"Sir,—I am requested by Mr. Uville to write to you, to push the boilers as fast as possible. A ship will sail for the South Sea fishery in about five weeks, and will engage to take the whole of the engines. We have not finally closed with her, because we cannot state the exact time until we hear from you. You must not lose a moment in sending the boiler to town. I should have gone to Cornwall before this, but have been detained, getting a ship; and I do not like leaving until my agreements are executed, which cannot be done until the beginning of next week.
"I have been obliged to have all the transactions between the mines, and the Spanish Government, and Mr. Uville, translated into English, before the outlines of an agreement could be drawn up, which has been a most tedious job.
"Most of the people have been out of town, and those that were not would do no business in the Christmas, which has occasioned a loss of near ten days.
"As soon as the agreements are executed, I will immediately send to you money from this place. I have been kept so long here, that it will not be worth returning to Cornwall until after Mr. Uville sails. I shall be at Bridgenorth in about ten days, and will remain until the work is finished. Write how the work is getting on, and what state the winding engine is in.
"Yours, &c.,
"Rd. Trevithick."
[Rough draft.]
"Camborne, March 4th, 1814.
"Dear Sir,
"Your favour of the 23rd February was sent to me from Bridgenorth. I have also received your favour of the 1st instant, and will attend to the drawings you mention, and be prepared to meet you as early as you please, only give me as much notice as you can.
"I hope by this time that Mr. Page has done something toward the needful, to be at your service. I have, agreeably with your letter this day, desired Capt. Thomas Trevarthen to hold himself in readiness for London about the end of this month. I have not yet seen Bull. I wish you to write me if I am to give him notice also to hold himself in readiness for town. I fear that those two persons will not be sufficient to conduct the work with speed, especially if Capt. Trevarthen should be unwell; he is a good miner and pitman, and could assist in fixing the engines. Bull can only act as an assistant to an engineer, therefore neither of them can take the sole direction of the work.