Sir, 1 SILAS TALBOT TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Philadelphia, 21st July, 1786. MESSRS. HEWS AND ANTHONY called on me this day and made a demand of seventy Guineas on your account. I told them you must be very much mistaken and that I did not at any rate stand indebted to you in so large a some. Theirfore request you will recollect your agrement with me and give them orders accordingly. When I left Providence in consequence of a vile and wicked persecution and which was as unprovoked as it was cruel and malitious, I desird a friend of mine to pay you the mony at the time it should become due and I was not a little supprised to find by your letter this day that it was not dun, as I lodged the money with him for that purpose. I have wrote to him by this post and if you do not receive it in a fiew days plese to forward me a letter and the money shall be paid imediately say twenty guineas to your order. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient and most humble Servant, SILAS TALBOT BARTHOLOMEW HORACE BURGES TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Ipswich, 5th August, 1786. Gentlemen, RECOMMENDED by Lord Clive to the Court of Directors in London for an Establishment in the Honorable East India Company's Service abroad I went in the Northington to Fort William in Bengall, and remain'd in the Country 7 or 8 years in which time I acquir'd a Fortune of 70,000 pound Sterling. but my Fortunes fluctuating (without entering into any further Minutia) after having been at the Reduction of Pondicherry 2 on the Coast of Coromandel I return'd to Europe in the Valentine, and what I had was 1 Silas Talbot (1751–1813), well known for his long and capable service in the American Navy. Towards the end of the War for Independence, he became involved in litigation over some prizes, and removed to Philadelphia. 2 In 1778. lost in her on the Sark Rock in the Channel of England coming home, etc., etc., etc., and at present here I am; but finding the Country destitute of Cash and no Trade or opening for an Enterprising Genius and willing to try my luck in India again, and hearing that your Folks had left your Ship in Bengall, and that She had returned with Lascares to America I determined on writing to you on the occasion to know Gentlemen from you whether you will give me a Station on board your [ship] to India again. I can speak the Indostan Language as well as English and work a Ship in the Lascar Tongue. Can likewise Write Read and Speak the French currently having learnt it from Professors, and by a long residence in the Country have acquir'd a Local and Competent knowledge of India in general being acquainted both on the Mallabar Coast and the Bay of Bengall and been at most of the Settlements from the River Sinde down to Tillecherry and Ceylon and up to the Northward again to Chellagan, etc., etc. Should you think then I might be useful to you in your present undertaking, favor me with a Line by the Return of the Post and I will regulate my self accordingly having the pleasure to Remain Gentlemen, Your most Obedient Servant, B. H. BURGES P. S. Brought up to the Sea and having commanded Ships exclusive of his having learnt regularly Navigation, it may be presumd Mr. Burges is capable of a Station in an Indiaman. Sir, EDWARD FORBES TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Dublin, 20th August, [1786.] I Now am to acknowledge receipt of your sundry favors of the 10th and 17th April and 29th May, the latter only came to hand a few days past. their respective contents have made due not of. I refer you to my letter this date to self and Mr. Samuel Fowler and Son handing Sales of the Flaxseed consigned me per the Ship Hope Captain Gyles for your one half Neat proceeds being £1611.6. 11⁄2 you have Credit in the inclosed Account Current which is Ballanced by my remittance to Messrs. Protheroe and Claxton of Bristol, on examining whereof I hope it will be found free from Error and entered accordingly in your Books. Your bill to Captain Pierce was duly honored. I shall have no Objection to honor your bills for three or four hundred pounds Sterling at 40 days sight, on giving me orders to make insurance on the Flaxseed you intended to ship here. We have an insurance Company with a Capital of above One hundred and twenty thousand pounds Sterling who has manner of insurance on the like terms of the Royal Exchange insurance Co. in London and have made it for several Houses in America this spring and winter at 3 to 31 per Ct. on American Ships without passes. It is usual to charge 1/2 per Ct. Common on effecting the insurances, as in London and Policies cost only 5/6d Irish in the Winter I really think there is very little risk of