Dear Sir,

HENRY CRUGER, Jr. to Aaron Lopez

Bristol, 20th February, 1767.

By this conveyance I send Copy of my last Respects January 11th.

The 25th January was favour'd with your agreeable Letters of 14th and 18th November and 1st December by the America. we made all the dispatch in our power to discharge her. she is now taking in Goods for New York, and will be ready to sail in 10 or 12 days, but before I enter into the Reasons etc. of this unexpected Voyage, let me agreeable to Rule answer your Favours.

The Pine Plank looks very well, but still remains the great Deficiency of squaring the Edges; this will depriciate them some Shillings per Ct. I am advertising them for public sale next week. if the intended bearer of this should be detain'd untill then, will let you know how they sold, if not, you will of course be advised by the America; please to observe you have unluckily omitted to send the Certificate for the Lumber, pray do per first opportunity, as cannot receive the Bounty till we do it.

N. B. Pot Ash receives no Bounty. I expect to get £27 per Ton for these 5 Tons per America. in this, as well as all other articles, the price will depend wholly on the Quantities imported. I am firmly of opinion, nothing but a War can affect the price of Logwood, make your calculations about £5 per ton and you won't be hurt. never send any but good. I am about selling this by the America at £5.5.0 per ton, the Lignumvitae is also advertised to be sold. you shall soon hear more about it.

The T P Hob Nails have wrote to the Maker about, have not yet had his answer.

I will take care your Invoices in future shall be made out as you desire and direct, also the Goods pack'd and mark'd in the manner mention'd.

I oblig'd the Maker to allow a Discount on the Kerseys No. oo per America last Voyage of 5 per Ct. which is carried to the Credit of your Account, say 13/6 Sterling.

You are pleased to write me you saw a Sales of Brown Oil from Liverpool, made out about the same time yours per Charlotte were, that sold at £23, when yours sold at only £16. I cannot presume, Sir, to contradict what you saw, but, this Fact I know, the Current Price of Brown Oil was then in Liverpoole only £17 per ton.

I beg Liberty just to observe, Oil may be carried from hence to Liverpoole for less than 20/ per ton. Vessels are continually going backward and forward. would not the certain Profit of £6 per ton have induced people to send it thither from hence.

Inclosed, Sir, is Account of sundry Insurances vizt. on the Swansea, the Heart, and the Diana, cost £120.18.0 Stg. to your Debit.

Herewith you'll find Account Sales of 49 Blls. Turpentine Nt. £28.18.11 Stg. to your Credit. likewise Disbursements on the America last Voyage £425.16.2 Stg., also Disbursements on Charlotte £89.8.0 Stg. to your Debit, also additional Disbursements on the America £16.2.9 to your Debit.

Osborne is fitting out the Pitt, as I suppose he writes you. he has sent you Ten Tons of Hemp from London, we have none at present in this City. Osborne paid me £100 as about half the proceeds of the Rum sold in the Channel. I desired him to let me have the particulars, but he declines it. I must therefore refer you to him, he seems fond of the plan. I do not much like it, not from Conscientious Scruples, but fear, if he repeats it too often or too extensively some trap will be laid for him and Ship and Cargo exchequer❜d. I do not speak of Probability but Possibility.

Your account has Credit for £3.18.6 Inward Freight per Charlotte as per particulars, and debited £1.17.0 as per particulars, Capt. Brown when he was at Cork drew on me. £6.6.8 Stg. which I paid for your Account and debited it accordingly.

Dear Sir, it seems as if Heaven and Earth were combin'd to afflict me at the same time: Heaven, in depriving me of the best of Women - my Wife; Earth, in tormenting me with the next greatest distress close Dunning from necessi

tous Manufacturers and Tradesmen. one I sigh bitterly to bring back, the others as heartily to get rid of, such is the present melancholy situation of my mind and affairs. one I trust in God the lenient hand of Time will at least mitigate if not release, the other I must rely on the Justness and Consideration of my American Correspondents to remove. indeed, at present it is as much as I can do to support myself, and nothing but a great share of Natural Fortitude of Mind keeps me from sinking under my present Calamities.

It gives me vast concern to omit the execution of your last Orders, but really, Sir, I am so deeply involved, that it will be the height of imprudence to continue sending Goods untill my Debts in America are a little reduced, and I do assure you, nothing but the fair Character I bear amongst my fellow Citizens saves me from Bankruptcy, which Heaven avert; I do not indeed apprehend it, but yet it is a heartbreaking reflection to find myself liable and owing wholly and solely to Impunctuallity and Disappointments from America. If I am not paid how can I pay? I do not upon my Word, Dear Sir, doubt of your abilities, nor am I under the least apprehension for the Foundation of your Credit, but I repeat, if I am not paid, how can I pay?

