Sir, SAMUEL LAWTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Elsinore, July 10th, 1793. THESE may inform you of my safe arivel here in forty three days and a very unpleasant Passage we had of it for Easterly weather with rain and fog for 28 days. I dont think I shall go further then Copenhagen by what I can larn from Petersbourg it will be so much later and my Vessel not so fit to come home that time of year for she is not quite tight yet. I shall wright more perticular soon. I spoke with Capt. Beckford as I come in bound for Salem. will write you of my being here likewise, Sir, I remain yours SAM'L LAWTON Please to acquaint my family we are all well on board. S. L. Sir, SAMUEL LAWTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Copenhagen, July 17th, 1793. I INFORM'D you by Capt. Bickford bound for Salem of my arivel in 43 days passage. I have got all my Cargo landed and have concluded to load here as the Brig proves somwhat leakey and my coming on the Coast so much later in the fall I think it most prudent to make what dispach I can. as for the markits of Goods here and Petersbourg is no great object for a small Vessel and she growing old I can perceve when blowing hard she begins to complain. I have made a Calculation and find I can load here at the following Prices swedish Iron £13 to 15 sterling Ton, Duck from 12 to 13 Rix Dollars Ravins Duck about 9 hemp 16 and 17 skd. I think to fall short in the Canvas as the Duck has rizen in the price more then the other goods. I have received a letter from Mr. Smith concerning the Coffe. he wrote in april and there is a great quantity gone up sence that here. I think it will fetch 28 or 29 sk. rum no sail yours unsold last year. Mr. Tobey has got 500 hoghd. on hand. Tobacco at about 6 and 7 sk. no rice to market. the last sold sence I bin here for 6 and 62. I shall begin to take in tomorrow. I shall write soon and be able to inform you the Quantity I shall purchace. the last sails of rum sold a few days ago as low as 38 Rix Dollers for 60 gallons. I shall write again in a few days by Capt. Dexter bound for Philadelphia. Sir, I remain your humble servant [Endorsed,] honrd Capt. Bartlet. Sir, SAM'L LAWTON RYBERG AND CO. TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Copenhagen, the 31st July, 1793. WE beg your kind referance to our respects of the 16th Inst. of which please to receive inclosed duplicate, and Capt. Lawton will hand you Triplicate of the Certificates of the Rum and Coffee by him. We transmit you this by him and wish the Bayonne may have a prosperous Voyage and the Cargo come to a favourable markett. You'll please to inform yourself from the inclosed Bill of Lading and Invoice of the goods shipt on board and we beg you'll please to credit us the amount Rix 8897.65s dery [Danish currency?] likewise Rix 98.558 dcry furnishd Capt. Lawton for Ships use. The goods we hope will give satisfaction with respect to Quality and we flatter ourselves it will be agreable that the Bayonne loaded here. we have used our utmost exertions for purchasing good quality articles at the lowest Prices. We have already found opportunity to dispose of your Coffee at 28s[killings] per li. which we hope will leave you a good advantage and as soon as possible we shall wait upon you with account Sales, likewise of Capt. Baileys Rum from a p as we shall endeavour to dispose of what remains the 9th next month. It is quite contrary to our wishes that the demand for your Goods is this year so small, rice is the only article demanded and we think the price will raise. Capt. Lawtons Tobacco from a p is now delivred the Purchasers and we shall send you a/s [account sales] by the very first opportunity. You were pleased last year to order by Capt. Lawton a piece of muslin and Handkerchiefs. till of late we have not been able to procure it Capt. Lawton has now received it, and we hope it will find Approbation. it costs the muslin and the Handkerchiefs Rix 54.8 but the diaper you direct'd Capt. Lawton to get could not be procured so wide, and he thought therefore best not to buy any narrow. We have credited your account for the Freight of the 12 Hhds. Tobacco shipt by the Bayonne £27.12 at 6 Rix 12/. and when your goods are sold we hope the Ballance either way will be not great. Having nothing further to add we remain very respectfully, Sir, Your most obedient humble Servants, RYBERG AND CO. Sir, EDWARD FORBES TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Dublin, 14th August, 1793. HAVING none of your esteemd favors to reply to, in order to Ballance your Account I have drawn on you for the same at sight to the order of