Series 4 > William Melrose in China, 1845-1855

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WILLIAM MELROSE IN CHINA
give you all the news. I can merely say I am very well, never was
better and as busy as I can be. Kind remembrance to all of them and
hope this may find them all well.
Canton, 25 September 1850
I have yours of 22nd of July and I am glad to see that you appear
all so well and in such good spirits. I have been very busy since the
last mail went, and bought a large quantity of tea and have sent off a
ship to Cork for orders. I had bought all the cargo before your
July letters arrived bringing better advices from England and I got
the teas cheaper on that account; but to counterbalance that advan¬
tage exchange has gone up terribly - up to 4s. icd. and expected
to be higher before the mail goes, which is unfortunate. It has
gone regularly up every mail for the last eight months. I have sold
about -£14,000 already this month and hardly know whether I
should sell more or not; it may be lower next mail, and, as it has
advanced so regularly every month, it may go to 5s. Money is very
scarce.
Samples go to your address by Southampton. I don’t think you
will have to complain much of tar this time, in one chop perhaps.
I think the most of them will please you as they are mostly on the
rich full flavour, something like the sorts you used to like long long
ago; and the taste now at home has come I think around again as
it were to what it was then, as it does in the fashions and everything
else. So you will be able to recommend them with a clear con¬
science.
Some other body has sent over a cargo to the same place, but I
have no doubt yours will be in long before it as the other ship is
I think a very slow one. They kept it desperately quiet, in fact the
vessel was ‘circulated’ through the community here forLondon(!)
and in six or seven days afterwards a circular was sent round saying
she was off for Glasgow. Now I don’t think they ever could have
really intended sending her to London, as they must have known
from so many fine vessels loading here that they could not, I should
think, have got a ton for her. Her name is the James Watt (no
steamer), the name of your one is the Naomi. Andrew who is a
great classic may be able to tell you what the name means, I cannot.