"I cannot express the extreme pleasure that the receipt of your
favour of the 11th inst. from Liverpool gave me, as I had almost
given up hopes of ever seeing you again, which you will see from the
letters that I wrote Mr. Lowe; and after the severe rubs that we have
undergone together, the parting us by shipwreck, as I supposed, at the
close of our hardships, I doubly felt, and from your long absence, I
supposed you must have encountered some severe gales; but thank God
that we are safe landed to meet you and the dear boys again soon. We
had a very good passage home, six days from Carthagena to Jamaica,
and thirty-four days from thence for England; and on my return was so
fortunate as to join all my family in good health, and also welcomed
home by all the neighbourhood by ringing of bells, and entertained at
the tables of the county and borough members, and all the first-class
of gentlemen in the west of Cornwall, with a provision about to be
made for me for the past services that this county has received from
my inventions just before I left for Peru, which they acknowledge to
be a saving in the mines since I left of above 500,000_l._, and that
the present existence of the deep mines is owing to my inventions.
I confess that this reception is gratifying, and have no doubt but
that you will also feel a pleasure in it. I should be extremely happy
to see you down here; it is but thirty-six hours' ride, and it will
prepare you for meeting your London friends, as I would take you
through our mines and introduce you to the first mining characters,
which will give you new ideas and enable you to make out a prospectus
that will show the great advantages in Costa Rica mines over every
other in South America. I think it would not be amiss for you to
bring with you a few specimens, and after you have seen the Cornish
mines and miners I doubt not but we shall be able to state facts in
so clear a light that the first blow well aimed will be more than
half the battle, and prove a complete knock-down blow, which in my
opinion ought to be completed previous to your opening your mining
speculation in general in London. I have made a very complete model of
the gun, and it is approved of by all who have seen it. Be so good as
to remember me to the lads and the Manilla man, and write me by return
of post. I have not as yet made any inquiry about the probability of
getting adventurers for this new concern. I hope and trust that I
shall see you in Cornwall previous to our being together in London, as
it is my opinion that the nature of the concern requires it.
"I remain, Sir,
"Your humble servant,
(Signed) "RICHARD TREVITHICK.
"MR. JNO. GERARD,
"_No. 42, St. Mary Axe, London_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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