| Description | Sir,
When I was at Birmingham you was so kind as to show me your several very ingenious works in the manufacturing way; I beg leave therefore to return you my thanks for your civility. You may remember that you gave me a small piece of iron, and at the same time was pleased to say that if I could supply you with as good iron, you would contract with me for a quantity yearly. As I have lately had a quantity of my iron imported from Philadelphia, I have taken the freedom to desire Messrs. David Barclay and Sons to send you a bar of it, that you might have an opportunity of trying whether it was not as good as the piece you gave me. If you have received it, I should be much oblidged to you for the favor of a line giveing me you opinion of it.
I have given Mr. Capel Hanbury a piece of it, who sent it down to an old man in Worcestershire, who he said could try the qualitys of iron as well as any man in England. He has been with me and tells me that it is the best iron ever was in England; how it would answer for steel he could not say, but advised me to apply to one Mr. Sevigni, a famous cutler in Pall Mall, to whom I delivered a piece of the iron, who informs me that it is the best iron he ever met with, that it has all the properties that the best iron can have: that it will make excellent steel, is very ductile and malleable, and at the same time is of a very strong body. I here inclose you a small part of a plate which Mr. Hanbury tells me is the produce of the iron I gave him.
I hope you will excuse the freedom taken by, sir, your most humble servant,
Will. Allen
[Edited transcript.]
|