AD1583/7 Correspondence, volume 7 Series
82 items
Manuscript
1 Jan 1794-19 Dec 1794
AD1583/7/1 Letter, Boulton to Wilson regarding
purchasing of ores Item
1 folio
Manuscript
1 Jan 1794
Endorsed:
Mr Math[e]w Boulton - Jan[uar]y 1st 1794
Addressed to: Mr Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall, By Bristol
''Soho January 1st
1794
Mr Thomas Wilson
Dear Sir
Since my last I have rec[ei]vd from Mr Villers a Copy of
a letter from the M[ine]s Roy[a]l Co[mpany] to him as Chairman of
the Rose Copper Co in whose name all my Ores have been bought - I
have also sent a Copy of it to Christoe & have desired him to settle
with the W[hea]l Unity adventurers about your Ores.
I am willing to take them at the Stand[ar]d they were bought at (84)
provided they will make a just allowance for the Fluccony Ores, such
as is usaly made in those ores.
I will thank you to see Christoe & advise him & me what is best
to be done for if I am to allow 28 lb [pounds] in every Barrow it
will be = to 90 stand[ar]d.
I have just received a line from ye M.R.Co promising to make up
what they have shipt for me, 25 Ton & if they do that in good time I
shall need to Trespass on you for so much as I proposed - I hope Mr
Place & Holbrook will act in concert for my Wishes & wants & I doubt
not but they will haveing written to them for that purpose.
May you Mrs Wilson & all your Children see many very many happy
returns of this day is the fervent wish of Dear sir Your faithfull
friend.
M:
Boulton
Your last is
before Westons''
AD1583/7/2 Letter, Pearson to
Wilson regarding account of Messrs R W Fox & Co Item
1 folio
Manuscript
7 Jan 1794
Endorsed:
Mr Ja[me]s Pearson 7th Jan[uar]y 1794
Addressed to: Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
[Gives table of
accounts showing Messrs R W Fox & Co, debtors to Boulton & Watt]
''Soho near Birmingham Jan[uar]y 7 1794
Mr. Thomas Wilson
Sir
The enclosed Draft for the above Acco[un]t we beg you
will get accepted, and return it to us, without bringing the
same into your Acco[un]ts with us. we have already paid as above,
without charging one farth[in]g of profit. - we wish you to get
pay[men]t from Hewas Adv[enture]rs and from Cardrew Downs
Adv[enture]rs of the Goods sent them, Our credit on Materials being
only three mo[nth]s from invoice date. - we are
Sir your
most obedient servant
For Boulton & Watt
James Pearson''
AD1583/7/3 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
the collation of information on recusant engines Item
1 folio
Manuscript
9 Jan 1794
''Birm[ingha]m
Jan[uar]y 9th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
We have none of yours lately in reply to
your question, we believe you will not be wanted in London on
acc[oun]t of the Lawsuit with Bull, but believe we must see you on
the affair of the recusant Engines, on which points we intreat you
will collect all the information which you think can possibly
be wanted.
In respect to the Consols, we agree that you should
settle it in the way you ment[ione]d in yours of Dec[embe]r 10th,
say at £70 monthly, provided only the two Engines are continued to
be wrought.
Endeavour also to get Cardrew Downs ag[reemen]t
Concluded, we have not yet had the opinion of our Counsel on the
recusants.
I remain
D[ea]r Sir
Yours sincerely
James Watt''
AD1583/7/4 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
the collation of information on recusant engines Item
1 folio
Manuscript
9 Jan 1794
''Birm[ingha]m Jan[uar]y 9th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
I wrote to you today since which have letter from Mr
Weston, he thinks it may be proper to attack all the recusants
together, & wants particular states of all their cases, - United
Mines - Crenver - Wheal Gons - Sterland - Wheal Treasure - Godolphin
- we want names of Ad[venture]rs & a short History of each case with
the sums in arrear to the end of the year - what abatements are
conditional & what not in the former case we shall sue for the whole
- You will please in first place to make out this accounts & send Mr
Edwards to demand payment of the utmost we can have any pretence to
ask, & if meetings cannot be attended leave copy at the Count houses
& at the houses of the Managers. I have told Mr Weston that we have
desired you to do so if you do not hear from him in course of post
from Saturday next which please wait, as to sending the warning or
rather demands, in which you need use no other threat than that must
use such means as the Law directs to recover our property, On this
Account both of you & as may be wanted in London before term begins
but we shall give all the warning we can.
