7 Eaton Place South

29^th March 1858

My dear Sir

It is quite impossible that the arrangement you suggest can be carried out by your lessee – The cost to Swindon would be as follows per ton

Your toll – 1-

Carting to rail – 9

Transit on y^r rail – 2

G^t Western – 9

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2.8-

This cost is far too heavy independent of the complication of carting & uncarting – & the insuperable difficulty of working any thing like large quantities along roads in Winter time. It is very well for small quantities – at Seend we have but 500 yards of good road – yet we have made up our minds that to make a line of ¼ of a mile at a large outlay is better – We could have put it on the G. W. R. for about 4^d/ per Ton for cartage.

I have put the carting to your proposed <junction?> at 9^d/ per Ton – but I am confident that in practice it would be nearer 1/9 per Ton. Pan Put Each cart horse & driver at 6^s/ per day – & I do not believe that it would convey 4 Tons daily. that distance –

I feel sure you would not find a plan any thing like that which you suggest answer as a means of transit either to yourself or to your tenant It would operate as a restriction on the disposal of ore in any quantities & to neither party would that pay – If furnaces are put up it may be well worth while for Landlord tenant & furnace owners to unite & make a useful railway – but at present I cannot see my way to any thing reasonable which will beat the canal – using your own boats.

The question for your consideration is whether we can come to an arrangement as to the lease – putting on one side for future consideration. the question of the railway?

Yours faithfully

George Cottrell