Correspondence, 1732-1766 Digital

Contains mainly letters from Boston merchants Henry Lloyd (1709-1795) and John & William Powell to Aaron Lopez (1731-1782) and Christopher Champlin (1731-1805), of Newport, Rhode Island, dated from 1732 to 1766. Correspondence from Henry Lloyd regards the pricing, sale, and shipment of headmatter, spermaceti, and whale oil, often acquired through Nantucket and New Bedford, Massachusetts, merchant William Rotch (1734-1828). Lloyd and Lopez also traded in dry goods, rum, and molasses; Lloyd comments on prices current in Boston and markets for specific commodities in different cities. In a letter dated December 1, 1755, he writes, "the article of flour is generally so precarious can't advise to your being concern't in it" in New York. On December 24, 1755, he writes, "Molasses, brown sugar, cotton wooll, coffee, indigo, & cocoa are more likely to answer here, & more readily command cash." Letters from John & William Powell to Champlin pertain to the prices current and trade of oatmeal, fish, and butter. They also discuss legal and political matters, including the Stamp Act, repealed and replaced by the Declaratory Act in March 1766: "We give you joy of the repeal of the accursed Thing," they write on April 21, 1766. Other correspondents include Stephen M. Greenleaf, Samuel Vernon, John Rowe (1715-1787), and Swedish diplomat Richard Söderström. Additional topics were prices current and trade of logwood, rum, and molasses, the impact of the French and Indian War on trade, and reports of privateering in the West Indies. There are some invoices in the volume.