| Description | (Directed to William Matthews’, 6 Green Lettice Lane.)
Dear Father,
Nothing of any consequence having occured since my last, I did not think it necessary to trouble you with a letter. This was the only reason of my silence.
I have attended as much as possible to the points you mark in your last, but I am afraid you will think with little success. Joseph does not keep any account of bits received from the cutters-out, as they pass through the shakers’ hands first and (in the present instance, the presses not being finished) their stock increases, and therefore any account he could keep would be erroneous; moreover, the account kept by Bently shews the quantity cut out. The Quaker’s account is merely confined to the quantities of money struck and packed; this, if you wish it, he shall send as you mark, but I am afraid you will not be very satisfied with it, than there is as yet only one press finished; another is nearly completed, but I cannot say they are in a regular state of working; untill they are, you cannot expect any great quantity to be struck.
The change you wish to be made in the dies is already completed, viz. L’an 4 de la Liberte, instead of year 3, and 1792 instead of 1791. Ponthon has promised to use the utmost dispatch with the new figure for the 3 sols.
Mr. Southern, writing to Mr. Watt, has beged of him to buy some pullies and chain of a parti[cul]ar kind for the wind dial, finding it will be much more convenien[t] than wheels, as it cannot be done without three sets. I mentioned this to you in case in any of your rambles you might meet with them to buy some. There is another purchase which I suppose you can make more advantagiously in London than any where else: that is, two leathern pipes for the extinguishing engine. The one, I fancy, is called the feeding pipe, and the other a conducting pipe. They are very necessary, and their want greatly dimishes the utility of the engine.
We are all well, and join in hearty wishes for your welfare. I remain your dutiful son,
Mattw. R. Boulton
PS. Mr. C. Startin continues very ill, and little hopes of his recovery; he rages most violent[l]y at . . .
[Edited transcript.]
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