Clare Hall / Antigua / May 11th 1825
Sir,
Since my last letter of the 1st
April the weather has been extremely dry at least till Yesterday
evening when we had a good rain which continued the whole of last night
and which is the best we had for nearly two years of course we have stoped
sugar making all hands taking advantage of the rain to get as many
plants in as possible I shall have now in about 98 Acres and have 27
more to plant, with 50 Acres Rattoons for the next crop, the young canes promise well.
As yet we have only made 35Hhds and shall not exceed 100. Last year we
would only establish about 64 Acres of canes and had no ratoons being
obliged to cut them off for plants for the next crop the sugar we have
made is good, the first 20 will be shipped to Geo: Hibbert for London 50 will be kept for Capt. Mereweather the remainder I shall ship to London as soon as they are ready.
Mr. Carr
the mail before this promised to send me out the opinion of an eminent
special pleader which we are anxious to see as not liking to commence
measures until it arrives I cannot find that any powers have arrived in
this Island from Blackburns representatives, my last account from Barbuda was that it was very dry I meant to have gone there tomorrow but Mr Osborn had offered to go with me if
I can stay a day or two for him I shall remain there until the arrival
of the next Packet unless it may be necessary to move in Blackburns business, I think there is a good prospect of more rain I have been obliged to draw a Bill for £374.9.6 stlg
chiefly for salaries & take the particulars of which you have with
this, I am sorry to say the Invoices of this year have far exceeded what
I expected many things being sent that were never ordered they must
have been taken from the invoice of the preceeding
year they are chiefly hard ware and will keep, we shall want nothing
for the next year but clothing unless you wish to send out the Xmas
Pork................................... it is now selling here for 20
dollars per barrel I have taken the liberty of including in the Bill
drawn on Mr Trattle £50 stlg for my self which will make £150 that I have drawn for altogether,
as you have never mentioned what I may be entitled to I shall be
obliged to you to do so when I shall be enabled to send you all your
accounts by Capt. Mereweather we are in want for Barbuda of a few pieces of Cotton
Bagging to put the wool in which would wish to send by Mereweather this
I suppose will reach you are he can sail by him I sent you a small box
of Cayenne Pepper which I hope will be good I am getting more made I
have determined on keeping all the Staves & Lumber at Barbuda for this Estate which will help us a good deal. The Doctors Bill is the principal if not the only one of the old Debts unpaid & that is to every thing
having never received any thing since you have been in possession of
the Estate except what I paid last year & must now be about £1200 currency payable in produce could they be paid in sugar or Cash I
have no doubt this would deduct at least 50 per cent they offered me
last year to take Sugar at ten dollars per 100 pounds. The third of the
Lumber being the salvage I shall keep for the use of Barbuda as we are
much in want of some as yet I do not know the quantity.
I am
Sir
Your Most Obedient
Humble Servant
(signed) John James
1825
April 1 to Cash pd Mr Winters Salary 31 decr to date£50,0,0
to ““ “ “ Mr Spenk “ “ “ “ “ “£25,0,0
7 to “ “ “ “ “ “ I S I McKie Co. for 3 carts purchased
In d??? last Pble on 1st inst.£50,0,0
to Cash pd John Bradshaw for 15 puncheons
M???? purchased 13 Nov last pble on 1st inst.£121,0,0
15 to Cash paid John Osborn for retaining fee
Blackburn vs Codrington£100,0,0
to ditto pd chanery fees on same cause£50,0,0
May 9 to ditto Mr. Nelson’s salary in full from
31st decr last to date£35,8,4
to Cash pd
Reference: JJ279 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.
