think a Non exportation will not take place until after they have heard the fate of their other measures. When any thing new transpires shall take the liberty of informing you. in the meantime and always we are with much respect, Sir, Your Very Humble Servants, STOCKER AND WHARTON1 Sir, STOCKER AND WHARTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Philadelphia, Oct. 18., 1774. We have this minute received your favor of the 11th Inst. and find the information we gave you had perplexed you a good deal. what we mentiond was the report of the Town and said to be the opinion of the Members of the Congress. Our next letter we hope would get to hand to prevent your parting with what Seed you had purchased, at an under price, and at the same time might perhaps been a sufficient hint for your buying from others at a low price before they recovered from their surprise. We remain with respect, Sir, Your Very Humble Servants, STOCKER AND WHARTON we P. S. In a letter rec'd the other day from Mess. Parr, Bulkeley & Co. "on the 17th Inst. arrived the Peggy, Cap. Barron, from Baltimore, with 1624 barrels Flour. generously offer'd the Cap. the additional Freight of 1/6 Stg. per barrel to proceed to London, having rec'd advice that the prices there for Wheat and Flour were favorable, but the Captain did not choose to go, having rec'd orders 1 "We wrote to you under date the Ist Inst. and have since understood that the Congress does not mean to prevent the export of Flaxseed to Ireland and therefore we think you had better keep on purchasing until you secure three or four hundred hhds, unless we should find it advisable to request you to stop your hand. "There is nothing more fluctuating than the price of this article, and therefore we can form no Judgment what it will be, or whether we had better sell here or ship it. Some people imagine it will be as high as 10/ or upward. But very little has yet come to Market and has sold from 8/ to 9/." Stocker and Wharton to Christopher Champlin, October 8, 1774. 1774] RHODE ISLAND 517 from Mr. Champlin to take a loading of Salt for St. John, etc., etc." We think he did right. S. AND W. Sir, STOCKER AND WHARTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Philadelphia, October 25th, 1774. Our last respects was under date the 18th Inst. to which we refer you. being without any of yours the present serves to advise that it is expected the Congress will break up to day or tomorrow.1 their proceedings will we believe be out tomorrow. Flaxseed is not prohibited to be sent to Ireland, so that we hope you have made tollerable progress in the purchase of that article. Unless the Acts of Parliament be repealed by the roth of September next a Non Exportation is then to take place to Great Britain, Ireland and the West Indies, except Rice to Europe; the Slave Trade to be discontinued after the first of December next; which is a most excellent resolve.2 Flaxseed is worth here about 10/. it is as you know a most precarious article to deal in, but we think, it will not be low this year at this Market. We remain with respect, Sir, Your Very Humble Servants, STOCKER AND WHARTON P. S. if the Ship Peggy comes here, we will ship for ourselves and our friends, 2/3 of her Cargo, you to hold a third. Sir, STOCKER AND WHARTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN A Philadelphia, October 28th, 1774. We wrote to you by last Post, but had not time fully to answer your letter. we find you had agreed to ship the 1 It dissolved on the twenty-sixth. * This refers to the Association or non-importation agreement entered into by the members of the Continental Congress, October 20, 1774. See Journals of the Continental Congress (Library of Congress edition), 1. 75. Seed you are purchasing on our joynt account in the Brig Britannia, Edward Fare, Master, at such Freight as is usually given from hence. there is no ascertaining this exactly as II/ to 12/ Irish, according to the plenty or scarcity of Vessels is given here. we have no doubt we could at this time charter a Vessel at 11/ or under, and we are confirmed in our Opinion by a Gentleman of veracity who is well versed in that Trade. We have to observe that the Shippers of small parcels generally pay 12/, but to secure the Freight the Owners of the Ship often gives them their passages or perhaps a part as they can agree. therefore we think the Freight in the Britannia should not be more than 11/. You dont mention when you think the Vessel will sail, tho we suppose you did intend to dispatch her before the first of December, at which time you understood the Non export was to take place. it is impossible to form a true