Jan[uar]y 10th perhaps any intimation threats of a
provecation are unnecessary, Mr Edwards must Judge, but the demands
should be formally made if Mr Weston does not advise other ways - I
have not seen Mr Boulton to day & have nothing farther to add except
that I remain
Dear Sir
Your's sincerely
James Watt''
AD1583/7/5 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
papers relating to the recusant engines Item
1 folio
Manuscript
14 Jan 1794
''Birm[ingha]m
Jan[uar]y 14th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir /
I have yours of the 8th - I am so vext &
perplexed with various matters that I never write except when
necessity compels, I am moreover much plagued with Stupefying
headaches -
I wrote you the other day to look out all papers
relating to the recusant Engines, Say all R.A. Daniels letters
concerning United Mines, J Mitchels D[itt]o - Harris's D[itt]o -
Goldophin D[itt]o - Richards relating Wheal Treasury - Wheal Gons
letter Herland D[itt]o - whether relating to claim of abatements a
bargain for premiums, in short every scrap of paper that can throw
any light on these transactions & write on the back of each what it
contains.
In respect to Tin I cannot advise you to send any we
have 8 blocks unsold & I believe the demand is very small - I am now
looking over all your letters for 10 years back which is a heavy
business but I hope will pay - I remain
Yours &c
James
Watt''
AD1583/7/6 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
Bull's attorneys visiting Mr Weston Item
1 folio
Manuscript
15 Jan 1794
''Birm[ingha]m
Jan[uar]y 15th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
I have yours of ye 12th. I thought I had
acknowledged the rec[eip]t of Bulls previous advertisement which I
sent to Mr Weston who was much enraged at it, And said that it
contained sev[era]l Lies thus B[ull]. did not call on him or he
w[oul]d have turned him out, however he found since that he staid at
the door, while the Att[orne]ys were with Mr W[esto]n - to day Mr
Weston writes, that after all their insolence they have not got
their special case ready & probably may by that means attempt to put
off the term.
I am getting well on in the perusal of your letters &
would get faster did they not renew old grievances they however rub
up my memory.
I shall as soon as I know any own time, I shall write
you off to London but be well prepared, Mr Weston has no objection
to you making formal demands from the Adventurers & I think you
sh[oul]d write Mr Kevill a friendly letter as he stands a principal.
I remain D[ea]r Sir
Your's &c
James Watt''
AD1583/7/7 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
the collation of information regarding recusant adventurers Item
1 folio
Manuscript
16 Jan 1794
''Birm[ingha]m
Jan[uar]y 16th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
I have yours of 13th - Mr Weston was only to
write to you in case he disapproved of giving note to the
Adv[enture]rs by a regular demand, & approving did not write, I am
well pleased with the Statement you sent & have this day forwarded
it to Mr Weston; but I want the names places of abode & designations
of the Adv[enture]rs to be prosecuted more correctly, say without
one letter being mispelt. It is probable we shall attach them in
Chancery, but of that nothing must be let abroad, perhaps not to Mr
Ed[war]ds.
You have no adequate idea of the delays of Law & the
necessity of being well advised before we take any steps, besides
the difficulty of making out a clear case, which is what I am now
labouring at though very unequal to the Task and not over hopeful of
success yet I must do my duty to partner family & self.
