9th Novr 1857
My dear Sir
Your informant as to the two facts mentioned in your letter of the 6th has a partial knowledge only of both matters referred to – Messrs Sarl in the first Instance, and before they had had the means of judging of the Value of the Second ore, agreed as to part of the land to pay a royalty of 1/6 with a right to capitalize a portion of it – This royalty has since been reduced without payment of any Sum – As to 3 other parts of the land (there are 4 distinct holdings) the royalty was originally only 1s/. and even this is too much for the greater part of the ore – Curiously enough, however, the original higher royalty was placed upon what has turned out the more inferior ore –
To the 7/16ths of 1d per ton per mile you must add your own trucks and 1/6 per Ton terminal charge of the railway Co: when we are in full work we shall require 80 trucks, the cost of which would be £8000 or £18 per annum hire, or if the company provide you with trucks they modestly charge 9d per ton for the accommodation. Then there is the canal (we send to Swindon) 2/6- and 4d per Ton unloading –
I fear you may find a difficulty with the trustees in being able to grant a mining lease – at least our landlord at Seend has done so –
The difficulty is that the lessees in order to induce them to sink capital upon a property of this description, which to make it answer they must do, require a longer tenure than it is in the power of trustees to grant – except in special cases –
If I had the working of your land I could so manage as not to interfere with the tenants – but at the same time I fancy the scale upon which the working of the ore must be conducted would be such as to make it quite worth your while – I beg pardon nevertheless for this observation for of course I cannot tell what you views may be as to what might make it worthwhile – all I mean is that it would not answer to work it on a small scale, but it would on a large one, & I assume no one would undertake it except with a sure prospect of success –
My avocations will not permit me to be at Seend again before the 20th – I propose being there about the 26th or 27th and should with your permission then like to see the progress you have made in your pits.
Should there be any Matter you would like to discuss I would call upon you if you stay in London on your way north –
Yours very truly
G Cottrell
[envelope:]
H. F. Talbot Esqre.
Lacock Abbey
nr. Chippenham