then be known, nor can their opinions be come at from any thing which passed yesterday. They are evidently feeling their way & have not yet got over the old stumbling blocks which embarassed the Judges of the Common Pleas in the outset of the Cause. A second Argument will probably enlighten their understandings.
            Perhaps however, it may be the wish of the Judges, that a cause of such importance to patentees, should be decided by the supreme tribunal of the Kingdom, the House of Lords, and in that case a decision pro formā will be given against us. I only mention this as possible, for I should hope they will save us that expence.
            In any event, the Injunctions will be continued until the expiration of the term, or the final decision of the Case, which may not be for a couple of Years to come if we are sent to the House of Lords. We shall there be certainly freed from all the embarassments of legal quibbles, & judged by the rules of common sense & common equity and are confident that the issue will be equally favourable with that of the Commons in 1792.

            I have thought it necessary to say thus much to put you & our friends on your guard against misrepresentation, which we have no doubt will be as much resorted to on this, as on former occasions, and must ever be the resort of a bad cause and of bad men. - One thing very favourable occurred at the Conclusion of the Argument Yesterday, Lord Kenyon said, that the length of time, which this patent had been acquiesced in, operated very strongly in our favour, & that alone seemed to weigh much with him.
            I am not sure whether you may have been written to respecting the cases of Wh[ea]l Jewell & Wh[ea]l Gorland. I believe the sentiments of all parties at Soho & here to be, that Wh[ea]l Jewel should continue to pay as heretofore for their present Engine, but that whenever they erect a new one, it should be put upon the footing of 2/3rds.
            The same with respect to Wh[ea]l Gorland. - It cannot be expected that we are to show any particular favour to Engines erected without our concurrence and where we do not think ourselves over handsomely treated.
            We shall leave town in the course of next week. Your Annual account will be acceptable at Soho, whenever it suits your convenience & I am respectfully

                                                                        D[ea]r Sir
                                                                                    Your obed[ien]t h[um]ble Serv[an]t
                                                                                                J Watt Jun[io]r.

P.S. Please to write to Mr Weston all that has lately occured at the United Mines. Send him a Copy of the Notice fixed up by Daniell & others and let him have a list of the Adventurers. -''

 

 

AD1583/10/86
Letter,
Watt junior to Wilson regarding terms of payment for engines
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
18 Nov 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 18th Nov[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
''Mr. Wilson
            Truro
                                                                                    London 18 Nov[embe]r 1798
D[ea]r Sir

            In reply to your favour of the 16th Inst[an]t there can be no objection to putting Trescaw, or any other Engines upon the same footing as Wh[ea]l Leeds: We had indeed much rather they were put upon that footing, but we will never agree to any farther abatement whatever upon the favourable terms that have already been allowed them for the monthly payments, which in future you will please to demand monthly, or as often as their Accounts are held. -
            You will inform Trevithick that if the affair of Wh[ea]l Leeds is not settled this week, we shall immediately apply for an Attachment and if you possibly can, you will please to send us up affidavits of his working the Engine.
                        I am in haste, intending soon to return to Soho,
                                                            D[ea]r Sir
                                                                        Yours truly
                                                                                    J Watt Jun[io]r.

Do not delay giving all the information you can about the United Mines, I am waiting here solely to receive it & push that matter on. - You will please also to state all the particulars that have passed between yourself & Trevithick relative to Wh[ea]l Leeds, in case the Ag[reemen]t is not immediately concluded & the Money paid. -''

 

 

AD1583/10/87
Letter, E Fox to
Wilson enclosing draft from the Polgooth Adventurers
Item
1 sheet
Manuscript
24 Nov 1798

Endorsed:            Edw[ar]d Fox Nov[embe]r 1798 -
Addressed to:       Thomas Wilson, Truro

''Thomas Wilson                                                            Wadebridge Nov[embe]r 24th 1798 -
Resp[ecte]d Friend
                                                            Enclosed is my d[ra]ft on Robarts & Co[mpany] value £210 in full for the Sum demanded by Boulton & Watts from Polgo[oth] Adv[enture]rs & which I consider to be £84 more than they are justly entitled to - this Sum is not likely to be much felt by those who have improperly paid it - nor do I think it will add much to the real comfort of our Birmingham friends - when they cooly reflect on the impropriety of their Claim - be pleased to acknowledge the receipt in course of post to
                                                                        Thy Ass[ure]d Friend
                                                                                    Edw[ar]d Fox

NB Is there no probability of geting the Roundwood Accounts closed -''

 

 

AD1583/10/88
Letter,
Trevithick to Wilson regarding forthcoming meeting in Truro
Item
1 small folio
Manuscript
25 Nov 1798

Endorsed:            R[ichar]d Trevithick 25th Nov[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro

