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Document number: 7571
Date: 19 Mar 1858
Recipient: TALBOT William Henry Fox
Author: COTTRELL George Edward
Collection: British Library, London, Manuscripts - Fox Talbot Collection
Collection number historic: LA58-028
Last updated: 1st September 2003

7 Eaton Place South

19th March 1858

My dear Sir

I am sure you will find that I said 15 acres would be insufficient but it is immaterial – I do not wish to better you one iota – nor do I want more land than can be worked out – & I shall be quite ready to adopt your Suggestion of reserving additional land adjoining that on <lease?> – to be afterwards leased on the same terms if required –

I do not believe that 22000 Tons were raised from the ¼ of an acre to which you refer – but 14000 or 15000 might – that, however, was an exceptional case. It was the best piece of land at Seend – and he sent so much rubbish in the shape of ore as did an infinity of harm to the character of the whole place – a most unwise course – & one which I hope not to follow –

I hope our correspondence has brought you to the conclusion that I do not insist upon any point which is unreasonable – & that therefore you will give me credit for having good grounds when I do object which I feel bound to do upon the subject of the additional royalty upon ore to be used in Wiltshire – and to its being at present given out that I would supply furnaces on your land at 5s/ per Ton – It will not answer to sell your best ore for use in Wiltshire – and the inferior ore will not bear the additional royalty – to sell which will require that it should be able to compete in price with other Wiltshire ores – that price must depend on the cost price – which again will turn upon the royalty in a great measure I should be most glad to supply furnaces on your land with the inferior ore at 5s/ provided the persons pay the cost of carriage from the stop spot whence it is raised. and I will enter into an agreement with you to this effect – subject to this stipulation –that this agreement between us shall not be divulged until such time as we shall mutually agree upon – I have strong reasons for considering that the present is an undesirable time for mooting the question – Experiments will be soon – made – and in the meantime we shall be acting in the dark –

In my correspondence with you I have been unable to give all the reasons I have for the opinions I have put forth – but I may say that I have come to those opinions from practical experience – which is often strangely at variance with what appears theoretically correct –

I shall be glad to hear if you agree to my modified suggestion as to the furnaces – & if so I would sketch rather more formally what I conceive to be the terms upon which we have arranged –

yours very faithfully

George Cottrell

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