Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

My last was dated 24 Instant per Capt Barron Passenger in the
Prince George Capn Bozeman, by whom furnished you with Dupli=
=cate of the Letter I wrote you per Capn H. Esten dated 20 March with
Copies of your Invoice, another for a Parcell of Linnens sent you
on the Partnership account, which I was obliged to take in Barter
for rotten Tobacco sold Langkopf & Co. also copies of Coll Savages &
Mr James Cockes Letters, Invoices Shop Notes &c in case the original
should not be found, tho' I should hope they are before this,
at any rate, the Captain must have been very careless in the Matter.
The Day before Yesterday we had another Stoppage in our Trade,
namely Messrs Frank & Bickerton, which I am much concerned for,
having a great Regard for them, however at a Meeting of the prin=
=cipal Creditors held Yesterday, they were so sensible of the Integrity
of the Men, & that when their Debts were collected, there would be
a considerable Surplus, that they even offer'd to give them more Time
than they ask'd. I must say in their Behalf that they have never
sold their Tobacco under the fair Market Price, & that their only
Indiscretion like most of us has been in endeavoring to do too much
Business, & place a Confidence in promised Remittances, in which
we are all more or less disappointed. I confess I am a little piqued
that no one should mention a Syllable concerning Ld Botetourt's
Statue, whether approved or not, tho the Ship had been in above a
Month when McNabb sailed. I observe in a Letter from the Revd.
Mr. Skyring he mentions our having last year shiped him per the
Virginia about 200Ells of Oznabg & abo. 130 Ells Rolls, which
he never wrote for, & desires to know what is to be done with them,
upon examining the Order at the Drapers I find there has been a
Mistake, & that those Articles were order'd to two different Marks, therefore the best Way will be, if Mr. Skyring does not chuse to take to them
as they are charged in his Invoice, for you to dispose of them on our
joint account, the amount I suppose may be about ten or eleven
Pounds, which you'll see per Mr Skyrings Bills of Parcells, I have
no Copy of them, & Howard & Kirkman of whom they were bought
are left off Business. I have spoken to Capn White about the Kettle
of Mr. N. L. Savage's said to be missing. have examined fully into
the Matter, & it appears very clearly to me that you have the Kettle
designed for Mr. Nathl. Ln Savage. Capt. White says there were 2
Copper Kettles shipped by me loose, & deliver'd to you, & then is another pack'd in a
Cask FSN No 39 deliver'd to you, likewise so that you see you have 3 Copper
Kettles, & you should only have two, you will therefore deliver one
to Mr. Savage of 35 Galln weigth 73 lb. agreable to the within Shop
Note, which Mr Savage has sent me, there was only one more Copper
Kettle in the Ship, whas was sent per Thos. & R. Hunt to Mr. Wm Nelson.
I propose sending the Accots. Sales, & accots. Currt. (many of them
to be proved under the City Seal, per Capt Danby in the Ship Bland
in about affortnight, per whom propose shiping Goods for Ld. Dunmore,
Messrs Braikenridge, Prentis, Dickson &ca &ca. I observe there is a
Loss of above £300 on the Purchase you made of 65 Hhds of Symes
Crop, & also £55..15 on our Moiety on 35 Hhds with Capn. William
Anderson, which you see will cut deep, in our last Years Profits on
Trade, & I hope will be a warning in future not to purchase unless
where there is an absolute Necessity. I should be glad you would
inform me which of the Wm Armisteads shiped a hhd Tobo in the
Unity marked H, having no letter from the Proprietor. I have a large
Quanty of Copper d'd at the Mint, which is cutting ready for Coinage
but the Engraver is so dilatory that he has not finished all the
Tools, I still hope to get the Money coined in about a Month, or 6 Weeks. I gave Capn Barron one of the ps. which is the size of
a Guinea, & thickness of a half Penny. If you see Mr. J. N.
Cooke, tell him Mr. Bell informed me Yesterday, that the second
Payment of the Nabob's Donation Money will not be paid these
two Years if then, therefore he can have no Expectation from one to pay
Drafts or ship Goods. It is said here Mr Brown has left his affairs
in a disagreeable Situation, that many People are ruined in Consequ^ence
thereof, he has sold the Stock I am told belonging to Catesby Cocke's
Estate & Mr Jett is to pay the Money in Virginia, tis well if tis
complied with, the Lief of Debts I understand produced at a meeting
of the Creditors amon. to abot £112,000 & the most valuable Effects
made over to particular Creditors which has incensed them greatly.
This is intended per Capt Archd. White, who I believe is pretty full of
Goods.

London 31 July 73
John Norton
Rec'd Octo, 18th. 1773.
Answd. Octo.