Messrs. Samuel Fowler and Son being £0.19.4 Irish to pay them a little Ballance in their favor. The unparraleld failures througout G. Britain with some in this Country, together with the War with France hath had a very bad Effect on our Trade, which caus'd a great Scarcity of Money and much diffidence amongst traders and manufacturers, and in place of riseing, has had the contrary effect, and lowerd the Prices of Ashes in particular, and our Linen trade has in particular received a considerable Shock and reduced the prices of the lower kinds to 191⁄2d and under full 2d per yard and the finer is fallen in proportion, nor do I think they will mend untill there is Peace, which at present appears very distant. Annexd are the prices current of your products and am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, EDWARD FORBES Ist Pot Ashes 33/ to 34/ per Ct. a great quantity of both on hands and expected still lower. Tar 20/. Pitch 25/. per bbl. but will lower when there is peace. Turpentine 9/per Ct. Beeswax 20d to 22d per lb. Lumber, say pine boards 14/ per 120 feet. Oak Timber £4 per Ton. Good inch Oak Boards well squared and free from Sap 20/ per Ct. Oak Bark is in no estimation particularly the Ground our Tanners now decline to buy it on account of there finding former parcells much adulterated. Sir, SAMUEL LAWTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Cape François, February 9th, 1794. AFTER informing you by sundry letters before of my arivel here in 18 days passang I am still laying here yet my cargo being all sold that will sell here and the Cash on board except the 140 Barrels flower and 7 Cask of rice administration has taken away by the force of arms from me. I have I have got nothing for it as yet and I am afraid I never shall for they are in such confusion there is very little prospect from them. I shall lay here a while longer to se what I can do. I have got all my Cask sot up and fild with salt water for ballast and [sails] and have bin ready to sail this five weekes if they had paid for my flower and I dont se no more prospect nay not so much as a month ago as fort Dolphin is in possession of the Spanyard. I am not concluded yet what to do to go to Leward or not but I believe I shall sail for home in ballast. I remain yours, SAM'L LAWTON Plese to inform my family we are all well on board. [Endorsed,] Per Capt. Carver. Sir, SAMUEL LAWTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Cape François, February the 19th, 1794. I MUST trouble you once more, to inform you of my laying here yet wating for my pay for the Rice and flower the administration took away from me, by the force of arms, as I inform'd you by sundry letters wrote you before, and of iny being ready to sail this five weekes had they paid me.. I have concluded rather then leve it behind to take old Iron for pay, for that is all the pay I can get and that at £25 Livers per hundred, which will amount to 14 or 15 Ton at least. I mean to sail as soon as I can get that, what time that will be I no not perhaps 10 days or 15 days. I am not concluded as yet where to go, as times are so very dificult here there is not one in port can conclud on any thing. I beleve I shall sail for home but what port I shall arive to God only noes for I dont, I am sure. I have got pay for 70 Barrels of flower in Cash at 8 Doller, the remainder due will amount to the qu[a]ntity above of Iron and bad anough it is. Nothing more at present. I remain yours, Plese to inform my family we are all well. [Endorsed,] favored by Cap. Gilbert. Sir, SAM'L LAWTON SAMUEL LAWTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Kingston, Jamaica, March 16th, 1794. I AM Sorry to inform you of my being here. I saild from Cape François the 3d 'nst. and fell in with the Hound sloop of war a few Leagues from the Cape who took out all my Cash and ordred me for the mole. from there sent here after taken out 3 of my people and sent a Prize master with 4 hands with me and I ariv'd here the 11th. what they will do with me I no not. my Papers are all very clear and plain. I am in hopes I shall not be libeld. if I am I must proceede [for] home as passanger as she will not be try'd till August] next. allmost all the Amaricans in port are [used the] same way and Captains going home without their Vess[els] leveing them here to take their fate as they turn us out when libel'd as for the Amaricans in general we can find very few friends here with our money and that they have taken from us and what to do we no not. I shall write again soon by Capt. Barker who goes Passanger to Newyork. so I remain your most humble Servant SAM'L LAWTON |