I will just make a few remarks on the state of your Account. last July was due an Invoice per Charlotte amount £2530.14.9 Stg. only about half of which is paid. then to the remainder is to be added £2457.13.2 Stg. amount of Invoice due last September, and the 20th of next month will be due another Invoice, amount £2510.9.2 Stg., and before the America can well be back another Invoice will be due, amount £1593.0.3 Stg. to all these let me add the Cost of sundry Insurances, amounting to £626.6.6. Stg. the greatest part of which Sum I have paid long since. again, the Money advanced to Captains and Sailors say Disbursements on all your Ships (which is so much Cash down) amount £1409.19.6 Stg.

I shall not, Sir, animadvert on the foregoing, what must necessarily be the Consequence, will, I am sure very naturally occur to your goodself.

Inclosed is for your Government. your Account Current Ballance in my favour £10,514.10.5 Stg. is carried to your Debit in a new Account.

Thus, Sir, have I in a plain honest Manner endeavour'd to give you an ample and satisfactory Reason for my not sending you any more Goods untill your Account is a little reduced, and I throw myself on your Candour for the Validity of my Arguments, not doubting, but from the Justness of your Character and Good Sense, but I shall still retain every favourable Sentiment you ever had towards me: when, Sir, you think it prudent to send to me for any more Goods, I wou'd advise, in order to prevent Mistakes, that you make out a fresh Memorandum and direct all that are now subsisting to be totally supprest.

I come now, Sir, to give you my Reason for sending the America to New York, it is an incessant Attention to your Interest having Goods in a Warehouse ready to ship for New York, as soon as she was ready to take them in, concluded the Freight of them would defray her Expenses out, and knowing her going there or direct to Newport wou'd make only a day or two odds, this determined me on the Plan I have adopted, and as it's meant solely for your Interest, hope my conduct will secure your approbation.

The America, Capt. Peters, shall sail (wind and weather permitting) in a fortnight. by her will write you more circumstantially relative to Trade in general, which my late Misfortune disqualifies me from doing now. I remain with sincere Regard and Respect, etc.

HENRY CRUGER, Jr.

P. S. The sundry Errors you point out in Casks No. 1, 2 and 3, per the America last Voyage, the person they were bought of has looked into, and inclosed you his answer on that subject.

Have debited your Account £1.4.0 paid Alexander Henderixon's Shiping note per Charlotte last Voyage. the reason it did not appear in the Disbursements was because Capt. Brown omitted to inform me whether the man was on

board or not, but have made the Holders of the Note liable to refund the Money, if it shou'd appear the Man did not proceed the Voyage: of which please to inform me. The Maker of the T P Hob Nails cannot by any means take them back, as he says he never before or since had an Order for such, and as he exactly comply'd with your Order, shall therefore send them back per America agreeable to your Directions.

Your esteem'd favour of 19th December is at hand. the Error in Sail Cloth shall be look'd into, and per the America you shall have an answer thereto, and also be inform'd the amount of Brimstone Debenture per Charlotte. shall cause the Insurance to be struck off and Credit your Account for return Premio.

JEREMIAH OSBORNE TO AARON LOPEZ

London, February 20, 1767.

Sir,

YOURS of December 19th I received and observe the Contents. I have left no stone unturned to obtain a freight for the Ship Pitt, but they have prooved abortive the only expedient is to proceede emediately for Lisbon and take in a load of Salt, upon Enquiry of the best hands find Coal wont fetch the prime Cost, and to be at extreordanary Insurance from hence to N Castle and back to the Downs, with Wages, provisions, and port charges, will be thrown away: the Ship is now in Dock wants a great Repair, but you may depend I shall use the utmost Frugallity and Dispatch in getting round, and hope to sail in 20 days. per this you will receive Advise from Mr. George Haley respecting the Outsett of Ship, and 10 Tons Hemp and 5 Tons Anchors ship'd for your Account. I should not have ship'd the Hemp and 5 Tons Anchors, but I understood there was none from Bristoll. Indead when I was there it was Cash, but find per Mr. Haley it is 6 m[onth]s here. I assure you we are extremely obliged to Mr. Haley for his Assistance and as I have given him the strongest Assurance of your