| Description | (1 bklt)
"Proposals to B. & F. by J. S."
J S begs leave to lay before B & F, his sentiments of their trade at Soho. he has done it upon paper because many material points might be omitted in conversation, either for want of time or recollection, not only so, but it is probable through a little exagration (which he beleives most people are subject to when warm in a Cause) on either side, an altercation might take place and put an end to the whole, 'tho very interesting to both parties; and as he wou'd wish to explain his sentiments without reserve, he thinks he can do it better upon paper than in conversation, shou'd they not coincide with those of B & F, he will with pleasure be advis'd, if convinced of his error, and if in any place he may be thought to exagrate in order to excuse himself, he begs it may not be construed into a design to misguide them, but to his want of judgment, for whatever he has advanced that does not carry with it the appearance of truth, he will readily give up. J S is told that B & F have lost about 5M by their trade at Soho in the last 4 years or say in 1769 70. 71. & 72; he has no doubts of its being true, and is exceeding sorry it has so happend, Mr. F. seems well convinced that the Commission business has gaind £600 per annum which is also lost by the trade at Soho, it is then natural for him to fix the blame on the conductors of that trade; it is likewise natural for M B to lessen his burthen of blame by every just means he can think of, J S also thinks it his duty to do the same, and likewise to point out a remedy for the future to the best of his judgment; but first to find out where this enormos sum is lost. from the continual addition of money advanced into trade, and a continuance of the B/A, he Always rather doubted the proffits being equal to the undertaking, but he never dream'd of of much loss, or indeed any, however since he has found the contrary he has been at some pains to find out wherin this loss has happend, and accordingly he has annexd a list of losses to the amount of 10,000- many of which he hopes Mr B will do him the justice to acknowledge, that J S has at various times endeavourd to convince him, that such, or such, trades were loosing; and that his disputes with Mr B about putting on a proffit; (whether it shou'd be according to the real price of what the goods did cost, or whether it shou'd be according to what it was possible they might be got up for) have been freequent, and great, that the goods have often been priz'd according to the imaginary expence, and that expence seldom realiz'd, in this case J S thinks he has reason to lay a great stress, for he beleives they have scarce ever consulted about a new thing but what they have differd in their opinion M B being for changing it according to what it might be got up for and J S according to what it did cost; and he has freequently disputed this point even further than has been consistent with his place, however as his opinion in this case is so well grounded he hopes that any arguments he may have held on that point will rather prove, that he has not been quite so carless of their intrest as they have seemd to imagine. Mr F (in some conversation with J S) in some measure excusd Mr B from blame in the loss, by saying he had been so much abroad and that they lookd upon J S to stand in his shoes during his absence, and to see that their business was doing well, and as J S had the payment of all the money and had a very great salery they thought he ought to see that they had justice done, and some more to this purport which perhaps Mr F may recollect better. however upon the whole J S found that he had not a little share in the blame of this loss but much greater than he is conscious he merits, he will not attempt to excuse himself from some blame, and indeed (at a time when Mr B was angry with Mr Cabrit) he has before acknowledged to Mr. B. that his matrimonial scheme and his house had taken more of his attention than he had a right to and if they had found fault on his Acct: he shou'd have thought they had done justice to both parties, it perhaps may be thought vain to say he reconciled himself to this neglect by thinking that as soon as his schemes were compleated he wou'd double his diligence; but, instead of that he found himself in a situation which renderd him almost incapable of doing any business at all, or at least with any pleasure, and he even yet thinks it unfriendly & unjust, as well as very impolitical in Mr F to take the liberties he did respecting his honesty, if he did dispute it, there are many ways more just, more manly, & more likely to detect him then by exposing his doubts to the very people over whom he shou'd have had some authority, if his authority was of any intrest to the trade that intrest is lost by by his power being taken away, and if he was or is to be lookd upon to stand in M B shoes during his absence it is necessary he shoud have power. Mr F does not deny