From Benjamin Franklin to Brown, Collinson & Tritton, 10 January 1780
To Brown, Collinson & Tritton5
ALS (draft): American Philosophical Society
Passy, Jan. 10. 1780
Gentlemen,
I drew on you some time since for £70.8.0 in favour of Mr Caslon.6 I request a Sketch of my Account, containing all the Articles since my Arrival in France in December 1776. I am, Gentlemen, Your humble Servant
B Franklin
Messrs Brown, Collinson & Tritton, Bankers, London
Sent
5. The London banking firm added the third partner in 1778: F.G. Hilton Price, A Handbook of London Bankers … (New York, 1876; reprinted, 1970), p. 20.
6. At some point in November or early December, 1779, BF sent Caslon a second order for type (see XXX, 611) and enclosed a draft on Brown, Collinson & Tritton for the sum mentioned here. Caslon answered via WTF that since the bankers had no direct order from BF to pay the draft, they would not do so. They would, however, write to BF about the matter. (Caslon to WTF, Dec. 7, 1779, APS.) Their letter has not survived, but this note of BF’s may have satisfied them. On March 11, 1780, BF noted in the Cash Book that Caslon had been paid.