these few lines, the purport of which is to inclose you Bill of Lading and Invoice of 80 pipes 40 Hoggshds. and 80 Quarter Casks making together 120 pipes of choice Vidonia Wine, shipp'd on the Brigg Baione Capt. Benjamin Bailey in virtue of your order at £12 Stg. per pipe, also 2 Quarter Casks of particular wine at £15 per pipe and 2 Quarter Casks of sweet Mamzy £40 per pipe for all which you are debitted in Account with Messrs. Francisco C. Sarmento and Co. £ Stg. 1467.10. as you are also with [£] 15.12.5 amount of sundry disburses and Port Charges of said Brigg as per Account deliver'd Capt. Bailey. The Abocado you call'd for is not to be found at present: the heavy rains we had all last Vintage made it impossible for the Planters to make any, consequently the sweet Mamzy goes as a substitute, tho' superior in quality, and my Uncle hopes you'll approve of the same. The moment my said Uncle is recover'd in his health, he will embrace the first opportunity to write you at large; being what offers I remain very respectfully etc. Sir, [WILLIAM MCDANIELL.] FRANCISCO C. SARMENTO AND CO. TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Tenerife, 13 August, 1790. We had the pleasure of addressing you under 22 and 29 of last month whereof the foregoing are Copys. On the 30 ulto. Capt. Bailey saild for L'Orient with 121 pipes wine we ship'd on his Brigg Bayonne agreeable to your directions as per duplicate Invoice and Bill of Lading herewith, for whose amount you are debitted £1467.10 Stg. as mention'd in said last letter and £15.12.5 for supplys made said Vessell. As for the quality of the wine we have no doubt it will be liked, having selected the whole quantity from some hundreds of pipes we had purchased from the best growths. Capt. Bailey had some few days delay on account of the Madeira Casks, with which we were not provided, for want of previous advice; bating this circumstance he had every other dispatch that cou'd possibly be given him. He flatter'd us with returning hither on our encouraging him to bring 15 to 20 pipes french Brandy for which we offer'd him 2 Gallons wine for I of Brandy. His Cargo as already hinted will not begin to sell before the fall, as yet it remains untouched; however you may rely upon our utmost exertions in disposing of it for the most the Market will afford, and allowing you every advantage that circumstances will permitt, being equally desirous with our F. C. S. to render your dealings to this Island as encouraging as possible. We cou'd wish however that the Assortment had been better chosen a quarter part at least of the Iron shou'd have been square Barrs, less Beef, and more Pork wou'd have answer'd better; the Corn as already mention'd to you has a bad collour, a larger quantity of pipe staves wou'd have also answer'd well; but above all, the Assortment of Cordage is the worse that cou'd have been thought on; of this article Hawsers from 4 to 6 in. are the most vendible, and you sent only 2, so that the remaining 94 ps. are all running rigging from 1 to 3 inches, so very unsaleable here that years may pass over before they can be disposed of. its our wish therefore you woud order said parcell back (the greatest part at least) by first Vessell you may order this way and send in their stead Hawsers of the dimensions pointed above. We have at present a great scarcity of Butter. 60 Casks of a good quality to arrive here in November or December next wou'd sell readily and to advantage, as wou'd also a dozen Casks Hoggs Lard, Rye and Rye Meal are good articles, as is also flax if you cou'd hit upon the dutch method of dressing and packing it up. We remain very truely. [Unsigned] Sir TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Charleston, August 19th, 1790. THE duplicate of your esteemed favour of 28th June last was duly handed by Captain Haskell, the Original (owing to the Betseys long passage from New York) came to hand but yesterday. Madeira Wine of the London Market quality has been sold from £32 to £40 but is not a ready sale as there is sufficient here to supply our Markets for a long time to come; it is sometimes sold on a short Credit say 1 to 6 months, but is so slow a sale in general that it would be inconvenient to advance Rice or other Cash articles on receipt of it. Teneriffe in general is more saleable altho' seldom a quick sale. it is usually sold £15 to £18 and sometimes £20. but seldom higher than £18. a few say 10 or 12 pipes if very good might sell but not a large Quantity unless it should wait a Market. Northward Rum has been scarce and in great demand but is now more plenty. this article is in great demand with the Planters