ordering G Craven never to let J S have any more of the post money, this circumstance alone in the manner it was delivered to G C sufficiently convinces J S that Mr. F doubts of his honesty must be very great: If he has no other grounds for his doubts than that of B & F loosing so much money in their trade and J S building a house, J S has already endeavourd to shew wherin their loss consists and he can easily point out to him how he came by the money with which he built his house; if either Mr B or Mr F have any other reason to doubt his honesty he begs they will not be silent but take whatever method they may think most prudent to detect him, observing that if they think him worthy of their service not to defame him in the minds of the workmen or Clerks as Mr F did before for if they cannot put confidence in him it is impossible for him to be of that use or consequence he ought to be according to his salery, and so far as J S can judge of mankind, he knows not any thing that will excite people to extra-industry, so much as either pleasure or proffit; the latter he does not complain of, but must confess he has not had near so much pleasure in Business of Late, as he usd to have, even before he knew that his honesty was call'd in question, but much less since, and even now he is unhappy, for if it is a fact that they have lost so much money, he does not yet see sufficient methods taken to prevent a continuance of that Loss; how then is it possible he can have pleasure in running on in the same error that has laid him under so much blame, and lost them so much money. perhaps Mr B may say, why does not J S put it in a better train, he answers he has neither power nor spirits to act of himself; for he is not yet convinced that they can put confidence in him as they us'd to do, and if they will but change sides a moment he hopes they will easily excuse his having acted of late only by orders, for when his character is blasted & his integrity suspected, judge what encouragement he has to begin any new regulations of himself that Mr B does not minutely inspect into, he cannot say that they have of late charg'd him with any thing, neither have they signified that the doubts they had expressd of his honesty before Xmas were groundless, he is therefore in suspence whether they yet think well or ill of him; and to continue in that suspence is very disagreeable; he therefore most earnestly entreats of them to be ingenuous; for if their doubts of him still continue it cannot answer their end to continue him in their service, but if they can once again put confidence in him it wou'd be his greatest pleasure to endeavour to rectify the past errors in their trade, which he does not yet dispair of turning to a good Acct: if properly managed & of which he will now according to the best of his judgment point out the plan by which it shoud be conducted, but previous to that he must beg Mr Bs pardon for some parts of it blaming his past conduct particularly in not settling the Acct: every year, and more so this last, year after having felt such a severe stroke before-but to the Plan.
Suppose Birmingham warehouse and Soho to be two distinct houses and to have no more connection with each other than than Soho has with Duncumbs &c &c only that they shou'd endeavour to act for each others intrest as much as possible, then Soho shall be supposd to begin with a living Capital equal to its returns for 6 months and give 6 months credit at the end of which it shall draw upon B W every week for the amount of the weeks list after deducting goods returnd & so much per Ct which shall be reckond as Commission carriage abatements &c for the B Ws proffit, and Soho shall pay every expence incurrd on its trade whether materials workmenship Clerks wages &c or in short every thing and it shall also keep all the accts: whatever belonging to its trade and pay them at Soho and not at Birmingham. Soho shall run just the same risque of having goods returnd as other manufactorers in the Town and shall have the same liberty of refusing orders when the time given is not sufficient to Execute them in and this point must be attended to in a very different manner to what it has hitherto been, for it is certainly the most absurd thing that can be, to promise without first looking for the power to execute, it has often causd Confusion and great uneasiness to the managers when they have been toss'd about from one order to another and still at a loss to know what must be done first, this impropriety J S thinks has run very great lengths. the preference of expedition in the foreign orders seems cheifly Mr Fs department and it shou'd be an absolute rule with each manager when he receives an order to look into his book and say whether he can or not execute it in the time limited, if not, he shoud immediately acquaint B or F and consult whether more time coud be obtaind, if not, the order shoud be rejected. ask B W if other manufactorers do not do so, or ask your selves whether