London 15 May 1775
Sir
I have recd your favor of Aprl 6th covering A Blairs secd dft: for £150 on Spiers & Co which I have sent to Glasgow for acceptce & if paid shall be to the credt of Triplett & Thornton. The former dft you mention of £300 is paid & to the crdt of T. & T. indeed yr remittans have not been so full as coud have been wished & I fear you have lost the oppty of remitg: amply to a very considerable advantage. Had you bot 1000 hhds at 2P/ 6 Curry as I advised by the Caroline Capt Blackwell in Decr last, you woud have made a small Fortune at one stroke, for the price of Tobo has risen very considerably here within these 6 wks: & in my opinion it will rise still higher. As to shippg goods, that business is at prest totally at a stop, but shd the trade ever revive, I shall have no kind of objection to continue our correspondence within the reasonable limits you mention, but according to my settled plan, security will be expected for what is advanced which I suppose will be easy for you to give as you propose to confine yr self within reasonable & prudent bounds. I shall be greatly disapointed & perhaps be put to exceeding inconvenience if you do not ship largely this year, because I have sent out two large ships, relying on yr assistance & that of my other mercantile correspondents, & knowing you wd have recd very considerable advantages by purchasg largely in proper time. I still have confidence in yr generosity not to let me suffer, I am &ー
1. William Lee Letter Book, VHS.