Volume 39: Sir William Macarthur letters and miscellaneous papers, 1824-1882

[Front Cover of Book]

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1a No. 214

Camden Jany 16th 1824

My dear John,

The Competitor being about to sail for England in the course of a few days with a cargo of Wool and Timber from the Colony I shall devote a portion of the intervening period in writing to you. We were exceedingly rejoiced to receive your welcome letters by the [original text has been crossed out- Allies] Courier which duly reached us a few days since. Our expectations were certainly somewhat damped by the sales of the Wool but the pleasing intelligence they conveyed upon other topicks rendered them highly acceptable. We are daily looking for the Guildfords arrival, anxious to learn by her that you have completed your arduous task and that the act together with the Charter are both at length ratified, and not indeed without the hope that our dear Edward may be conveyed in her to New South Wales. We had long been

1b

Ewes, and nearly the whole of it was in consequence separately packed in the three Bales that composed the three lots immediately following the best lot. Had I fixed a value on these three Bales it would have been as follows 5s/ 4s/ & 3s/ or thereabouts, at any rate I am certain this difference in their respective value was fully as great; instead of which they sold it at 3/11s, 2/11 & 3/. I have selected these three as [original text has been crossed out- an] instances of the want of discrimination displayed by the purchasers, and could point out many others. I think it fair to infer from them that little attention should be paid to the objections that are made because many buyers do not understand the quality of the article they are purchasing. I am more annoyed with this circumstance than with the reduction of the price. I am sure that you will allow that after one has taken great pains in separating

expecting letters from you when the letters by the Courier came in three months nearly having elapsed since the arrival of the last.

James left this yesterday to get the Bills of Lading signed, our wool having been shipped in the Competitor nearly three weeks since You will receive it I hope in good condition, that is to say free from injury on the voyage – for I confess I have nearly laid aside my hopes of pleasing the purchasers in London. We have taken great pains in superintending the washing shearing &c, which have been performed as well as our present means will permit. The fleeces were washed perfectly clean, whatever dirt, therefore, may be observed in them was taken up after the washing and notwithstanding any thing the buyers may urge to the contrary cannot materially increase the weight of the fleece. It will be easy

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the wool into so many different sorts, to find many fine bales, selected from a number of fleeces selling at prices little exceeding those of the coarse. There is no help however for these things; time we hope will remedy them. I know not what to say about the tight pressing; I have no doubt that the appearance of the wool is injured by it; but those who purchase must discover that it is only in appearance. It would be inconvenient to materially lessen the quantity contained in the bales besides 7 or 8 lbs less in the tare upon each bale.

The constitution of our Sheep appears to improve materially the number of sickly sheep and casualties continues to decrease though we have not been favored with abundant summers. At present the whole face of the country is completely parched up by a drought of long continuance more than five months having elapsed since we have had