I remain
yours &c J Watt''
AD1583/7/8 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
the collation of information regarding recusant adventurers Item
1 folio
Manuscript
17 Jan 1794
''Birm[ingha]m
Jan[uar]y 17th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
I wrote to you yesterday, to day have yours
of the 14th have wrote to know if Mr B[?]ls cannot be made to
produce the deed in question but in the mean time you should learn
what proof there is that he has it & that it is ex[cute]d.
What I wrote about is the names and designations & abode
of the principal adv[enture]rs in these mines yesterday Correctly
written at length. How many names will be wanted I do not know, but
shall in a few days - I think with you that Herland may be omitted
at present, we have enough on our hands.
My headache is better today & I remain
Dear Sir
Yours sincerely
James
Watt''
AD1583/7/9 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
missing United Mines deed Item
1 folio
Manuscript
20 Jan 1794
Endorsed:
Mr Ja[me]s Watt 18 Jan[uar]y 1794
Addressed to: Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
''Birm[ingha]m
Jan[uar]y 18th 1794
Mr Wilson
Dear Sir
I have totally forgot what was done with the
United Mines Deed, which was amissing & found with you. I think you
brought to London, but what was done with it I know not - It is not
in our Strong Box here.
Nothing new since my letter of yesterday, I remain
D[ea]r Sir
Yours &c
J Watt''
AD1583/7/10 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
Bull's attorneys' refusal to send copy of Special Case Item
1 folio
Manuscript
20 Jan 1794
''Birm[ingha]m
Jan[uar]y 20th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir /
I have yours of 16th. Mr Weston says that
''Bulls attornies refuse to communicate Copy of their Special Case,
which will serve to shew the court their total want of Candour. Mrs
Wilsons intention to come to town I suppose continues. I want the
names of some of the Adv[enture]rs in each mine, except Herland, in
order to commence the process ag[ains]t them''.
As I transmitted him what you sent before I suppose he
wants the particulars I mentioned to you, which when procured
correctly, I think I may venture to desire you to set out for London
where I propose to meet you & shall set out on wednesday or thursday,
but if you arrive first please go to Mr Weston & make appointment
when you shall meet him to give the desired Information. Please keep
up your Spirits, I do not despair, though I do not hope too much.
I remain Dear Sir
Yours sincerely
James
Watt''
AD1583/7/11 Letter, Pearson to
Wilson regarding receipt of bill Item
1 folio
Manuscript
1 Feb 1794
Endorsed:
Ja[me]s Pearson Feb[ruar]y 1 1794
Addressed to: Mr. Thomas Wilson.
''Soho
1st Feb[ruar]y 1794
Mr. Thomas Wilson
Sir
Your favour to Ja[me]s Pearson of 31st
Ult[im]o covers a Bill value One Hundred and Eighty Four Pounds
eighteen Shillings & four pence which we have placed to your credit;
and Observe what you say respecting the Draft we sent to you on
Messrs RW: Fox & Co[mpany]. We are
Sir
Your Ob[edient] hum[ble]
Ser[van]ts
For Boulton & Watt
James Pearson''
AD1583/7/12 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
Bull's employment of a Clerk in Chancery Item
1 folio
Manuscript
17 Feb 1794
An
Application to the Judge to know when he w[oul]d see Counsel on the
Case, he s[ai]d he w[oul]d not see any on the subject but desired to
have it with their alterations & our objections & he w[oul]d settle
it himself. He has had it & there it lies.
Bull has employed no Attorney here but a clerk in
Chancery to answer the bill which they say they will do to morrow &
that their ans[we]r shall be as long as our bill, they say we shall
not have an injunction for want of an answer. So much the better as
if we get it then it will be absolute.