                                                            ''Camborne Nov[embe]r 25. 1798
Mr. Willson
            Sir /
        I rec[eive]d yours last night and will call on Cap[tai]n Hodge to fix an early day for Meeting you at Truro.
                                    I am Sir your very H[um]ble Ser[van]t
                                        Rich[ar]d Trevithick''

 

 

AD1583/10/89
Letter,
Trevithick to Wilson regarding him and Captain Hodge meeting with Wilson next morning
Item
1 sheet
Manuscript
26 Nov 1798

Endorsed:            R[ichar]d Trevithick 26th Nov[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro

                                                                        ''Marazion Nov[embe]r 26. 1798
Mr. Wilson.
            Sir /
               Cap[tai]n Hodge and my self will call on you in the Morning Respecting Wh[ea]l Leeds.

                                                            I am Sir your H[um]ble Ser[van]t
                                                            Rich[ar]d Trevithick''

 

 

AD1583/10/90
Letter, Boulton & Watt to
Wilson regarding disputes with Edward Fox and with Richard Trevithick
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
30 Nov 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt 30th Nov[embe]r 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thom[a]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

                                                                        ''Soho Nov[embe]r 30th 1798
Mr T Wilson
            Dear Sir
             Your favors of the 26th & 27th Ins[tan]t, the former covering Bills value £363. 15 [shillings]. 10 [pence] are at hand & the am[oun]t at your credit -
            If Mr Fox had disproved the justice or propriety of our claim we should have thought his letter entitled to our serious consideration, but as he has chosen to reply to argument by invective we think it unnecessary to enter into any further vindication of our demand. Our comfort will not be disturbed by any reflexions upon our own conduct in this transaction, nor shall we ever feel any compunction from enforcing our just claims, more especially where former indulgencies are requested by such letters as Mr Foxe's.
            The purport of your answer to it appears to us very proper & whenever we should think ourselves called upon to vindicate our demand we shall not dispair of doing it to our mutual satisfaction -
            We think you have shewn rather too much levity to Trevithick & his colleague Hodge - Our negotiation was understood to be with Trevithick & by no means with the Adv[entur]ers of Wh[ea]l Leeds or their representative Hodge - Trevitick was acquainted with our terms before the Engine was or ought to have been erected & he had therefore sufficient grounds for his agreem[en]t with the Adven[ture]rs. From the many repeated instances of his duplicity we are rather incredulous to his pretences for a modification on the arrears - We are rather inclined to think that the positive assurance of an attachment being the consequence of his transgressions would have induced him to comply with the original terms - The difference in a pecuniary point of view, between their & your settlement is not of any moment but we particularly wish you at this conjuncture to withold any consessions which can be construed by our opponents as implying weakness - We are not surprised at the industry of Maberley in spreading prejudicial rumours or the avidity with which they are recieved by our cornish opponents, - but you are sufficiently acquainted with the course of legal proceedings to know that if the issue of the business in the Kings bench was to be such as they pretend to expect, we should carry it to the Lords - Here legal quirk upon which they solely rest their hopes would be of little avail & the merits of our case since the trial at Com[mo]n Pleas cannot be disputed. -
            We shall thank you to furnish us with your Acc[oun]t with[ou]t waiting for the settlement of the business with Cooks Kitchen &c.
            We are
                                    D[ea]r Sir            Your obed[ien]t humb[le] Serv[an]ts
                                                                        Boulton & Watt''

[the handwriting is that of Matthew Robinson Boulton]

 

 

AD1583/10/91
Letter, Boulton to
Wilson regarding his own financial situation
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
5 Dec 1798

Endorsed:            M[atthe]w Boulton Dec[embe]r 5th 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall

''Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson                                                London Decem[be]r 5 - 1798

