Series 4 > William Melrose in China, 1845-1855

1850 rxy
The fright will do good if Shakespeare is right when he says ‘ sweet
are the uses of adversity’,1 and at least it will make me look well
before I buy very common tea again.
I will have the room made all comfortable for you before you
arrive and I hope you will find it cool. I went into Turner’s tea
room the other day to see some of the Shanghai samples but it
was terribly hot; the sun was coming right down the skylight. I
looked at two or three of them but said it was so hot I could not
stay in it any longer. Their tea taster said, you’re quite right, young
Thorburn2 when he was in here one day got a stroke of the sun
and had to get his head blistered afterwards, so I took good care
not to go back again. But when Thorburn was in, the shade was
not drawn so it must have been much hotter than when I was in.
But my house is cool in comparison and a fine breeze generally
through it all day. Although it is but a poor China one, and not
very big, yet it is as comfortable as any of the factory ones and more
than most of them, and that is the great thing out here. I can get
no more to say. I have just a line to write to Eliza and then send
them all off. Hoping you are well.
William to Andrew Melrose and Company
Canton, 22 July 1850
I have your letters of May and beg to acknowledge receipt of
seconds of the bills received last month to the amount of ,£43,000.
I have little to advise this mail. The market here still remains
unopened although about 380 chops are down. Exchange keeps
high and that, with the low prices for fine Congou at home, makes
foreigners very cautious in their offers. About fifty chops however
have been settled at Shanghai, for further particulars about which
I beg to refer you to my letter to Mr Simpson. I have to advise
having sold no. 25/193 one bill of £100 National on joint account
A. M. & Co. and W. M. at 4s. yd. - no purchase to advise. I enclose
duplicate invoice of Lancastrians shipment and also second copy bill
of lading for same.
1 As You Like It, Act II, scene i, 12.
2 Thorburn returned to China with his wife on 8 July 1851 from Southampton;
below, p. 167.