SD885. Edward Moulton-Barrett (father) to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 335 (in part).
London
March 15. 1838.
My dear Sam
I dont know whether this letter will find you still in Jamaica, or preparing to leave it, or determined to remain, I must however take all chances, as I have one or two directions to give, which I would request you to see executed for me, & as I have a burden of letters to dispatch by this conveyance I must be very short– In the first place, I would strongly recommend that all the Rums be made what we call here 30 proof; that is very strong, and shipped for England, as the prices here are high & the Stock low, whereas the Sugars are getting down from the continued increase of importations from the East, which with the large Crops expected from the West, will necessarily reduce that Article considerably— Whatever Articles of Furniture or otherwise you may send me, it will be necessary to send a Certificate of their having been manufactured in the Island, or I shall be subjected to a very high duty– The Wines of course will pay the duty here, as I take it for granted, even if they come from England, they were shipped out of bond, & therefore never paid any duty—but if you can get any information as to the bottles being shipped from England, they then, having paid the duty, will pass free– I trust that you have before this inspected all the Properties & made yourself sufficiently well acquainted with them so as to afford me much valuable information concerning them– I wish to know the practicability of using the Plough upon them, even if only portions of the Estates can be cultivated by that Implement, it is most desireable for the saving of labor– I wish also, if you can get it, to have a sketch of the Lands at Falmouth, with every other information connected with them you can procure, & as to the increased distance it would be to me, were I to ship Cambridge & Oxford Sugars from thence, thus throwing every advantage I can in the way of Wharfage, into the Wharf there–
Henrietta has just received your letter of the 6th Feby. & I am happy from it to find that you are well, & above all that a peaceful & resigned state of mind is possessed by you, seing the late severe dispensation in the proper point of view– May the Lord have you in his keeping & lead you into all good, whether in thought, word or deed– I must now go into the City in order to see my letters before I close this, that I may reply to any observation contained in yours to me which presses for an answer–
I have just read your letter, & with the exception of the question, connected with the Writ you call Emblements there is nothing for me to reply to– Even should Mr Farquharson ship <the Sug>ars, I cannot see how he can claim the 6 per cent, as he has a certain Salary from me in lieu of all privilege<s;> before he does so, you will have received my Power & therefore Farquharson will be excluded, neither do I think seeing it is my intention to give a certain allowance to Mr Carey, that he can in equity make the charge– I hope for his own sake, if he acts, that he will not, as it will give me an idea that he is of a grasping Character– I wish I had known this law, when I might have removed all this demand, by sending you a Power, pro hac vici–
In consequence of coming into the City for my letters I am prevented writing to Sir J. Rowe, which I much wished to do– I have not heard by this Packet from Farquharson & your letter containing no information about the state of the Weather I am all [at] sea, as to the prosepects– I hear from other sources they are not so flattering as they were– The prices are very bad here, so that we are not particularly comfortable as regards the incoming Crop– I must bid you Adieu–
And believe me Dear Son,
Yrs very affectionately
E M Barrett
Give my regards to Selby & tell him I expect to hear from him according to promise–
Address, on integral page: S. M. Barrett Esqre / Bloomsbury / Montego Bay / St. James’s Jamaica.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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