Judgment what port the Seed will do the best at this year. We have however been consulting a friend of ours whose opinion we rely much on, and he thinks as it will go early that we had better order her to Dublin, as it can be carryed from thence to other places if the Markets should be encouraging, in small Craft on pritty reasonable terms. a better Judgment can be formed by those that ship late, than those that ship early, as they know the different Ports each Vessel is bound to, and can order the Vessel to proceed accordingly. We therefore advise her going to Dublin, and now inclose a Letter for our friend Mr. Rowland Norris of that place whose probity, and attention to the Interest of the concerned we have not the least doubt of. we have requested him to order the Vessel to any other Port if he finds such Step will advance the Interest of the Owners of said Cargo; an adequate Freight being allowed to the Vessel according to the time and risk, and our half of what you may ship we have desired him to remit to London. Should she be sent forward we have requested him to give the same directions to the House she may be ordered to, as he receives from you and us, and also attend to the directions he may receive from the Owner of the Brig respecting her and his part of the Cargo. As the Congress has broke up and published as much of their proceedings as they thought right, we would send you one of the Pamphlets, did an oppertunity offer; but no doubt your delegates will furnish you with them. We have left Mr. Norris's Letter open for your perusal which please to seal and forward with yours. We remain with respect, Sir, Your Very Humble Servants, STOCKER AND WHARTON P. S. had not you better agree with Mr. Fowler to ship the whole Cargo on a joynt Adventure you and us one half and he the other, or in thirds. Let us know how we are to make you a remittance. Exchange is here 69 to 70 per Ct. Please to put a Cover over Mr. Norris' Letter. Sir, SCOTT AND FRASER TO AARON LOPEZ Gothenburg, 29 October, 1774. SINCE ours of the 4th June, we have not had the pleasure of hearing from you. We have given up all hopes of seeing your Vessell from Jamaica which we have been in daily expectation of these three months past. If you have not alter'd her Voyage she must inevitably be lost, which we would be sorry to hear. Give us leave at present to state the situation of our market: at our India Sale in September Boheas sold at about 14d sterling per lb.; Congo 2/2 to 2/6, as in quality; common green or Singlo 2/; Hysan 4/6 to 5/. New Herrings, tho' as yet very scarce, could be shippd fit for the West Indies at 10/6 or 11/ per Barrel. Should your Schooner appear, which we have very little hopes of, we have still on hand a sufficient Quantity of Bohea to supply her with, altho that article is now much in demand and the Price started 6 per Ct. owing to very considerable orders coming in since the Sale. Notwithstanding this speculation has not taken place, we shall be glad to hear you have resolv'd on another; nothing shall be wanting on our part to render it advantageous. We are Sincerely, Sir, Your most Humble Servants, SCOTT AND FRASER Sir, STOCKER AND WHARTON TO CHRISTOPHER CHAMPLIN Philadelphia, November 4th, 1774. we We have yours per Capt. Anthony and shall endeavor to get a Freight for the Ship Peggy. we wish you had orderd her here as soon as her salt was out. we would have given her two-thirds of a Freight to Lisbon, the other could have been shipt on your own account. We have an order for half a Cargoe of Wheat and Flour for Bristol. dont know if we can get it here for the price limited, and have wrote to Virginia to endeavor to get it bought there. if we succeed, and nothing better offers for the Ship, we could give her that Freight; but the detention with you will make her very late. you should not part with the Matts she brought under the Salt as they are rather scarce, but have them washed and dryed. You dont mention what quantity of Seed you have secured or expect to get, in your last letter. We hope it will be upwards of 300 hhds. it is selling here in small parcels at 11/6, and have no doubt of its obtaining 12/ and upwards for any tollerable quantitys. we hope Mr. Fowler and you have agreed to let the Cargoe in thirds. we think it will answer in Ireland, but was it here now we could be certain of a profit. We have wrote to our friend at New York to endeavor to make a purchase there for us, if he succeeds, would you have an objection to the Ship loading there for Bristol? Vessels are very plenty. We remain With much respect, Sir, Your Very Humble Servants, Flour 16/9 to 17/. STOCKER AND WHARTON F |
