Series 5 > British Linen Company, 1745-1775

CRISIS AND RECOVERY, 1753-1763
151
To William Dalrymple, Cadiz1
6 March 1762
On the other side I transmit you invoice of those linens your Mr Dalrymple
purchased from the British Linen Company in Febry 1761 on account of the
joint concern of the house at Cadiz amounting to £,825 4/5 certain, and in
the event of their bringing at Cadiz a sum beyond cost and charges, the
Company to be paid £36 10/11 more making in that event in all _£861 15/4.
This additional price is vouched by the following paragraph in Mr D [alrym-
ple] ’s letter to me dated 7th May 1761, ‘I am sorry that it is absolutely necessary
for me to accept the deduction of Id per yd but without that circumstance my
house must inevitably be great losers and even with it I dont expect to clear
any more but prime cost and charges, which if I do I shall think my labour
well employed. If any more should arise on them I will make good the half
penny per yd as per our agreement.’ And by another letter 7th Nov 1761, he
writes ‘The last 20 boxes ofBritannias got safe to market and I believe are sold,
I have desired my house to send home the accounts that I may communicate
it to you.’ The proceeds of the purchase have not yet been communicated to
me so must refer this matter to yourselves. The cause of my commencing a
correspondence to you jointly is the late misfortunes that has attended Mr
Dalrymple in his private concerns which renders it absolutely necessary for this
Company to apply to you for payment, lest by any mistake for giving credit
for the goods in your books you be brought to pay twice. And this likewise I
have intimated D[alrymple] at London that he may conduct himself accord¬
ingly with his personal creditors. The goods purchased in February 1761 were
sent by agreement to London, difficulties were made by Mr D[alrymple] as to
the price charged. And it happened that until May thereafter the goods were
not shipped for Spain, from which the credit runs of 12 months.
And I now beg that you will against May next, be pleased to order the
payments as aforementioned of £825 4/5 certain or in the event of their having
been sold to better account (which I flatter myself has been the case) you will
order the payment of £861 15/4 and advise me to whom I shall approach for
the payment in Britain, or if that you will remit me here. Give me leave from
my acquaintance with Mr Dalrymple to regret his ill success and the misfor¬
tunes he has met with and to assure you that if anything in my power were
Forwarded to the care of Mr Duff at Gibraltar per the Friendship, Captain Passmore.