Willson, Thomas

Cape Town. 9 May 1820. /

I feel sensibly obliged by your /
polite favor of Yesterday, my only motive in a pecuniary arrangement /
here is to protect myself from actual los+s, as far as I pos+sibly can, that I /
may thereby be enabled to give more extensive aid to the Settlers under /
my direction ; I would therefore propose (as I shall have occasion to /
negotiate Bills upon my Banker Sir John Perring & Co London) to
lodge the first Instalment together with the Spanish Dollars which /
I have on board at the Bank of this Town, and take a Letter of Credit /
to the Commis+sariat at Algoa Bay for the amount, so that I may /
receive as specified by Earl Bathurst “the average rate of Exchange” and /
be enabled to give my drafts on landing, to the Settlers to lay in such /
Stores as they may stand in need of thus keeping a check upon Ebriety
and insuring a provident appropriation of their funds . /
I have also to submit to you, whether /
I am not Entitled to draw the ships provisions as regards the rations /
which the Settlers, from the Sicknes+s and other causes, have not been able /
or had occasion to draw during the pas+sage? /
I feel flattered and thankful for the /
Interest you are pleased to take in dis+sipating my fears with /
regard to the Turbulent, and am perfectly aware that at the [old /
Establishments ], such offices as I named must be filled up: it is at /
the [new] Towns or Villages that will naturally arise from such /
an increase of population, that I had hoped to have your consideration /
and /
>
and your favor, Sir, on that point would call forth my lasting Gratitude. /
From the best information which I have /
been able to collect as to the existing state of the district in which we /
are to be located, I am very sure that precautionary measures, as /
to some wholesome regulations in the local management of my /
party; and for our Self defence demands my serious attention! /
I would therefore beg leave to submit to His Excellency the Governor /
the propriety of enrolling the Settlers as Volunteer Corps, upon their /
own resources? And I shall feel greatly obliged Sir, if you will /
have the goodness+s to inform me, whether you will do me the honor /
of a Letter to His Excellency and to the Landrost of the District, that /
I may have the advantage of Introduction, in the hope of being Invested /
with a Commis+sion for that purpose ? /
Your Condescension in favor of /
M\rs/. Willson and my Children will ever have my most grateful /
acknowledgements, and we beg leave to unite our best thanks. /
I have the honor to be /
Sir /
Your much obliged and /
very humble Servant /
Tho\s./ Willson /
Colonel Bird /
Sec:\y/ for Colonial Affairs /
7+c .7+c …7+c . /