Dear Sir

July 5. 1786. Stratton Street.

Your letter follow’d me to London, and found me and my Daughters¹ once more in our own house, from whence I am writing this little bit of an answer in the midst of hurry confusion and Lawyers, but in another week we hope to return to peace and quietness in our beloved Island.

I have receiv’d and am much oblig’d to you for the Sheets of letter press which I had from your printer, and have follow'd your directions in presenting to Storer and Burrell their respective allotments, which they will make their own proper acknowledgement for.² I will call upon Faden, and can only say I shall be glad to enter into partnership with you, upon this, or upon any other Occasion.³ I see little, and hear less of public affairs, but I am inform’d the Parliament will be called together before Christmas. the old Duke of Northumberland died very wealthy, and has left the Borough of Beeralston, and almost £300,000 to his youngest Son. What an Estate must that be, which can alienate such an immense sum, and the present possessor hardly feeling it

I believe I can answer your Isle of Wight Questions with very tollerable exactness, but I will be more exact, if you wish it.⁴

No Salt is made in the Isle of Wight, except from salt water; N.B. I cannot yet inform you of the annual exportation, but I am promis’d the Quantity from the Custom House books. –

Carisbrook Castle cannot be seen from the Sea at the Back of the Island, upon account of a very high ridge of Hills which run the whole length of the Island from East to west, and the Castle is to the North of these high lands, and under them –

At the back of the Isle of Wight, the tide flows only 9 feet and a half, and at the needles only 8 feet.

At Portsmouth bewixt the point, and the Block House Point, which make the mouth of the Harbour, the tide flows at Spring tide 19 feet, making 7 fathom & a half water in the channell. My family are very well, except my little Girl who is too delicate to bear the Bustles of this overgrown struting town. I hope you and yours are in perfect good health.

I am Dear Sir, with great regard,
Yours always, and I think always in haste,

Rich^d. Bull

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Editorial notes

1. Elizabeth and Catherine Bull.
2. Further on this arrangement involving Sir William Burrell and Anthony Morris Storer alongside Pennant and Bull see 1054.
3. See Pennant's suggestion for the setting up of a partnership to finance the publication of Faden's maps in 1054.
4. See 1054.