| Description | Sir,
I am favor'd with yours of 16th past, explaining Boulton & Smiths' motives for their different allowances on latchets, for which I thank you, and which I clearly understand. To me it amounts to this: that by all the goods sold in London thro' my hands is gain'd a 2½ per cent. more than by what is sold to a Birmingham factor. In considering the subject, the question is not merely what is in my favor, but how the plan and terms will operate generally and ultimately in favor of B. & S. Without entering into calculations, I will come at once to that point which strikes me as requiring some little variation from your general plan, which is this: to allow me a discretional power of serving those who travell from London, as well to different parts of this kingdom as to the fairs on the Continent, &c. and to allow them a 5 per cent. off the invoice and another 5 for money.
Mr. Beldon in a few weeks with be at Soho; he is necessitated to apply to the Manufactory, as he finds you there allow considerably greater advantages than I do, of which he is inform'd by those factors he has met abroad. Mr. Parry (exactly in his line) has not yet said the same, but he assuredly will when I see him again. These and many others of the same description are good customers for plated wares, in which they find no such variation in terms. Mr. Beldon means to give Mr. Hodges large orders, on receiving which he might use your language and say thus: "Altho' Mr. Beldon is R. C.'s customer, yet as he is a factor or traveller, I must take him from R. C. and allow him greater advantages than he can"; this is indeed far from Mr. Hodges' language or custom in any transaction hitherto.
You will best judge how far this will operate with those whose convenience it wou'd suit to have goods from this warehouse, and likewise you will judge how far on the part of B. & S. it wou'd be desirable to sell off goods from a stock already manufactured, which it may frequently happen to consist of patterns which it wou'd be prudent to push off.
As to the London factors serving my own customers, it wou'd be for me to judge from their connections how far it cou'd be profitable. Not that it wou'd signify, or indeed vary from what it is at present; for on the plan you now supply the factors, they supply more than 1, 2, or 3 warehousemen here who we meet at every shop and selling exactly on our terms, from which I am far from having, as you suppose, "the shopkeepers wholly to myself."
From these considerations I conceive the question with you to be whether it is more eligible to cultivate sales in London or sales at the Manufactory, for whether I gain 5 per cent. or the factor 7½ cannot, in itself, be a consideration with you; and in respect to the 2½ per cent. del credere I will endeavor, as much as possible, to do that far away from all accounts of calculations whatever. On reconsidering this, whether it meets yur approbation or otherwise, be assur'd I shall be satisfy'd with whatever you may think best, and am, sir, your very humble servant,
R. Chippindall
PS. A packet herewith address'd for your father, to whom I beg my best compliments.
A Mr. Goldsmith I daily meet, who is selling a great quantity of latchets. He says he is served from the Manufactory; Wenington says the same. I can hardly believe it, as, shou'd you pursue that mode, it must greatly interfere with your heavy stock kept here.
[Edited transcript.]
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