John Sillifant to Thomas Waters R.M.
Addressed to Lieut.t Waters, Royal Marines, Rochdale, Lancashire
Coombe, 17 March 1815
My Dear Sir,
Your letter of the 22 Ulto. afforded me much pleasure as I could not account for your long silence nor did I know where to direct a letter for you. I wrote several Months since to you at Woolwich, which letter I concluded you never received. I will immediately attend to your request respecting the money you have advanced on Mortgage & have given Mr Smith directions accordingly. There will also be two years interest due from the Mortgagers at the end of the year. I have therefore desired Mr Smith to demand the whole sum to be paid at that time which I hope you will approve of. I will then send you the whole, together with the balance of interest in my hand, or any part according to your wishes & directions. I confess we were a little surprised to find you are about to engage in a Manufactory. We wish you every success in the undertaking. I cannot give an opinion on the subject as I am totally unacquainted with the nature of it. I only hope & trust that it will not be necessary for you to quit the Marine service, as from the sudden change that has taken place on the continent it is very probable you may again be called into service. However you may now have accomplished what you told me you looked forward to do, viz. won the affections of a Rich Wool Merchants Daughter: which is certainly much more pleasant & desirable than a voyage to Bermuda.
Whatever may he [be] your future destination I assure you it will give both Mrs Sillifant & myself sincere pleasure to hear that you are happily & respectably settled in Life. I should be very glad to hear more particularly what the nature of the business is in which you are about to engage, & if it is to be in partnership with an established House etc. etc.
My Sister received a letter a few days since from Miss Totness, I hear she is going on extremely well in Bristol. Mrs Sillifant joins me in kind remembrance & best wishes – and believe me
My dear Sir
Yours sincerely
John Sillifant.