NRA-L-000411 / 1851
Letter from John A. Rachau to Otard Dupuy & Co, 1851-08-12
John A. Rachau discusses large orders for brandy, freight and shipping arrangements, commissions involving Mr Barsalou, financial settlement and insurance, and reports tight money in New York and pressure arising from the California trade.
Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000411
Transcript and readable English text
working scholarly aid
Address panel
Original transcript
p Niagara
Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
via Paris
France
Address panel
Readable English text
p Niagara
Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
via Paris
France
Letter text page 2
Original transcript
Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
New York 12 Aug 1851
Dear Sirs,
I had this pleasure
last on the 5th Inst p America, and have now to acknow
ledge the receipt of your regarded favor of 28 July
Your enclosure for Messrs Figueira & Co has been trans
mitted in course. They inform me this morning that
they have sent their answer direct, expecting me absent.
I consequently do not know whether they accept the
compromise offer'd by me for a settlement of the awful
leakage p Floriau, but conclude from their remarks that
they hold out for the erroneous offer of f 3500. for 1/3rd
I have just now told them that, unless they accept the
reduced amount of f 2925, the matter has to be refer'd
to yourselves. I apprehend it will delay the paymt
of the Invoice p Floriau, for they have it in their power
to annoy me, if so disposed. To obviate such a result,
I have agreed to allow them to retain about f 3500,
till you favor me with your instructions.
It is gratifying in return to see that they send you
such a considerable order, nearly 300 half Pipes, if
necessary, and which, I have no doubt you will have to ship
to find a small vessel; but, even with the Nord Brandy,
the entire amounts only to about 125 Tons. I shall rejoice
to hear of some other freight offering to accelerate this shipmt
Letter text page 2
Readable English text
Messrs Otard, Dupuy & Co
Cognac
New York 12 Aug 1851
Dear Sirs,
I had this pleasure
last on the 5th Inst p America, and have now to acknow
ledge the receipt of your regarded favor of 28 July
Your enclosure for Messrs Figueira & Co has been trans
mitted in course. They inform me this morning that
they have sent their answer direct, expecting me absent.
I consequently do not know whether they accept the
compromise offer'd by me for a settlement of the awful
leakage p Floriau, but conclude from their remarks that
they hold out for the erroneous offer of f 3500. for 1/3rd
I have just now told them that, unless they accept the
reduced amount of f 2925, the matter has to be refer'd
to yourselves. I apprehend it will delay the paymt
of the Invoice p Floriau, for they have it in their power
to annoy me, if so disposed. To obviate such a result,
I have agreed to allow them to retain about f 3500,
till you favor me with your instructions.
It is gratifying in return to see that they send you
such a considerable order, nearly 300 half Pipes, if
necessary, and which, I have no doubt you will have to ship
to find a small vessel; but, even with the Nord Brandy,
the entire amounts only to about 125 Tons. I shall rejoice
to hear of some other freight offering to accelerate this shipmt
Letter text page 3
Original transcript
Please let Mr Figueira's Brandy be marked as usual, No
3059 p 3380. a continuation of numbers
Messrs W M Sutherland & Co request that, in the event of
no conveyance offering for their Brandy at Charente direct to
Canada, you will make the shipment via London, or New York
Believing the way via London less expensive than from
hence, burthened with annoying restrictions, you would, in my
opinion, do best to ship said Brandies via London, if required,
but ascertain, if possible, that there is a certainty of their going
forward in good time to reach Canada ere the season closes;
otherwise the shipment must be made to New York, by the earliest conveyance.
The Invoices of Messrs Renauld & François' Brandies p Lelia,
amounting to f 45154.18, I have added this amount to the
total of what you sent them 30 June 1851, which makes together
f 193647.62 on which they are entitled to the allowance of 3 1/2 p c
in consideration of their request. In settlement of the same
I have given them my draft on you, 12 Aug. at 60 days sight
for F 6777.67 which please honor and place to their Credit,
as they are to remit you said draft. Of this you will have
to debit my Commission Acct with f 1936.48 being 1 p c on the total
amount; though this is in fact about 10 p c more than I ought
to bear of it, in virtue of my letter 2 July 1850, but as it will
prove a tedious task to ascertain the amount as proposed, I prefer
the present mode of settlement, as it closes this dependency
at once. I enclose their receipt for said F 6777.67.