The Chancery clerks talks very big, & I suppose Bull by
the the advise of his Cornish Counsellors will swear through thick &
thin, but if we can catch him woe be unto him - Mr B[oulton]. is
well. I have no other news, but with Comp[limen]ts to Mrs Wilson
I remain
Yours &c J Watt
I will be
obliged to you to write to me as soon as may be, whether there is
any probability of my son being accepted as an active partner in
y[ou]r Iron Works''
AD1583/7/13 Letter, Watt Junior to Wilson regarding
purchase of copper cake, and Bull's Special Case Item
1 folio
Manuscript
22 Feb 1794
Endorsed:
Mr Watt Jun[io]r 22 Feb[ruar]y 1794
Addressed to: Mr. Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
''Mr. Tho[ma]s
Wilson
Truro
London 22 Feb[ruar]y
1794
Dear Sir /
I am ordered by Messrs Boulton & Watt to reply to your
two favours of the 17th & 19th Ins[tan]t the hurry of business
preventing them from doing it themselves. -
First, in answer to you letter to Mr. Boulton; he is
satisfied with the terms upon which you have settled the purchase of
the 20 Tons of tough Cake Copper from Messrs Fox & observes that if
it can be made convenient to those Gent[leme]n he would prefer
having it all at once, on account of the advantage he would enjoy of
shipping it in the same boat on the Canal; but if this arrangement
should them to any material inconvenience, it may be forwarded in
the way you point out, one half this & the other half next spring.
Mr. Bull does not intend answering our case, but to put
in a Plea, that is to agree the question by Counsel, which is to
take place on the 23rd March. The Judge has examined the Special
Case & struck out several of their observations & made other
alterations rather in our favour than otherwise; so that the
questions to be argued are reduced simply to these,
1st Are the Patent and Act of Parliament valid in
Law?
2nd Is the Specification sufficient in law to
support the Patent?
My father returns home tonight and Mr. B[oulton] proposes leaving
town on Wednesday next. -
Dear Sir / Yours very sincerely
James Watt
Jun[io]r''
''We Certainly
can make no abatement to any of the recusants without giving up on
our own Cause J: Watt''
AD1583/7/14 Letter, Pearson to
Wilson regarding sales of tin Item
1 folio
Manuscript
26 Feb 1794
Endorsed:
Ja[me]s Pearson 26 Feb[ruar]y 1794
Addressed to: Mr. Thomas Wilson. Truro, Cornwall
[Gives table showing Account for Sales of 10 Blocks Tin sent by Mr
Thomas Wilson in May 1793]
''Mr. Thomas
Wilson Soho near
Birm[ingha]m 26 Feb[ruar]y 1794
Sir
In answer to your fav[ou]r of 9 Dec[embe]r &
17th ins[tan]t addressed to J Pearson, you have, as above, sales of
Tin shipped in May last on board W[illia]m & Jane Jno [John] Cundy
master, the neat proceeds whereof £144. - [shillings]. 8 [pence] is
at your credit and we beg you will give us credit for what part
there of belongs to us. - The part of your Letter which related to
Buckles was shown to Boulton & Smiths but could obtain no
satisfactory answer from them. It seems you cannot be supplied soon
unless Mr. Boulton himself gives orders to execute your order before
others that they have had for along while. Mr B[oulton]. is expected
here in two Days. - We are
Sir
Your very Ob[edient] Ser[van]ts
For Boulton & Watt
James
Pearson.''
AD1583/7/15 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
Wheal Butson, Wheal Treasure and Godolphin mines Item
1 folio
Manuscript
6 Mar 1794
Endorsed:
6th March 1794. James Watt, Wheal Treasure, Godolphin, Wheal Butson
''Birm[ingha]m Mar[ch] 6th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
I have yours of the 3[r]d your answer to
Godolphin has been very proper, the matter shall be taken up in the
end of this letter. Mr Weston says in regard to Wh[ea]l Treasure,
that we ought not to agree to anything less than their paying us the
arrears, & either to leave off using Bulls Engine or to pay us for
it, the same as if we had made it, & even this he considers as a
relaxation, as it is freeing them from the damages they would be
subjected to for infringing our Patent: But he adds that if the
affair could be generally so compromised he would advise it, and he
advises us not to stop the Chancery Suit against them on other
terms. He thinks their offer insidious & calculated to purchase the
right of trampling upon our patent.
