Chiefs of Grant > Correspondence

456 ADDITIONAL GRANT CORRESPONDENCE. [1776.
534. James Grant, Younger of Corriemony, Advocate, to Sir James Grant — Letting and
Valuation of the lands of Urquhart.
Corriemony, 2 2d April 1776.
My dear Sir, — I was yesterday at Polmaly, and I find that Mr. M'Gregor has completed the
set of your lands to his satisfaction. Matters went on smoothly, and no noise, and very little
complaint is heard. Your rent roll, he informs me, is now, with the converted services and
what the woods now produce, above £1200 sterling yearly, — forty years' purchase of which
is £48,000 sterling, — so that your estate of Urquhart appears to me to be an easy purchase
at £50,000 sterling. Shoglie and Lochletter, you know, pay not above a third, or perhaps a
fourth of their value. There are about 1700 acres of arable ground in your estate, each of
which, with the grass annexed to them, is undoubtedly worth twenty shillings sterling. The
improvable ground is considerable, and the woods, particularly the woods of Eusgaich, will
make very considerable returns. Your estate of Strathspey is still farther removed from its
value than your estate of Urquhart. Your low country estates are nearer their value than your
Highland estates. I should therefore think it more for the interest of your family to part
with your low country estates than with your Highland estates. If you can preserve Strathspey
and Urquhart, you preserve a very large territory, which in all probability will secure to your
family a larger income than all your estates at present afford. Besides that, by parting with
your Highland property, the weight and influence of your family is lessened, in the view of
internal strength and resources in times of danger.
When I spoke of the value of this country, I delivered you the opinion of Colonel
Grant's nearest relations in this country. Lochletter has said, not to me, but to a person who
acquainted me of his opinion of the value of your estate in this country, that it is worth
£50,000 sterling, so that if Colonel Grant is worth that sum, you may expect an offer to that
amount. I have laid before you my idea of the value of this country. Mr. M'Gregor will, I
presume, give you his notion of the value of your estate of Urquhart. There is nobody better
acquainted with the quality of its soil, its grazings, and its advantages in general. If you
find yourself disposed to part with this country, it is the duty of those who wish prosperity
to your family to lay before you its advantages and disadvantages. I have said what occurred
to me upon the subject ; I will be forgiven when I add that I shall be sorry to see you put
your hand to a disposition of this country to any man upon earth for £50,000. If this
country, I mean the kingdom of Great Britain, or Scotland shall remain any time in a pros-
perous situation, the interest of money must fall. The exigencies of government will render
necessary a diminution of the legal interest, which ought to be considered in the sale of lands.
I make offer of my best wishes to Lady Grant and the children, and ever am, my dear Sir,
Your very affectionate and most obedient humble servant,
James Grant.
To Sir James Grant of Grant, Baronet, Edinburgh.