Mr Barsalou will be entitled to 3 1/2 p c on f 211746.78, but
as his bookkeeper prefers awaiting your statement, this
matter must stand open. From appearances, it seems likely
Letter text page 3
Readable English text
Please let Mr Figueira's Brandy be marked as usual, No
3059 p 3380. a continuation of numbers
Messrs W M Sutherland & Co request that, in the event of
no conveyance offering for their Brandy at Charente direct to
Canada, you will make the shipment via London, or New York
Believing the way via London less expensive than from
hence, burthened with annoying restrictions, you would, in my
opinion, do best to ship said Brandies via London, if required,
but ascertain, if possible, that there is a certainty of their going
forward in good time to reach Canada ere the season closes;
otherwise the shipment must be made to New York, by the earliest conveyance.
The Invoices of Messrs Renauld & François' Brandies p Lelia,
amounting to f 45154.18, I have added this amount to the
total of what you sent them 30 June 1851, which makes together
f 193647.62 on which they are entitled to the allowance of 3 1/2 p c
in consideration of their request. In settlement of the same
I have given them my draft on you, 12 Aug. at 60 days sight
for F 6777.67 which please honor and place to their Credit,
as they are to remit you said draft. Of this you will have
to debit my Commission Acct with f 1936.48 being 1 p c on the total
amount; though this is in fact about 10 p c more than I ought
to bear of it, in virtue of my letter 2 July 1850, but as it will
prove a tedious task to ascertain the amount as proposed, I prefer
the present mode of settlement, as it closes this dependency
at once. I enclose their receipt for said F 6777.67.
Mr Barsalou will be entitled to 3 1/2 p c on f 211746.78, but
as his bookkeeper prefers awaiting your statement, this
matter must stand open. From appearances, it seems likely
Letter text page 4
Original transcript
that he will endeavour to do as well this year, but I do
not expect that Messrs Renauld & François will come to it,
considering that the large shipment p Lelia is already not included
in the above allowance, and having 200 1/2 Pipes unsold, besides
the former.
Mr Caswell having also 100 1/2 Pipes of your Brandy less
is not at all as yet disposed to take the parcel p Farewell
on your terms. As he is likely to have his stock considerably
reduced by the time the Brandies p Farewell can arrive,
I prefer keeping this in suspense, in hopes to lessen his claims
The 'Aerian' is not in yet, and makes a long trip of it,
but the winds must have prevailed strongly from the west
ward, as an American Sloop of War arrived here yesterday
in 42 days from Lisbon.
I note your remarks on the unpropitious weather you
have lately experienced, but they have no influence on our
market. Prices continue as low as before, and the dealers
complain of unprofitable sales. The only good feature is
that supplies are lessening, late arrivals bringing mostly
Claret &c. The stringency of the money market is
unabated, and money worth about 1 p c p month, as our
Banks discount very sparingly. Many people, largely en
gaged in the California trade, are likely to be hard pressed.
In consequence of Mrs Rachau's indisposition, I have
been compelled to defer my journey to Canada for a week or
two, till she is able to go with me.
I send by the 'Niagara', to day, my policy of Life Insurance
to my friend Mr Henry Strong in London, for the purpose
Letter text page 4
Readable English text
that he will endeavour to do as well this year, but I do
not expect that Messrs Renauld & François will come to it,
considering that the large shipment p Lelia is already not included
in the above allowance, and having 200 1/2 Pipes unsold, besides
the former.
Mr Caswell having also 100 1/2 Pipes of your Brandy less
is not at all as yet disposed to take the parcel p Farewell
on your terms. As he is likely to have his stock considerably
reduced by the time the Brandies p Farewell can arrive,
I prefer keeping this in suspense, in hopes to lessen his claims
The 'Aerian' is not in yet, and makes a long trip of it,
but the winds must have prevailed strongly from the west
ward, as an American Sloop of War arrived here yesterday
in 42 days from Lisbon.
I note your remarks on the unpropitious weather you
have lately experienced, but they have no influence on our
market. Prices continue as low as before, and the dealers
complain of unprofitable sales. The only good feature is
that supplies are lessening, late arrivals bringing mostly
Claret &c. The stringency of the money market is
unabated, and money worth about 1 p c p month, as our
Banks discount very sparingly. Many people, largely en
gaged in the California trade, are likely to be hard pressed.
In consequence of Mrs Rachau's indisposition, I have
been compelled to defer my journey to Canada for a week or
two, till she is able to go with me.
I send by the 'Niagara', to day, my policy of Life Insurance
to my friend Mr Henry Strong in London, for the purpose
Discovery Terms
- Cognac trade
- Otard Dupuy & Co
- Brandy orders
- Shipping
- Insurance
- Commissions
- California trade
- New York
- Cognac
- United States