106 [Fenchurch Street] London Decr 2d 1822—
Dear Judge
on the opposite side you will find the prices of the difft. articles
which you desired me to let you know - Most anxiously do I await
the arrival of letters from you which will I trust contain documents
relative to the estate in which case if the market remains as it is at
present I will immediately sell (which I can at a very good price)
some thousand acres of the land and we will carry on the business
without any partner unless indeed I can get some house here to do
our business on condition of receiving a very small share -
Unfortunately these d—d piracies have rendered Merchants very much
afraid of the Gulf of Mexico and the house on which I had calcu-
lated has retired from business so that I find it so very difficult to
procure cash on terms such as will suit us or rather so very different
from what can be done whenever I can produce documents provino
that the land is ceded to us by the Govt. that although I shall not
neglect to make every effort I shall accept no terms but such as I
am not likely to get at present when unable to furnish a proof or
even to state that when I quitted Mexico the grant was confirmed -
My falling into the hands of the Pirates and long detention has
played the Devil with my schemes in some respects in others I am
getting on very well - I wrote you several times and via Mexico -
Havana and New Orleans from Charleston S Carolina and lately
via Mexico - Do not forget to send immly [immediately] a copy of
the Map of Texas since the Pirates took mine also of the Estate and
mark of[f] most distinctly on it the lands which I can sell describe
them fully and send the original or a fully authenticated Copy of the
Grant of course of the very [first] cash I can procure I shall send
you all the article mentioned in the list if however I can get the
price up shall I [not sell?] as much [as I can? (torn)] a tolerable
price for some has lately been sold at . . . [torn] Shillings pr acre
if enabled to procure by sale of land more money than we want to
work the Estate and the most required would be I suppose 200,000
Dollars if so fortunate as I possibly may be what shall I do with
your share of any surplus . . . [illegible] it in your name in the Bnk
funds and send you the Documents or place the whole in our joint
names - With regard to the Mines I am happy to say I have already
forwarded proposals to the Mexn Govt such as it will doubtless unless
mad adopt when I shall be enabled to furnish them with whatever
cash they require - I have also in consequence of offers made me
by Merchants here proposed the terms on which I will furnish the
Govt with a loan of 20 Millions of Dollars - We must have a little
patience and I doubt not all our affairs will go on well - I am very
sorry not to be enabled immediately to send you out all you want
unfortunately the want of documents has played the Devil with us
for the present remove that obstacle and as I am assured our grant
will prove as fine a speculation as you had ever anticipated
Although only a fortnight here I have already done a great deal of
business and will not [q]uit until I get through all I have to do
believe me dear Judge
Your ever Most faithful friend A. G. Wavell
Mr. Exter has removed from No 5 Jeffery Square St Mary Ave to
No. 106 Fenchuch Street London where direct to me indeed I am
here staying with him -
[Addressed:] Stephen Fuller Austen Esqr to the care of Col J H
Hawkins New Orleans pr Unicorn via New York
[Enclosure.]
Value Duty.
Staves—Pipe from £70 to £135 pr 1200 from £1.6.2 to £5.8.6
per 1200 according to
length etc
Hhds 2/3rds of the above.
Barrel 1/2
Shumac 20/ pr Cwt 1s 7d pr Cwt
Sarsaparilla Lisbon 4/ @ 4/6 pr lbs
Honduras 1/6 to 1/8 pr lbs 1/3d pr lb
Vera Cruz 1/2 to 1/8 pr pbs
Pearl Ashes from 46/ to 52/ pr Cwt 11/2d pr Cwt
Pot Ashes 45/ to 46/ pr Cwt 9/2d pr Cwt
Columbo Root. None here—the last 2/ pr lb [sic]
price was 70/ pr Cwt
Sasafras, very scarce, 30V @ 35s/ @ 35s/ 6/4d pr Cwt
pr Cwt
Oak Bark* 8d pr Cwt
* When Oak Bark shall be under
£10 for the load of Hatch Bark
containing 45 Cwt then no oak
Bark shaU be allowed to be im-
ported.
Black Oak or Quercitron Bark 11/ to 15/ pr Cwt 2d pr Cwt
Cannot be imported in Casks of
less than 150 lbs nett
Petrified wood for Hones the duty on Hones is
23s/ pr 100
Spanish Nuts The price of these articles very
Walnuts uncertain indeed-sometimes 11s/ pr Bushel
selling at a Profit of 15 4s/ pr Bushel
percent and sometimes at a
Loss of 50 pr Cent
Buck Horns 5s/ pr Cwt
Buffalo Horns 5s/ pr Cwt
Ox Horns 5s/ pr Cwt
Beeswax 12 to 14 £ per Cwt 3.6.6 pr Cwt
Deer Skins (large red) 45 shillings each 4d pr skin
(small) 1 sh 9 each
Rice (Carolina) 33 to 36 Shs pr Cwt 15s pr Cwt