Dear Sir
            I have rec[ei]vd in due Course your fav[ou]rs of ye 18, 19 & 30th In[stan]t which I intended answering sooner but I never can get half an hour to myself except at Midnight when I find my self too much fateagued to write, moreover it would add to the disorder I have contracted of lying awake all night & I must leave London in a day or too or I shall be seriously ill. -
            The letter I wrote to you last summer upon the subject of Bill Acc[oun]t containd my real sentiments & it would be unnecessary for me to make repeatitions of my opineon: at the same time I must repeat one sentiment which I believe I then expressd which is that although Mrs. Matt[e]ws & self object to a continued & growing Bill acc[oun]t as a thing that is injurious to Cred[i]t here, & has a ruinous tendency to the authors of it, Yet I shall have no objection to afford you any temporary accomodation in cases of need for the sum you mention or if I could conveniently spare the sum I had rather lend it you but the great losses I have lately rec[ei]vd in america, Amsterdam, & this country, added to the sum I have just advanced for George Wynde in the purchase of the Albion Mill Coal trade & to two other Relations (who must otherwise have perished) as well as a few more Thousands I am engaged to lend a friend you know before Lady day in consequence of a promise made by B[oulton]:&W[att]: some time since. But Mr W[att]: has wisely secured his money by laying it out in Terra firma & the greatest part will fall on me. I say in consequence of these & other such Circumstances my wings are Cropt or I would fly to your perminant assistance.
Moreover the Copper Coinage I am now engaged in requires a very large sum for no longer than I can command ready money no longer shall I be able to procure a supply of Copper nor even with money can I obtain a full supply: the consequences of which I fear will ultimately be injurious to Cornwall for if Gov[ernmen]t can't procure Copper at such a price as to execute the Coinage without great loss by one means they must & will adopt some other.
As to the plan of buying ores I approve it provided I could get them Smelted on reasonable terms to the extent of 400 Ton of Copper or 5 p[e]r Year.
Mrs Matthews has offerd to advance half but I fear from what you write that there is little chance of Roe & Co[mpany] contracting with me - Messrs Foxs have Copper to sell but they ask such a price as I cannot give without loss - I am willing to give them 108 in Wales & pay them ready money which is 5£. 14s[hillings]. 6d [pence] above the price they sold to the E[ast] In[dia] Co[mpany] & a certainty of the time of Cred[i]t commencing & time of payment.
Experience has convinced me of my error in agreeing to pay a p[e]r Centage above the Stand[ar]d price it being equally political to send 3 or 4 bidders to buy the same thing at an auction. If you think it practicable to agree w[i]th Roe I wish you would endeavour to accomplish it & calculate how much money it would require to carry it on to ye extent of 100 Ton of fine Copper p[e]r Quarter or if there is any other mode which occurs to you of procuring Copper without advancing the price I should be glad to embrace it.
I propose to set out homeward on Saturday morn[in]g & to return again in Jan[uar]y for I will never abandon our patent right untill it dies a natural death, being determind to fight it through Commons & Lords, if it should be found necessary.
with kind respects to Mrs. Wilson I remain
            Dear Sir   with great regard
                        Your faithfull & Obed[ien]t Serv[an]t
                                    Matt[he]w Boulton.

difference in terms to E[ast] I[ndia] Co[mpany] & those offerd by me

1 Mo[nth] longer going up                                    [£]0. 10 [shillings]. 0 [pence]
p[ai]d to Williams & Sons                                        1. 0. 0
3 Mo[nths] longer Cred[i]t                                        1. 10. 0
Brokerage to dist E[ast] Ind[ia] Bills                         0. 10. 0
Swansey to Branscomb & London                           2. 4. 6
                                                 [Total]                £5. 14. 6

besides lying in London a Mo[nth] or two before it is rece[i]vd or Cred[i]t Commences''

 

 

AD1583/10/92
Letter, Watt to
Wilson regarding matters of a financial nature
Item
1 folio
Manuscript
11 Dec 1798

Endorsed:            Boulton & Watt Dec[embe]r 11th 1798
Addressed to:       Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
                                                                        ''Soho Dec[embe]r 11th 1798
Mr Wilson /
            Dear Sir
            I immediately upon receipt of your letter transmitted it to Mr Boulton from whom I have yet had no answer upon the subject. I therefore now only write you to show I have not neglected the business, I feel myself much concerned that your difficulties have again prompted you to a step which must displease, but shall at present say no more on that head being persuaded your own feelings must point it out to you sufficiently.
            Mr Boulton is detained in London partly by his own business & partly by our chancery suit ag[ains]t the united mines who have put in an answer to our bill full of falsehoods as usual, to which we have put in a reply which we expect will prove satisfactory & confirm the injunction, in spite of the hopes they have formed from the late proceedings in Kings bench.
            You ask my advice in your own affairs, I am realy at a loss how to give it. The only thing which occurs to me is the lessening your concerns by disposing of your works at Penryn unless your partners will take some measures to put in their shares of money or otherwise procure it. At present I believe loans of money are very difficult to be procured even upon the best securities, for beside the extraordinary interest in the stocks bargains are to be had of Land & other property which are more tempting than mere interest, and the taxes now proposed will oblige every body to make the best use of their money.
            Your son Charles keeps his health very well & his behaviour gives satisfaction but is not yet of so much use as we could wish from his being so much behind in his education, but I hope that by diligence he will be able to make it up. It gives me pleasure to hear such good accounts of Tom who I hope will continue to gain strength, otherwise I would recommend another voyage.
                        I remain   with Comp[limen]ts to Mrs Wilson & family
                                                Dear Sir
                                                            Your's Sincerely
                                                                        James Watt

Your letter with the accounts is just rec[eive]d''

 

 
 
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