There is nothing new to communicate and hurry compels me to conclude, which is with the sincerest regard to you and your extensive Family from Dear Sir your esteem'd Friend and Humble Servant, SAMSON MEARS Sir, 1 DE VALNAIS1 TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Boston, the 20th July, 1780. THE hurry I was in to set out for Boston, has hindered me to wait upon [you] before my Departure. I expected you would call upon me when I was at New Port. Mr. Bell the Bearer of this will pay you what you have been so kind as to advance for Messieurs de Villemarais and Chadirac. M. Bell as Correspondent and agent of M. Holker will supply the wants of the french Fleet; so it is not in my power to do anything on that Head; but I have strongly recommended M. Bell to give you the preference when opportunity will present for articles of Goods you may have to dispose of. I expect to go to New Port some time in the next week. I have, etc. DE VALNAIS JOSEPH AND JOHN ROGERS TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Sir, Providence, 28th July, 1780. We received yours of yesterday's date about 8 o'clock this Morning and in consequence of your requisitions our Jno. Rogers made immediate Application at Mr. Bacon's house who we find went to Boston the day before yesterday. he is expected by the Family to return tomorrow or the day after. perhaps it may not be too late to have the Rum lodg'd in Attleborough about 9 or 10 Miles from hence which will be attended with the additional Expence of a Man's going out there to procure a safe place to lodge it at as we 1 Consul of France at Boston. presume the Teamsters will not make any Allowance from their Contract to deliver it in this Town. As West India Goods are in little demand and Continental Money very scarce in this Town at present we shall be oblig'd perhaps to sell the Rum under its real worth for the purpose of raising the Cash and wish for your more particular directions in this matter. At present we are in a Scene of Confusion, the Militia are all order'd to be in readiness and expect momently orders to repair to the Island in consequence of the intelligence rec'd of a British Army marching Eastward on Long Island.1 their Embarkation and appearance of Newport will at once prevent the removal of a single article of private property be it where it will, in or near this State. give me your further directions respecting the Rum and the Tenor of them shall be comply'd with, with as much punctuality as is possible. the Salt have stor'd agreeable to your directions on a Wharf Store which saves Trunkage Expence and the Freight being £90 Currency paid the Skipper and his rec't del'd up. We enclose you a price current in Boston by a Gentleman's Letter of the 22d inst. date, who informs us the Gen'l Starks out of Cape Ann a 20-Gun Ship has captur'd 3 valuable Ships bound to Quebec with 350 Hhds. of Rum a large Quantity of Dry Goods among which it is said there is 12000 ps. of Irish Linnen. the Air Furnace for casting Iron Cannon in this Town was last night entirely consum'd by Fire. Nothing further material occuring at present We beg to subscribe ourselves with Sincere Esteem, Sir, Your very humble Servants Jos. AND JNO. ROGERS P. S. We shall write you again at Mr. Bacon's return immediately. 1 The French fleet with an army had reached Newport a few days before this letter was written. We just now received yours of yesterday's date previous to which we convers'd with Mr. Bacon concerning the Rum, who return'd from Boston Yesterday and informs us it is not to be mov'd untill his further directions, in consequence of which we have order'd that it shall not be sent on untill he receives yours or our Orders for that purpose which he engages to comply with. The Salt shall be delivered your Order, the person whose Favour it is in paying Freight, Storage, Wharfage, and Rolling to the Store, agreeable to the Tenor of your Letter. The Freight £90, Rolling £6, and Wharfage and Storage not yet ascertain❜d but at the Customary Rate. We are greatly at a Loss in our Opinion respecting the Movements of the Enemy but believe their immediate Object is a general Stroke at the Fleet and Army in your Town, or to frustrate the Attempts of our Allies against Jamaica the former appears by far the most feasable tho the Dismission of all the Militia this Morning is a favourable Omen. That you will still be in a more happy Situation, than the confus'd Noise of War, Thunder of Cannon and Death at your very Doors, that you may be deliver'd from those horrid Scenes is the ardent Wish of Sir Your very humble Servants Jos. AND JNO. ROGERS Sir, GEORGE HAYLEY TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN London, 3d August, 1780. My last bore date 8th April 1778 since which I have received your favours of 7th January 1779, 9th, 17th April and 10th May, 1780. The bills you advise to have drawn upon me for £30 in favour of Mr. John De Neufville and £200 in favour of Henry Greig are paid and placed to your debit. I have just received a remittance from Stephen Deblois for £199.15.7 which will be placed to your credit. With this remittance I received your memorandum for a few Goods to be forwarded to Messrs. John DeNeufville and Son of Amsterdam for your Account which was dispatched to them in a few days, and herewith you have the Invoice thereof amounting to £84.14.11 which is placed to your debit. You say nothing about Insurance on these Goods. I therefore make none from hence to Amsterdam, and as the risk is very trifling I hope they will arrive in safety. From Amsterdam I suppose Messrs. De Neufville's have your instructions to insure them, for which purpose I give them the amount of the Invoice. Your letter of the 7th Janry., 1779, respecting the remaining £100 Insurance on the Peggys freight has been laid before the Insurers but I have not been able to obtain a settlement. By the Laws of Insurance here Insurers are not liable to any expence which arises from detention. If your Vessel had proceeded from Norwich to her destined port, you must have born the expence of transporting her thither before you could have been entitled to your full freight. If therefore the Insurers pay your full freight, they must be allowed the expence that was saved by her not proceeding from Norwich. This they think could not have been less than £100 for Wages, provisions, port charges, and expence of unloading, and other small charges. In this calculation however I suppose they over rate it; but I must beg the favour of you to make out and send to me as regular an Estimate as you can of what those charges would have been and no time shall be lost in getting it adjusted. I notice that you think the remittances received from Mr. Trant cannot be in full, to which I can only say that he calls them in full, and says he allows Interest for part of the time the money lay in his hands. I can do nothing with Mr. Brymer, he denies having any orders from his Nephew. If you can procure and send me such an order he shall be diligently followed. I am, Sir, Your very humble Servant, [Endorsed,] Via Amsterdam. Dear Sir, GEO. HAYLEY SAMSON MEARS TO AARON Lopez St. Eustatia, August 6th, 1780. I HAVE the happiness to advise you of safe arrival to this Island, which I found strangely altered; filld with Strangers, Goods and Shipping. There has been a very advantageous Trade carried on here for some time past, but the reduction of Carolina and the Huricane Season, has given it a sudden check. At a more leisure opportunity I shall descant more largely on commercial matters, and then I hope to be able to give you some account of your Bill on Is. Werden Esqr. which I am sorry to say is yet unsettled; it shall be a matter of my attention to effect a settlement and of which shall advise you hereafter. In the mean time beg your care in forwarding the inclosed and crave your acceptance of the annex'd Price Current with my respectful regard to you and all your good Family, being with real esteem Dr. Sir Your Friend and humble Servant |