He recommends an Agreement with the purchasers of Wheal
Butson in the style of the Blank now sent in which the underlined
words are essential & may tend to prevent disputes. If there
is any part however which you think will not go down dont offer it.
The red ink clause on the last page, I do not think absolutely
necessary in a cornish Mine, but would not be improper if it would
go down, we put it in all since the late Bankruptcies. Mr Weston has
been again with the Judge who has satisfied him, that the
alterations he has made in the Special case are favourable our
having a fair discussion of the Question.
Mr Boulton is arrived but I have not seen him yet & must
give you my own opinion in respect to Godolphin, which is exactly
comformable to your own Vizt that they must pay the present demand,
from which we cannot relax an account of precedent, nor should we be
asked after being so grossly brarred & insulted, besides being put
to such an enormous expence in defending our right against
interested Malice.
That demand paid in regard of their being the first to
come in we shall consider them as having made peace with us & shall
consider their necessities as we do than of others. We are very
sorry that the Duke of Leeds & Mr Rowe should be invalued with the
rest but we expect they will be Just enough not to accuse us for a
conduct we have been forced into by their Agents, very much against
our own inclinations, when we make abatements, we must be made
sensible by accounts & not mere allegations that there is reason for
them & after all we must be the absolute Judges of our own gifts.
With Comp[limen]ts to Mr Wilson I
remain
Dear Sir
Your's
affect[iona]tly
James Watt''
AD1583/7/16 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
the illness of Mr Wilson's son Item
1 folio
Manuscript
10 Mar 1794
Endorsed:
Mr Watt 10 March 1794
Addressed to: Mr Thomas Wilson, of Truro, post office, Chudleigh,
near Exeter
''Birm[ingha]m
Mar[ch] 10th 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
I have yours with the accounts, which I have
delivered to Mr Pear[s]on, who seems to understand them.
I am very much concerned to hear of your Sons illness,
which is of an extremely dangerous nature, In some cases here I have
known Mercury given with sucess. It was given in very large doses,
salivation being difficult to excite in such Cases. The form it was
given in I do not so well recollect but think both Mercurial
friction & the Blue pills were given, at different periods of the
disorder whether this is general practice or not I know not It was
Dr Williams, who prescribed it here.
Your Physicians will judge of the propriety of the
medicine & of the mode of application all I can say is that in such
desperate cases any thing which has any likely hood to succeed &
ought to be tried.
The only plea which Bull has set up in Chancery was ''that I had not
given in a proper specification within the time prescribed by
the patent'' our Lawyers, think this will not prelude our obtaining
an injunction ag[ains]t him. His counsel have got to the 18th to
an[swe]r Mr Boultons affidavit which is to the purport of the Bill
you saw.
Wishing you health & spirits to support the present
severe trial I remain
Dear Sir
Yours sincerely
James Watt
I find from Mr
Southern that the Mercury was exhibited in both the forms, I have
mentioned, at the same time, & that in that disease it not only does
not excite salivation, but does not affect the breath -''
AD1583/7/17 Letter, Boulton & Watt to Edwards Junior
regarding premium for Wheal Gons Item
1 folio
Manuscript
13 Mar 1794
Endorsed:
“Mr Watt to Mr Edwards Mar[ch] 13 1794'', also ''13th March
1794 Boulton & Watt About the offer of Mr Kevill on behalf of Wheal
Gons Adv[enture]rs''
Addressed to: Mr John Edwards Jun[io]r, Attorney at Law, Truro,
Cornwall
''Birm[ingha]m
March 13th 1794
Mr Jno [John] Edwards Jun[io]r /
Dear Sir
By letter from Mr Wilson We are sorry to
find that he has been called to Chudleigh to a attend a Son
dangerously ill there & his return consequently uncertain.
