Letter #56 to son
Alex in Australia
Busby 23rd June, 1861
My dear Son,
I have your’s of 22nd
April. Your successful start in business gives me great pleasure. It is
different from a toiling slave with pick, spade and windlass, not to speak of
the honourable position and the influence that attend a gentleman and partner
in an honourable firm. I hope you have all the requisite to success among you.
William has got into
a flattering position. I hope it will be sustained and, as he expects, lead to
something better. The improvement in his health alone leaves him no room to
regret going to Australia. and when the next circular informs me he is manager,
it is all right.
And Jack’s turn is coming to make amends for his numerous
disappointments. I have no fear but some way or other Jack won't remain the
last in the race. In three days he will be 25 years of age. That gives him
notice to look ahead.
We have got another order at Busby; it will save us a week
or two longer. The machines are kept going consistently though several of the other
places are slack as Thornleigh, Dalmonach. I keep pretty fair health and I like
Busby work as trade goes at present, for printers are very badly off about
Kilmarnock, Paisley, Barrhead. Cordale
is very slack in the block work.
James Rattary has
left Bristol and intends to settle in Glasgow. Busby folks have opened a co-operative
store for groceries, coals &c. and sell for ready cash, about £100 per
week.
Warnock, the butcher in Busby got married again. Mr Murdoch
(Tilda Moore’s) is getting on fine. Wm. Cargill, Tom Roy &c. are at the
Small River diggings but getting on very moderately.
I see an account of
Porter's amalgamator in the “Argus”. Let us suppose the great heat he gives the
mercury lets it take up the gold more perfectly than would be done by the
method I sent William. It is, I think, plain that if Porter's revolved also it
would do still better. Let the vessel be made with a single aperture to put in
the quartz and a lid to screw on. One end of the axles’ hollow and the safety
pipe attached to it as steam is let into steam cans. But quartz would choke up
the apertures for letting out the mercurial vapours; the axle might be made
stationary with a raised pipe inside and turn your amalgamator by passing a
chain round it as fire underneath would burn a belt. If this method is
practicable it is the better.
We have fine weather for the season; heat and rains and we
bid fair for a good crop this year. Our home politics have no great interest at
present and Europe is in state of seeming repose, but there is still a lurking
fear of what the Emperor may do next. America is anxiously looked to at
present. It is hoped the active preparations for a war will not be followed by
action and that a peace will be patched up. Our Government have resolved to be
neutral and it is likely all the European powers will keep off so that peace
may be brought about sooner than appearances indicate. Cotton, cotton is the great fix in Britain
and trade is much depressed. The Canadian steamship for America struck on an
iceberg and foundered in 35 minutes afterwards. It is supposed 25 passengers
and 10 of the crew are lost.
The foundation stone
of the Wallace monument will be laid tomorrow; as I have to work, I cannot
attend. Expecting to continue to hear good accounts of your prosperity,
I remain, your affectionate Father,
Alexr Dick
Names & Notes on Letter #56
James Rattary
Mr. Warnock
Mr Murdoch (Tilda Moore’s)
Wm. Cargill
Tom Roy
- transcription and
Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989 (note- the ‘original’ transcription was in printed format on
paper, and has been re-formatted using OCR – so may have some inaccuracies
which have escaped my editing – C. S-P)
Scans of the original letter (click
on the image below for a larger version; note
the order of the pages p.4-1, then p.2-3):
p.4,1
p.2,3
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