[printed notepaper:]
Great Western Railway.
London Terminus:
Paddington.
W.

7 Nov 1857

Dear Sir,

I have received your Letter of the 4^th Inst^t – and have been in communication upon the subject of it, with the Principal Goods Manager of our Line –

There will be no difficulty, on the part of this Company, in making an Agreement with the Lessees of your Iron Ore upon the same principles as those which have regulated the Arrangements with Mess^rs Sarl & C^o & the Great Western Smelting C^o – I ought to mention that the terms for the Conveyance vary, according to a limited Scale, with the Annual Amount of Freight guaranteed over the Line by the Senders. The rate p^r Ton gradually diminishes, as the total Annual Freight increases.

Subject to the application of that Rule, all parties are entitled to an Equality on Agreements, cæteris paribus –

If you will let me know what is the course & quantity of Traffic – with any particulars which may occur to your mind as important, viz where it would come on to the Railway – & where it would leave it – whether there will be any back Freight in the same Waggons, I will answer more specifically the Questions as to Rates & Conditions; and at any time our Goods Manager will see Parties, interested in the Traffic from your Property –

I remain, Dear Sir yours faithfully
Chas A. Saunders
Secretary

H. Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham

[envelope:]
[added in WHFT's hand:] Saunders
Henry Fox Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham