JB/538/372/001

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1) Sept. 9. 1779 (last date)

I believe my "Bibliotecha Navalis" is left with you let
me have a copy of it. You may add to it "Orbis Maritimisive
"rerum in mari et littoribus gutarum generalis Historia"
Authore Claudio Barth: Moristo divionensi Divione 1643.
It is in folio a pretty large folio and has many cuts
very well executed. My friend Strachan has just made me
a present of it. It is not worth my while to lug it
about with me; therefore it will be sent to you when opportunity
offers.

I found our friend Decourt Master of a very good house and to all
appearance in a very good way of business. His family consists
of a Mother and a Sister who has a daughter about 6 years old and
is a Widow. Her husband died lived only a twelvemonth after they
were married and died on the Wedding day. Partly perhaps from that
circumstance of the day She is as yet inconsolable. I went first
to the Red Lion where I had been recommended as the nearest if
not quite the best Inn and as one at which I should meet with
somebody who understood french or english. This I had not the good luck
to do but I contrived to make them understand that I wanted to be
conducted to Mr Decourt.

But I believe I told gave you in my last
some short account of what I had done at Dordrecht.
After having seen 2 or 3 of those immense floats of Timber
which were my chief objects in going, I dined with Decourt.
In the evening when I had dispatched y my last letter to you
we went to a Glass house there is there chiefly if not solely
for the blowing of bottles. I there learnt how these iron
tubes with which they blow through were made. This if you
remember I was very inquisitive about when we were at the
Glass house in Whitefriars a2 or 3 years ago. They made us some
nicknacks of glass by dropping it red hot into water; which if you
hold fast in your hand a break a very small piece of them, they
burst into a powder and give a sensation like an electrical
shock but without the least danger even from the pieces of
glass: which appears a little extraordinary.

I slept at the Inn for notwithstanding
the good house perhaps there was not a spare bed.

On Saturday morning we went to the Mint where all
Mint the money of the Province of Holland is coined. They were
then employed in making 2 Stiver pieces of which I saw
the whole operation. The milling the edges of any coin
I understand it is never permitted for anybody to see.
Dock-Yard We went from thence to the Shipbuilding Yard where
I got several queries answered; but there was but little
to be seen.

We went afterwards to the top of a Windmill from
which we could look down upon the whole of the City and its
environs. What strikes one exceedingly is to see the quantity
of ground about the City laid out in Gardens.

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Identifier: | JB/538/372/001"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 538.
Date_1	1779-09-09	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	538	Main Headings
Folio number	372	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	Correspondence	Number of Pages
Recto/Verso		Page Numbering
Penner	Samuel Bentham	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number
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