In his letter he mentions his having met our good Friend
Mr Kevill, who proposed ''that Wheal Gons should pay us our premium
in full to end of Dec[embe]r provided we would agree to abate ½ in
future till an alteration for the better took place'' It gives us
much pain that the conduct of the managers of that mine, should make
us even hesitate at complying with any of Mr Kevills requests; But
as we are now situated, it would look like a composition of our
right, which we came into from a doubt of it. You know that we have
absolutely refused similar proposals on the part of Wheal Treasure &
Godolphin, the former because they have one of Bulls Engines erected
in Contempt of us & the latter because, they have wrote us letters
of defiance, have employed Bull to attend their engine, and turned
off our man Pearson who was more capable of our business, lastly
employed Mr Wallis to confirm their defiance. We are very Glad for
the sake of some of our friends that Wheal Gons has not gone such
lengths, & that in fact they are the least guilty of all the
recusants, never the less they have been greatly to blame & ought to
have considered that the agreement would not be set aside by Bulls
gaining his cause.
You know of our sentiments of respect & esteem for Mr
Kevill & that we are disposed to do whatever he can as an
impartial person desire us to do & but the only thing we
think we can with due attention to ourselves do in this case, is
to propose that they should pay Mr Wilson, our premium to the end of
1793 upon account, & trust to us for our remaining demand, when we
may be more at liberty to follow our inclinations, The mine will
thus have made its peace with us & we think the risque or our
behaving harshly towards it, in regard to future premiums, is not
great.
It would however be remarked, that except in a very few
desperate cases, we have never abated more than one third. When Mr
Wilson returns he will converse with Mr K[evill]. on this subject,
at present we thought it our duty, to note the reception of his
obliging proposition of interference, and hope nothing will happen
to render it in vain.
We expect Mr Wilson has communicated to you the purport
of some of our late letters, therefore shall not repeat them. Bulls
plea in Chancery does not seem a Strong one vizt, thus I had not
given in a proper specification in due time. Our Counsel
thinks that will not avail him, there will be other hearing upon
18th - B[ull]. has lost one of his Counsel who is made a Judge,
which we think more against him than for him, as Etiquette forbids
him to act where he has been counsel, & though employed against us
it does not follow that he is so [this part missing] his own
opinion.
We beg that our respectful comp[limen]ts may be
presented to your father, to Mr Kevil to Mrs Wilson & other friends
& remain
D[ea]r Sir
Your
Obed[ien]t h[um]ble serv[ant]s
Boulton & Watt''
[the handwriting
is that of James Watt]
AD1583/7/18 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
the death of Mr Wilson's son Item
1 folio
Manuscript
20 Mar 1794
Endorsed:
Mr Watt March 20 1794
Addressed to: Mr. Tho[ma]s Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
''Birm[ingha]m
Mar[ch] 20th 1794
Mr Wilson
Dear Sir
I was much concerned to hear the event of
your sons illness, but not surprized, as the disease is generally
fatal, I hope your good sense, will enable you to bear & support Mrs
Wilson under this affliction, & that his loss may be made up to you
by your other children.
Yesterday we rec[eive]d advice that there had been a
hearing before the Chancellor, who though he has not yet absolutely
pronounced his order for the injunction Contra Bull has intimated
his opinion in our favour in the strongest terms. B[ull]. has
made a most impudent & lying affidavid he says among oy[e]r [other]
things that at Whitehall you told him that we did not proceed
ag[ains]t the Horn[blow]ers because we know our patent to be bad in
law, he also accuses E. Rogers of saying that by the time B. had had
2 or 3 Journeys to London he w[oul]d be obliged to drop the
business. Mrs W[att]. Joins me in best wishes to you & Mrs Wilson &
I remain
in haste
Y[ou]rs
J. W.''
AD1583/7/19 Letter, Westons to
Wilson regarding granting of Injunction against Bull Item
1 folio
Manuscript
22 Mar 1794
Endorsed:
A. & J. Weston 22nd March 1794
Addressed to: Thomas Wilson Esq[ui]r[e], Truro, Cornwall
''D[ea]r Sir
We
have great pleasure in informing you that the L[or]d Chancellor has
this Day granted an Injunction to restrain Mr. Bull from erecting
any more Engines upon Mr. Watt's Plan - and from compleating those
he had in hand; but the Engines now at Work are not at present to be
restrained from going on. We shall, however, proceed to put them
under some Terms, that will ultimately secure our friends from
Damage. You may give it out that we do not want to deprive the
Miners of Work, but only to make their Employers do us Justice.
