| Description | Copy letter to James Gordon of Letterfourie, London, from James Duff, Madeira, listing warships that arrived and their social impact, they were supposed not to have called but had a bad passage, comments on business with them, 30 May 1778; copy same to same, concerning departure of India fleet, shipping of wine, expenditure, shipping malmsey under Portuguese names to British customers, splitting cargoes to reduce the risk, 17 June 1778; copy same to same briefly to alert to previous letters, 21 June 1778; same to same regarding copy letters, accident to a cask, arrival of flour, very hard times, hoping not to lose customers as the wine is very fine, recent delivery of flour of poor quality, but Hamburg cargo good, problems with trying for compensation over a cargo without due documentation, good staves but glassware will not sell, wine complained about has nothing wrong with it, receipt of two silver waiters for the Corregidor, supplies of fish, shortage of cash which is being hoarded by the Junta, giving reasons for having drawn so much on London, bustle of several ships in, lots of guests and opportunities to ship wine, shipping malmsey, local prices of goods, rumours of the taking of a French ship with papers on board that might help start a war, still too much wine on hand, asking for a replacement housekeeper for Mrs. Saunders who is tired of Madeira and wants to go home, if a man could be found they would be pleased as men cause less trouble, list of bills, 22 June 1778 |