| Description | Private (Copy)
Mr. James Watt London 29th March 1773
Glasgow
Dr Sir
At the same time you receive this you will also receive another letter from me requesting you to Act for me & my partner relative to a debt owing to us from Dr. Roebuck, amounting to about £630 Which is all I shall claim but at the same time I must tell you in confidence that I advanced to the Dr. some years ago a sum nearly equal to the aforesaid meerly upon the good opinion I had of the Drs. Honor & honesty (which opinion I have not yet changed) without entering into any written agreement, what Interest or advantage I should receive for it, haveing more in View the Interest of the Dr. than myself, but as this sum hath never appeared in the Drs. Books nor to the Crs. I will not now Claim it If I never receive a farthing of it
I Presume Dr. S informed you some time ago of proposals made by Dr. R to Dr. S & myself relative to half his share of the Fire Engine. Now as Dr. R ow'sme a greater sum than what he valued half his 2/3 at, & as it is not likely the thing can be carried into execution by such a partnership. since the Dr. Rs. affairs are not likely to be upon an elegible footing, or at least such a footing as will enable him to form new partnerships of some Years I therefore wish Dr. R would relinquish or make over to me his 2/3 or his whole claim or property in the said invention & in that case it is probable that you Dr. S & self may carry it into execution or (as I have now nothing but assay offices in my head) at least we will Assay it & try how much Gold it contains. if it should turn out valuable. I shall constitute you & Dr. S as a court of Honor to determine what more I shall allow the Dr R, which I shall conform to without further appeal. the thing is now a Shadow, 'tis meerly ideal & will cost time & money to realize it. We have made no experiment yet that answers my purpose & the times are so horrible throughout ye mercantile part of Europe, that I have not had my thoughts sufficiently disengaged to think of new schemes
I have no objection to your shewing this to the Dr. and when he & you have determined any thing do inform me.
wishing you every good
I remain yours &c
MB
I have been giving battle before the Parliament for 2 mos. past to the Compy of Goldsmiths in London who are very Rich & very Powerfull yet nevertheless I make no doubt but I shall gain my point with Honor to myself & Dishonor to them
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