the Algerines, but its said there are many Renegadoes now in their Vessels of all Countries, so that for the small additional premium, its more adviseable to be covered against those Pirates. when there is Bills drawn on Europe for Property consigned it's usual to accompany them with Bills of ladeing that in case of loss the Acceptor may be enabled to recover the loss. in my joint letter you'l find a price current. the article of Bark if attended to will be a considerable object, having lately sold America Bark at £5 and it now would fetch £5.10 /or £6, so much is it liked, but it must be well dried and the outer rhind paired off. the consumption of Potashes is considerable in this place, but of Pearl ashes not near so much. I have a very large Parcel of white Pearls on hand, and little demanded. I am with the Greatest Respect and Esteem, Sir, Your most humble Servant EDWARD FORBES EDWARD FORBES TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN AND Gentlemen, Dublin, 20th August, 1786. I BEG leave to refer you to my last respects of the 19th April. Since none of your esteemed favors. Having got Sales from the Country of some Flaxseed sent there to sell, annexed you have Sales of that consigned me per the Hope Captain Gyles. Neat proceeds £3222.12.3 -the half of which being £1611.6.1 is placed at the Credit of your respective accounts. youl see these Sales are reduced by the Robbery of an unfortunate man who had bought 25 of them. The Statute has been taken out against him, but I do not think he will pay a Shilling in the pound whatever is received your respective Accounts shall receive Credit for the same. by accounts from the Country there is a most plentiful crop of all sorts of Grain, as well as of Flax and the Growers of it I am informed has not been able to save any of the seed, so that I make no doubt this article will turn out well the ensuing spring. referring you to the inclosed price current, I remain most Respectfully, Gent, Your most humble Servant, EDWARD FORBES CERTIFICATE I do hereby certify to all whom it may Concern that the Gross Amount of the Ship Hydra's Cargo, from London in the Kingdom of Great Britain to Bengal and shipt by William Robertson Esqr. of the said City, on the apparent account of Christopher Champlin Esqr. of Newport in the State of Rhode Island in North America, under a Consignment to Mr. William Green as Super Cargo, is Twenty one Thousand, Two hundred and Eighty six Pounds one shilling and seven pence half penny Sterling Money of Great Britain. Witness my hand in the State aforesaid this 23d day of August 1786. WILLIAM GREEN 1 1 From an account of disbursements on account of the Hydra, June-August, 1786, some interesting items may be drawn. Import duties on the cargo were paid at SAILING ORDERS HAVING chartered the Brigantine Betsey whereof you are present Master at the Island of St. Eustatius to proceed in case I should think it fitting to this Port and from hence to any Port or Ports in Europe, if I should deem it inexpedient to discharge her here, and whereas I have determined that she should proceed on with the Cargo she has now on board to Ostend in Flanders, you are therefore with the first fair Wind to proceed with the said Brigantine from this Port to that at Ostend aforesaid. But having resolved for the better Security of the Cargo, and for the discharge thereof to its due Consignment, to put on board Mr. William Greene at this place as Super-Cargo, you are to take care in all things so long as the said William Greene shall remain on board in that Quality to obey him in all things, but more particular upon your arrival at the said Port of Ostend, and untill your final delivery of the Cargo. Upon your Arrival in the Downs you will please to write your Owner Mr William Robertson of London to acquaint him thereof, and take a Pilot on board to take charge of the Brigantine untill she shall safely be moored at her destined Port, where you are to wait on the house of Messrs. William Herries, George Keith and Co., where Mr. William Robertson will lodge directions for your farther proceedings. CHRIS. CHAMPLIN Newport, Rhode Island, 23rd of August, 1786. I acknowledge the foregoing to be a Copy of my Instructions receivd from Christopher [Champlin] Esquire. JOHN ADAMSON Newport to the amount of £330.17.7, but the nature of the cargo was not stated. In addition duties of £11.18 were paid on pepper, arrack and shrub, valued at £474; and on salt petre of £187.10.0, which was reexported. Payment was made in the paper medium of the state, which then bore a discount of three for one. Fifteen "China seamen seamen" were paid wages at the rate of 25/ sterling a month, and the boatswain received wages of £4 sterling a month. |