Please to take Care that this is understood, especially as our
Notice of moving for the Injunction must necessarily in point of
form be to restrain the Engines from working: But it is our
intention to consent to some reasonable Modification of this, if the
Adventurers shall desire it. Bull had pleaded that the Specification
was not good; but the Chancellor has over-ruled that plea, and
ordered him to answer the Bill. Please to communicate this
Information to Messrs Edwards with our Compliments - ; not having
time to write to them. If you want to have a Copy of your Bill
against Bull, in order to enable you to proceed in your Stannary
Court upon the agreement you shewed me, you shall have it.
We are D[ea]r Sir y[ou]r most
obe[dien]t S[ervan]ts
A & J Weston.
Fenchurch Street
22 March 1794.
PS. You will of
course conceal as much as you can, the appearance of being elated by
the Victory we have obtained. - The less we say the better, eccept
to the Effect about mentioned. -''
AD1583/7/20 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
the case against Bull Item
1 folio
Manuscript
22 Mar 1794
''Birm[ingha]m Mar[ch] 22[n]d 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
Your's of the 19th only to day received. In
respect to the Copper Smith wrote to Mr B[oulton]. a few days ago,
saying that if he had some copper soon he could get tough from 98 to
100 money in 3 mo[nth]s. Mr B. referred him to you. Mr B. says that
for 10 tun tough to be delivered immediately he will give £95 at 6
mo[nth]s & will write you his mind more fully to day or to morrow.
You will consider this & do as you please, as well as in the bargain
you make with W[illia]ms In which I agreed with you that it will be
better to sell at the 6th months price - In respect to recusants we
hope the Chancellor from the Opinion he gave so Strongly in our
favour will soon bring them to their senses!! Bull in his affidavit
saith, that he was an able Engineer before he knew us - was a good
Mathematician, Arith[meticke]r Algebraist & Mechanick, & that he did
not acquire his knowledge of Mech[anic]ks from us nor in our service
- that his Engines are more Simple less expensive & better than
ours, & quite diff[eren]t - that in the special case it is only said
I had given in to Chancery a Specification &c & does not say a
par[ticula]r description - that any Spec[ificatio]n is not a
par[ticula]r description of my inv[entio]n & that if an engine were
made by it it would be of little or no effect - that he hath been at
all times anxous to have s[ai]d cause bro[ugh]t to issue, but that
our counsel have hindered it (he might have added his own also) and
that if it goes against him he hath no intention to appeal - that we
have enjoyed the patent 25 y[ea]rs & have got from Co[unty] of
Cornwall alone above £90,000 & that some of the deep Mines, had lost
£100,000 by working as he verily believes - that we were induced to
prosecute him from the idea that he was not able to withstand us &
that E. Rogers one of our known Agents had s[ai]d that by the time
he has erected two Engines & had been hurried a few times to London
his money w[oul]d be done - that he had no assurance of support from
any person whatsoever (his own impudence excepted) & that he is now
accountable & answerable for all the expenses of the s[ai]d cause -
that he believes we are consious that our specification is not a
good one & that you had told him in y[ou]r counting house at
Whitehall, that the reason why we did not prosecute Horn[blow]ers
was that we were afraid that our patent was not good (If you said so
you could not have done it upon our authority & we do not believe
him) - Saith that if we do not obtain an injunction we will soon
terminate the suit, but if we obtain it we may fight out the whole
term of the patent to his great loss - that if an injunction passes
it will deprive may hundred Miners of their bread, & would ruin
Hallamanin - that he hath no concern whatever with any of the
contracts which we have made with the Cornish Miners & that he never
stated that he had completely defeated us & that he had spoken to
the effect before stated vizt that our patent was bad, & that he
believed it was bad in law, good for nothing - that he hath no
influence in any of the Mines in Cornwall nor ever had, that
he is a stranger & that the adv[enture]rs are men of respect &
property & capable of judging for themselves & that we had set
forth only a small part of his advertisement which was penned only
in self defence''
You will please make & communicate your observations on
this curious performance of which I have only sent you abstract, it
being 3 sheets. If he could be convicted of perjury it would
be [text missing]. I am sure he merits it at least I verily believe
so.
