per Overland Mail

Niigata 20th June 1869

I. van der Tak Esqre
Agent of the Netherland Trading Society
Yokohama
Dear Sir

I beg to enclose presscopy of my last obedient dated 4th of this month and have now to own reciept of your favors of 31st of May and 6th instant, contents of which I have noted.
Today I beg to hand you account sales for your goods the sales of which I advised by my last letter, and have credited your account for the netproceed with Itiboos 2531.
Concerning the Daimio Niboos, I shall wait till your Mr. Bloem arrives here, before I exchange the same aginst Kinsats or other money. Especially if Mr.Bloem is authorized to buy Rice here it will be easy to pass this small amount at the same rate as Government Niboos.
As I wrote you already before, the Governor of this place has prohibited the shipment of rice by Japanese merchants on account of which three vessels (Henriette, Crown and Stag) chartered for that purpose by japanese merchants, had to return to Osacca in ballast.
I think however that it will be possible for foreign merchants, to buy and ship rice from this port, and I have opened already negotiations for that purpose with some of the adjacent princes, who have large stocks of rice on hand.
The American Skooner Lettitia I have procured a charter to load rice here for Yokohama at a freight of Itzibus 7200 (Tokugawa old Niboos
The vessel is only of 250 tons capacity and the freight therfore rather good
The same Prince who chartered the vessel from me, will probably regulate another vessel, and if we should fail to get rice for the Kedar, I think that I can give the vessel a good charter.
Besides the Lettitia, there is here a Japanese Brig loading rice for Yokohama, and as another ship left shortly with a cargo for the south, prizes are already advancing and may be quoted Itzibus 10 ppicol
Concerning the Kebon Dalem, Messrs LKniffln & Co will have told you that the Prince of Kanga has given me instructions to enquire for him, whther a steamer of about 100 tons capacity should be obtainable at yokohama.
The said Prince is now informed by me, that the Kebon Dalem will arrive very soon, and a commission will go on board and survey the vessel, after her arrival here.
The Daimio of Kanga is very anxious to buy soon a steamer, as he wants to ship rice and other produces from his territory regulary to Niigata.

If the Daimio is pleased with the Kebon Dalem, I think that if you reject to take Niboes coined by himselve and in Aidzu, (which I would strongly urge to do) then he will propose to pay for the vessel in rice or other produces, and I hope you have instructed the captain or Mr.Bloem for that event.
The government also wants a small steamer to run between here and Sado, but the same seems to have no cash, except Kinsats, and I believe I shall be rather able to get a better prize from the Prince of Kanga, as from the government.
Mr.Bauduin's letter I have not yet received and do not know therefore, what your intentions are about the Kebon Dalem, but I suppose that the ship is coming here for sales and I have rather sanguine hopes for that it will be possible to sell the vessel here.
However I beg you not to forget that principally in this part of Japan, where the manner in which business is transacted by Europeans, is little known, it will take some, nay perhaps a long time, before the vessel can be definitely sold.
As to the goods you have shipped per Kedar, you will realize high prizes, if you have send a selection of those good recommended by me.
grey Shirtings, I could sell at present about 2000 pieces at

Itzbs 12 1/2- 13 perpiece, t. red Cloth 2 1/4 catties would sell at Itzbs14 Velvets black at Itzbs 44 perp:Print(s and) Taffachellass would sell well according to patterns and quality.
black Orleans 28" a rather bad quality, which in Yokohama would salable only at Itzbs 18per p:I sold here at Itzbs 24 perpiece. The best qty of black Orleans would be saleable here at Itzbs 32-34 per piece and about 100 pieces can be sold here. I have disposed within few days 300p and could have sold three times much if I had had only more stock of the same.
black & scarlet Camlets are st(ill) in demand, but prizes are somewhat cheaper. Assorted Camlets are rather dull at present. black La(ine) would sell well, and I hope that you have send large quantities of the above articles by the Kedar .
The above quotations are all in new Micado Niboes. Against daimio Niboes, much higher prizes could be obtained, but I do not recommend to take this coin.
Concerning silk I would advise you to send a silkinspector here from Osiu and Yonnezawa many large silkmerchants have arrived here lately and offerd some very fine parcels of silk for sale.
The demands seemed to be not exceedingly high, but having not enough experience in the silk trade, I can hardly give a correct judgement.

Several of the Silk merchants told me, that they rather would prefer to sell their silk here as the expenses to send the same to Yokohama were to high and besides they had to pay always large squeezes to officer and compradores in Yokohama.
One of the silk merchants, who professed to have sold every year large quantities of Osiu Silk to Mr.Jacquemot, of your place, told me, that if I would buy large quntities of silk, he would be satisfied in recieving only half of the purchase money here, and would accept for the other half a cheque on one of the Yokohama banks.
I have reported only to few houses about silk, but it seems that no other silkinspecter will come here at present, and if you decide to make the experiment, I would advise you to send the silkinpector overland, which will but little cost and avoid at the same time to direct the attention of other peoples to your movements.
I should be glad to recieve soon your answer about my proposal.
What regards our Taffachell. I beg still to observe, that among the 100 pieces which I sold, these were 9 pieces quite covered with yellow spots, and showing many holes. I hope that if you have send more of the same kind, they will be all in good condition and not show faults as the above, whichgive your mark a bad name here.

I have only with difficulty avoided to make the purchaser a compensation for the damage.

I am
Dear Sir
Yours faithfully


ARWeber

Three times a month a mail is despatched
from
Yeddo, Muromatch by the merchant Shimaija
and the postage is 4 tempo's per letter

PS The Kebon Dalem arrived this morning in port and Capt Oard has put called at my office. I have received from him the letter of Mr. Bauduin, the contents of which I have noted. I shall do my best to sell the Str here, but would be glad to hear from you if I am at liberty to accept produces as rice or copper, in payment. I have good information that the gouvernment of this place has only Kinsats and doubt very much that the same will be able to buy the Str. Mr.Bauduin writes me to detain the ship only a few days, which willl be rather ashort time for the sales of the vessel, but possibly I can manage it so, that the Prince of Kanga or other people charter the vessel for short trips. Mr.Bauduin says further in his letter, that he would allow me a commission of 1,500 on the sales. I beg however to observe, that as by my letter of the 5th of May, I have already informed Mr.Bauduin that the gouvernment of Niigata was in want of a small Str, and hereby very probably have drawn his attention to the Kebon Dalem.
I think that in case of a sale the usual commission is due to me.
As to the Prince of Kanga

Mr. Bauduin had his information also from me through Messr SKniffler co of your place, but I think, we shall very easy come upon on understanding on the point of only the Kebon Dalem is sold!
Enclosed I beg to hand you a letter from Capt. Oard, who will no doubt have informed you that the Kedar was seen by him only a short distance from here and that this ship therefore may be hourly expected.

I am
Dear Sir
Yours faithfully

ARWeber


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