it shoud not be so or compare the man who promises and deceives to him who is loath to promise, but if he does, will keep it, J S must beg Mr Bs pardon but he thinks him too guilty of this folly, for if he considers he will find it very disagreeable to a manager to promise what the manager sees no probability of executing, the consequence is Mr B is obliged to forfeit his word and is then angrey with the manager for not doing what was not in his power to do this has too often been the case. these with any additions or ommissions that may occur, are pretty near the sentiments of J S respectg the regulations betwixt Soho & Birmm. W:house and if they were put in force he thinks Soho woud soon find whether it lost or gaind. But the most importent Regulations are to be made at Soho. The first and greatest impropriety, is so many work people by the day for in such an overgrown manufactory as this that consists of such a variety of articles it is impossible for the Masters to inspect into each trade so minutely as is necessary and all the laws or rules that ever was or ever will be made will never make the men do that justice to their Masters as they woud do to themselves-he woud therefore recommend to get every person about the manufactory to piece work (except Jos Harrison or such a one to bring to perfection any new scheme) and to find all their own materials of whatever kind, and also tools of all kinds except Stamps Lathes & presses &c which they shoud pay intrest for and also Rent for their shops and be at every expence of both Carpenters & Bricklayers there shoud be no new trades, nor any expensive alterations or schemes untill the proffits woud admitt of them. By these means the general expences woud be divided and reduced to pretty near a Certainty, it woud then be an easy task to fix the price of any article when the absolute prime cost always came into the warehouse along with it, and the cheif care of the conductor wou'd be to examine the quality of the goods, and to keep up the spirit of the trade by novelty and executing the orders to the time promised, whereas their whole time has not been sufficient to watch their property entrusted in the hands of them that have workd by the day, their dead Stock has continually increasd, but not in saleable articles at least too great a portion of the increase has Consisted in either models or tools which daily decrease in their value. It is scarcely to be conceived the great difference betwixt the workmen finding their own tools and Materials and B & F finding them, it is in many cases near equal to the mentainence of the workmen. consider the difference betwixt B & F fitting up a shop and the workmen, instance Tournants did not cost less than £30 Jack Bentleys is not much above so many Shillings. When Hewson had the gilt Chain trade the Stock amounted to about £70 Jack Bentleys does not amount to more than 70/. Turners stock in inlaid Butts when he began (in odds finishd) was about £50 query if it is now more than 50/ except an order returnd to him of abt £10. the Chain Co. Stock of perhaps £1000 need not have been above 1000 shillings in the same kind of work or compare Gainer ordering £30 value in files to what he woud have done had he been to have paid for them, many other instances of this kind might be recollected if it was necessary, but woeful experience renders it needless.
Day People as under-
E Bates silver smith 0 14 0
James Lowe Clocks 0 14 0
Lucy Street 0 3 9
T Strickland 0 12 0
Wm Harrison & Sons 1 12 0
Jno Allen & Boys 2 7 0
Moses Hill 1 1 0
Wm Farr & Boy 1 17 3
Jos Burton 0 15 0
Saml Ward 0 18 0
Dodd 1 4 0
Jno Heys & Deakin 1 9 0
Nany & Beck 0 9 0
George Fitton & Prennals 1 2 0
Sanson 0 15 0
Jos Harrison 1 0 0
Wm Vale 1 0 0
Greatleys 0 13 6
Olly & Lealand Clocks 2 2 0
Wm Eginton 1 0 0
Edwd Davis 0 14 0
White 0 12 0
2 Stratfords 0 10 6
Wm Wigley 1 1 0
Jos Vale 0 12 -
Hanckle 1 6 0
Harden Dyott & Armfield 2 2 0
Roberts & Pitt 0 11 6
Jno Eginton & Boys 2 2 0
Tyson & Millars Boys 6 0 0
Mrs. Harrison 0 6 0
F Eginton & Boys 2 10 0
40 17 6
some of the above may be call'd managers and can't be done without, but if £20 out of the 40 cou'd be set piece work it wou'd be a saving of £10 per week if the materials & tools are taken into consideration
Shou'd B & F think the plan J S has laid down or any thing similar to it an eligable one he assures them his greatest pleasure wou'd be to put it in force immediately and he flatters himself that he cou'd (with a little of M Bs assistance) get every person about the manufactory by the piece upon his plan in a short time perhaps by Xmas except the Clock makers but Mr B must first give him more power than he has by saying to Duval, Smith, Gainer, &c &c in the presence of J S that he must settle their Accts: for if J S asks the price of anything now, their answer is, they shall settle with Mr. B or some thing to the same purport, they don't look upon J S to be in power or consequence enough to fix any prices with them.
