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had taken a Voyage to Venice on purpose to see the
Gondolas &c. But this perverse man had but
a fortnight ago flung himself out of a 3 pair of
stairs window in a delirium and thus put an end
to his life and prevented my putting him to the
question. While we were with our Shipbuilder
I learnt that it is from the Rhine that they have
the best of their Timber: That it is floated down
in immense floats conducted by 5 or 600 men
that there are some of these now just come to
Dort and that there is a good deal of Naval business
going on there. By the advice of Strachan I determined
to set off for Dort the next morning in a Vessel
which sets off at ½ past 5 I am now aboard
that Vessel on my passage. I little thought
of accepting the pressing invitations of my friend
Decourt, but I shall now be much obliged to him
for his services for a day or two as he I understand
is as well able as any body to shew procure me
the sight of what is in my way and the information
I wish for.
I propose leaving Amsterdam and
to the hague on Monday or Tuesday next. The
builder here told me that they would not let hi
into the Admirautè they are so very strict at th
at Amsterdam they give me hopes I may get a
but nowhere else.
People here are very angry at the Packet's
having been detained for a week at Helvoetsluys because
Ld & Lady Spencer & the Duchess of Devonshire are going
over in it & his Lordship is affraid of going without
convoy. He sent a fishing boat over to England to
beg a convoy and it is said that one was ordered
immediately though the Rotterdam trade has
been detained for some time because they could not
get any. They all here seem to think
that poor England is very soon to become a
province of France. They find great fault with
the English Administration and with the Opposition
likewise They seem however much attached to the
Country. They have got are growing rich at
present at our expence as greatest part of the
English trade is now carrying on through the hands
of the Dutch. Timber is sent from hence though
they have none which grows in the country f
their own use. / A man will have a fine house
for which he will give perhaps 200£ a year and at th
same time keep but one man servant and no carria
This is the case with the english as well as the na
Your manner of marking boxes is very good
and I will observe it.
Poor Sr Chas Douglas I pity him very
much for he seemed exceedingly fond of his wife and heis has
Children are very young.
I have been once or twice in company with a man
who came over in There was one Loyd who came
in the Packet with Strachan & Decourt and was one of
our company to Rotterdam. He is some extraordinary
Character. He is going to Paris. Strachan tells me he
that he sent 2 letters from Helvoet one to Ld North
the other to Robinson. He is a very handsome high-
bred man seems to be exceedingly well acquainted
with general politics Is very speaks
with a great degree of confidence a little overbearing
but at the same time exceedingly polite. He mentioned
his having a particular list of the combined fleets and
that they consisted of 66 sail of the line including
50 Gunships. He is about 40, travells without a
servant, and speaks french & German exceedingly
well has resided some time at Paris where is
now going to reside again. Among other things
told us of a Prince . . . . . who was very noted
years ago for his extraordinary skill in the
defrauding having invented a kind of ink
h would perfectly disappear in about 20 days
this he used to give bills making them due not
till that time was elapsed by which means thisey
signature became without signature & good for
nothing. He had also a substance which entirely
obliterated common ink without leaving any marks.
He immitated diamonds in such a manner as to
make them pass for real. He would go of an
evening to a or in the ddle of the night to a
Pawnbroker's knock them up and tell them a
story of his having just lost all his money in play
and of his having occasion for an immediate supply
he would leave a snuff box in appearance and set
with diamonds and as he would dress himself with
a number of orders & marks of distinction, He
never failed to get money lent him. He would then
march off to another place with 10 times the value
of his sham diamonds. At Venice I think he
continued to pass for the Pretender as he was a little
him in person. The way in which he managed
was to expose to view in his room some
ths to which there was the Ribband &c just
be seen at the edge, and he would send his mermidons
about to the coffeehouses to with instructions
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Identifier: | JB/538/368/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 538.
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1779-09-03 |
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538 |
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368 |
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001 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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