in Autumn when the Crops come in, but the prices of this and other Goods are governed by the quantity in Market. we think it probable it will be 1/8 to 1/10 yet if there is not an over supply it will keep its present price say 2/2 to 2/3. there is a considerable Sale of Train Oil to the Indigo Planters but their season for purchasing is nearly over as they are now about cutting. they generally lay in their supplies by the first of August after which the sales are very slow thro' the year. Spermaceti Oil is at present 3/6, Spermaceti Candles usually sell 1/10 to 2/. and except the Market is much over stocked meet a ready sale. they are in demand at present and sell at 2/4. W. India goods in general are high and will we imagine answer well between this and Christmas, after which the Country trade slackens, loaf Sugar is now very scarce and in great demand, Exchange on Specie (which is regarded here as an article of Merchandize all business being transacted in Paper) is at present 10 to 12 per % but when the crops come, it will probably be as low as five. Exchange on London or other ports in England and France is usually at par for specie and seldom over 5 per %. Northward produce in general sells well when it is scarce, but the articles being mostly perishable are very dull sale when they are plenty and there is perhaps no principal Market in America where the prices of goods are so entirely governed by the quantity as in this. We enclose the present state of our Markets and are Sir respectfully Your Most Obedient Servants. Sir [Unsigned] EDWARD FORBES TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Dublin, 26th August, 1790. I REFER you to my letter of the 9th April per the Mary Captain Davis for Providence with Invoice of a Bundle Linens. Since am without any of your favors. The present hands Abstract of your Account Current Ballance due me to your debit in a new account £o: 10: 10d. Our Crop of Corn and Flax prooves good, all Idea of saving the Seed is given up in this country. its impossible to say at this distance what the price of this Article may be next Spring, that will depend on the Quantity [that] arrives. I must beg leave to inform you that the [seed from] Rhode Island was complained of as being very dirty. when that from Philadelphia (that formerly sold for 2/ to 2/6 per Hhd less then either the Newyork Seed or yours) sold for 2/ more by reason of it's being so much better cleand. If I thought the Pot and Pearl ashes of the first Quality could be purchased as cheap with you as at Boston I would give you an order for two or three hundred Barels next Summer. I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant, EDWARD FORBES Sir, BENJAMIN BAILEY TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN L'Orient, September 10th, 1790. I ARRIV'D here from Teneriffe on the 5th Inst. after a long tedious Passage of 37 days. on my arrival received your favour of the 19th of July. I am very sorry to inform you that my Cargo of wine cannot be sold at L'Orient, although it is of an excellent quality. Mr. Lanchon has effectually apply'd to every person whom he thought would purchase but without the least success. the last an only alternative he has immediately wrote to his Correspondents at Paris and St. Maloes offering the wine for sale requesting an answer by the next Posts which will be here in the course of six days, when if nothing proves favorable towards the Sale of the wine I shall immediately depart for the West India Islands. I imagine you have not been inform'd of all private Companys of Merchants being dissolv'd in France since the Revolution, which is really the case. there is now only one Ship a fitting for India at this Port, and they have not any Inclination to buy wine. the four hogsheads of Tobacco would have been sold yesterday at 42 Livres per 100 li. if it had suited the Irish market but the Quality did not suit the purchaser. I advised Mr. Christopher Grant Champlin immediately after my arrival, and expect an answer by next Post if he does not come himself. come himself. Brandy cannot be bought at L'Orient for less than 7 li. 10s per Velt as they import it from Bordeaux. I have inclos'd a Price Current for your Government and shall by the next Opportunity advise you of my future Proceedings from this date. In the Interim I am, Sir, Your most Obedient Servant, BENJAMIN BAILEY P. S. They have received orders from Government, at Brest to equip 45 Ships of war ready for sea. their destination remains a profound Secret. there are 36 English men of war of[f] Ushant and 38 Spanish men of war of Cape St. Vincent. by a Vessel just arriv'd from the Baltic I am |