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Cottrell

7 Feb / 58

I h^ve bⁿ so m^ch occup^d by var^s engg^mts y^t I h^ve not _^^yet bⁿ able t g^ve t y^r l^r y^e considⁿ w^ch its import^ce requires I c^d wish – I will ∴ only touch upⁿ a few p^nts of y^e questn matters today

Is it y^r mean^g that y w^d <illegible deletion> you engage ^(K) to raise & sell all the ore, that is saleable, taking it as it <illegible deletion> I think

As to y^e branch Rail^wy – When y^e ore is b^rght dⁿ to y^e canal, it will be carr^d ab^t ½ mile in our own boats and landed at a point wharf, whence the branch rail will be laid to the G Westⁿ line. Tho’ _^^{it is} a short branch it will be expensive, ( brid) if constrct^d in y^e best manner , (w^ch it ought to be) The saving to y^e lessee _{of expence} by the use of this rail^wy, as will be at least 2^d p^r ton as compared to

less than sending it by canal to Swindon. the toll

(K) in work^g a given

_^^{of ore as} compared with y^e _^^{expense of carriage of it} charge per Canal to Swindon – The toll for the use of the railway will therefore be one shill^g p^r ton. An ornam^l bridge will be thrown over the Avon, and the rail will pass under a turnpike road by a tunnel.

As to the land.

The land proposed to be leased _^^{at present} as already mentioned, is ten acres to be chosen to be chosen by the lessee at y^e point he thinks most favourable – My own opinion is that the neighbourh^d vicinity of the Sandpit is the best – Besides w^ch a narrow strip of land w^d be let, all the way down to the canal for the constructⁿ of a tramroad. – You speak of a lease for 21 years – Would not 14 years be sufficient? –

P.S. I will take this opport^y of ment^g that y^e objtⁿ taken to our Wiltsh ore as cont^g silex has very little real foundⁿ. Almost all iron ore does so, and I hav noticed the other day in s^me great iron works that I visited at Glasgow that _^^{along with the ore} solid flints as large as a man’s fist were thrown into y^e furnace, not intent^lly but along with the limestone The y^se are found plentif^lly in y^e limestone (or rather hard chalk) w^ch is employd as a flux, & they do not take the trouble of removing them, a proof that they are found to do no harm h whatever.

My address is Lacock

Working y^e ore – I presume you w^d engage to raise & sell all ore, that is saleable, tak^g it fairly as it comes, as you do at Seend – No ore to be left as unsaleable, if a similar l ore raised at Seend, has bⁿ sold –

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Cottrell

7 February 1858

I have been so much occupied by various engagements that I have not yet been able to give to your letter the consideration which its importance requires I could wish – I will therefore only touch upon a few points of the question matters today Is it your meaning that you would <illegible deletion> you engage in working a given to raise and sell all the ore, that is saleable, taking it as it <illegible deletion> I think

As to the branch Railway – When the ore is brought down to the canal, it will be carried about half a mile in our own boats and landed at a point wharf, whence the branch rail will be laid to the Great Western line. Though it is a short branch it will be expensive, ( bridges) if constructed in the best manner, ( which it ought to be) The saving to the lessee of expence by the use of this railway, as will be at least two pence ton as compared to less than sending it by canal to Swindon. the toll of ore as compared with the expense of carriage of it charge per Canal to Swindon – The toll for the use of the railway will therefore be one shilling per ton. An ornamental bridge will be thrown over the Avon, and the rail will pass under a turnpike road by a tunnel.

As to the land.
The land proposed to be leased at present as already mentioned, is ten acres to be chosen to be chosen by the lessee at the point he thinks most favourable – My own opinion is that the neighbourhood vicinity of the Sandpit is the best – Besides which a narrow strip of land would be let, all the way down to the canal for the construction of a tramroad. – You speak of a lease for twenty-one years – Would not fourteen years be sufficient? –

Working the ore – I presume you would engage to raise and sell all ore, that is saleable, taking it fairly as it comes, as you do at Seend – No ore to be left as unsaleable, if a similar l ore raised at Seend, has been sold –

P.S. I will take this opportunity of mentioning that the objection taken to our Wiltshire ore as containing silex has very little real foundation. Almost all iron ore does so, and I have noticed the other day in some great iron works that I visited at Glasgow that along with the ore solid flints as large as a man’s fist were thrown into the furnace, not intentionally but along with the limestone The yse are found plentifully in the limestone (or rather hard chalk) which is employd as a flux, and they do not take the trouble of removing them, a proof that they are found to do no harm h whatever.

My address is Lacock