With best Comp[limen]ts to Mrs Wilson & family I
remain Dear Sir
Yours
sincerely
James Watt
We all go for
Stafford on tuesday & will be absent some days''
AD1583/7/21 Letter, Watt to Wilson regarding
Injunction against Wheal Treasure Item
1 folio
Manuscript
23 Mar 1794
Endorsed:
Ja[me]s Watt 23 Mar[ch] 1794
Addressed to: Mr Thomas Wilson, Truro, Cornwall
''Heathfield Mar[ch] 23[r]d 1794
Mr Wilson /
Dear Sir
This post brought us the account of an
Injunction being granted ag[ains]t Bull of which Mr Weston has
informed you, & that the D[e]f[endan]ts party seemed strangly
depressed & affected as they well might, I say nothing about serving
the injunction as that is Mr Edwards business, but I beg you will
keep yourself out of harms way, & say to every body that we have no
intention of distressing any body any farther that we must for our
own security. In pursuance of which I shall tomorrow take my
affidavit on the Bill against Wheal Treasure, Injunction on which
will probably follow, as they can now set up no valid plea ag[ains]t
it & the Chancellor being fully impressed with the justice of our
cause & seems not to comprehend the meaning of the Question of Law,
which he desired their counsel to explain & they declined. We shall
wait anxiously your report of the effect of the injunction & trust
you will use all decent means of conciliation to the well
meaning part of the sufferers, at the same time they should know
that sooner or later if we are successful as we must have reason to
hope they must pay us for the use of Bulls Engines. they have
no right to expect any other. We shall propose you to the Chancellor
as agent in the business, if he orders the premium to be paid on
account during the suit & you will remember that there can then be
no abatements. You see that we at least have no reason to
complain of the slowness of the proceedings of the Court of
Chancery. It will be proper that you send to Mr Weston & to us the
premium which Bulls Wheal Treasure ought to pay by the month, as
well as What you think it would amount to by the tables. We are
unluckily both going to Stafford assizes & how long we may be kept I
know not but I shall return home as soon as I find myself at
liberty. Mar[ch] 24th I have nothing material to add, but least the
court should not chuse to appoint you receiver please to send
us the names of such Bankers as you think would be proper, With
Comp[limen]ts to Mrs Wilson
I remain
D[ea]r
Sir
Yours sincerely
James Watt''
AD1583/7/22 Letter, Westons to
Wilson regarding rejection of Bull's application to complete engines Item
1 folio
Manuscript
29 Mar 1794
Endorsed:
A. & J. Weston 29th March 1794
Addressed to: Thomas Wilson Esq[ui]r[e], Truro, Cornwall
''D[ear] Sir,
I have rec[eive]d your favour of 26th instant.
I have now the pleasure to inform you that Mr. Bull has
met with a further Dis-appointment. He moved the Court this
Day that he might be allowed to finish the Engines preparing
for Ding Dong & Hallamanin Mines: - but the Court rejected
the Application intirely - & would not hear of it, - referring him
totally to B[oulton] & W[att] - to make Terms with them - We gave
the Court to understand that we were ready to listen to reasonable
Terms, - and that we do not mean to deprive the Miners of
Employment.
We thank you for your approbation of our Conduct, and
are, D[ea]r Sir y[ou]r most ob[edian]t S[ervan]ts
A & J Weston.
Fenchurch Street
29 March 1794.
