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Gentlemen Petersburg 23 March 1774
We are now to acknowledge your letters of 14th & 16th of this instant Enclosed you have an account of sundrys agreeable to your request We are sorry to inform you that the Skins you sent down are so bad that we can't make any thing of them there is a great [proportion] of them under size and every skin most intoleberably pilled or what they call [?] were they but in a small degree worse then merchantable we would take them as you are not upon the spot, or if we could think there was the smallest chance of their paying charges at Home we would [prize] them & ship them on yr acct whilst it is the proper season but there is such a quantity of [illegible] upon them they never will do they came here very wet, there had been much rain & it might be owing to the insufficiency of the cover but have [heard] since the Waggoner over sell his Waggon in Nottoway River, we have had them very carefully dryed & were obliged to hyre hands to burn them & [watch] them which cost 3/3 & you ought to charge the Waggoner accordingly.
We shall by to barter them for some W. J. goods or some thing that may sent you but don't at present think we have much chance.
Inclosed you have an acct of the Tobacco saved of the sundry hhds refused we thought it for your interest to have Mr. Harris's Tobacco prized up so if you give him Cr for [Crop] Tobo
You'll please charge him with 10/ for prizing.
The other transfer Tabacco will remain upon the Books untill you want it, tho' when we sell the rest shall take out Crop Niles as far as it will go & include it with the rest. Have had no offer yet that we can accept of for the Tobo but shall do the best in our power for interest, [Squire] arrived yesterday & in obedience to your instructions ledged the Tobo at Hansons, tho they cannot look at it for some days there is so much there. Richd Walker came [illegible][illegible] as your orders were not positive but discretionary with regard to there two hhds sent them to B Brock as Mr. Hanson would not engage & look at them in less than 14 days we tho in the time they might receive damage. We have no news here at present perhaps from the great quantity of Tobo refused this year there will not be so much made as expected The Warehouse Numbers are not so high now as this time last year. We are most respectfully
Gent Your Servants Cilbeck Ross & Comy
PS We cannot say with certainty when we may expect our Spring goods. One Ship we think went too early to wait for them & they [dont] keep her the other will be some thing better then we could wish When we can write with certainty shall advise you. We are uneasie about your Skins but they are such you can't blame us unless you deviate from every thing that is reasonable
Taken from the Inspectors Books .........................Saved....................Pickers [illegible] T Harris CA........404........................32 ............FW........560........................14 .............dc........400........................32 ............CA........705........................56 ............FW........355........................20 ........................2424......................162
Prized hhds............................1025 .....................................................1012 .....................................................2199
for Burnet......... IB ....nothing saved ............................A.......................... do..................... IB .....96...............8 William Reeves............112...............9
The bearer won't wait till we can inform you the fate of Mr. Clements Tobacco
To Messrs. Johnston & Bennehan Merch. in No Carolina