J S again repeats that if he cou'd once again be reinstated to their former Confidence and see their trade doing well, he coud be as happy in their Service, as he ever was in his life.
Suppos'd Losses as under-
Kern went away £23 in Debt besides paying his
Expences back & forward to London suppose his 30
Suppose F Hemmins jobing £70 per annum 5 years 350
Iddins Bill in 1769 & 1770 343
Pratchett 166
George Whitehouse 283
Lime & Brick Layers Sand &c Equal 283
alterations in Stoves &c £20 per annum 100
mill wrights & Timber 20 100
nails per Grue Book 76
Rider Bill 32
fine Brick say £10 per annum 50
1783
Apprentices per List given Mr Boulton 1000
Suppose lost by diping Butts £60 300
Allens the Carter often not full work 100
Brown Tea kitchen week work, tools and Loss even by calculation 200
Loss in Blue John the waste upon hand both
finishd & unfinishd say in the low yard 100
Loss in gilding vases and making vases over again
not reckond in the Calculation 300
Blackleys Bills 50
Pool Dam 162
Loss in Caldecotts week work &c per Book 306
in Com gilt Butts per List 1000
Suppose all the Sales 300
Glasses & frames for vases 150
Duval & Smiths week work 100
Fontaine week work & went away in Debt 20
Glaziers Bills 100
6001
amt brot forward 6001
John Fintons shop 200
Farrs work because it is by the week £20 100
Jos: Harrisons time & Materials 5 years £40 per am 200
Wm Harrison half last but is is more 5 years 130
Jno Hemison Do Do 150
Horton the Enameler 40
Steel House per Calculation List 740
Mr Mynds fadds say 20
Mousesett some time per week & in Debt 20
Wm Mather of no use at all 13
John Smallwood carrying Steel & Iron and waiting of
Layers & Jobbing &c 50
Tournant 150
Marble Candlesticks a large stock on hand 50
Blacksmiths shop in wages & Materials 250
Germains models £80 and others of little use 100
Henderson £20 in debt and a year and did nothing but
burn Cauks & Waste metal 60
Gasteclough did nothing at all 18
Jeane Do Do 10
Flaxman Do Do 10
Depuis Pouponont Chaumin Didels Halborn
DuMee &c week work 100
Argent Moulu say 20
White Copper work by the week 50
Chinea jars about 20
8502
Brot forward 8500
fire engine wheels without workmenship 40
Clocks-suppose 70
French vases & Cands 50
Le Blanc & Mousesett Boxes for gilding cost £50
and sold for £30 20
8680
Sundry other odd day people during the 5 years which
in the Calculations have been supposd to have done a
a reasonable days work and have not done it, will at 1320
least make the above up Ten thousand pounds £10,000
Robt Hancocks making Lens
Candlesticks a loosing bargain
If B & F did not know of any Loss by their trade, perhaps many of the above sums might appear very extravagant, but as they are certain that near 10,000, is, by some means or other Lost, and that such a sum cannot consist in any one or 2 articles J S hopes they will find a probability of his abstract of Losses, being a reasonable one |