7 Eaton Place South
17^th Nov^r

My dear Sir

Owing to my absence from home your letter of the 12^th only reached me yesterday –

M^r Sarl proposes to see you this week when he will discuss matters with you –

With respect to the Railway it would probably be a very desirable course to adopt – We have found no difficulty with the canal people as to a bridge – but it happens that our canal belongs to the Railway company and as what we proposed doing was for the benefit of the railway they gave us every facility Your Canal is different I believe – Still if you have the land on each side of the canal I do [not] see how the Co: can interfere with your right to build a bridge provided it does not interfere with their trafic [sic] i.e. navigation – I am glad to hear so good an account of your ore but these are I fear bad times for the Iron as well as all other trades – I trust matters will soon mend –

I propose being in Wilts on the 27^th [illegible] of the month – I cannot be there before & I fear you will then be absent

Yours very truly
George Cottrell

[envelope:]
[added in WHFT's hand:] Cottrell
H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Lacock Abbey
N^r. Chippenham