Benjamin Franklin Papers
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To Benjamin Franklin from William Hodgson, 17 March 1784

From William Hodgson2

ALS: American Philosophical Society

London 17 March 1784

Dear sir—

I recd yours of the 11th Instant3 as also a preceeding Letter inclosing Dr Wrens Diploma, which I forwarded to him immediately,4 as I have also that to Dr Withering & shall discharge the Draft in his favor when presented—5

Church Bells are sold by weight ½ [1s. 2d.] per lb. or £6..10.8 per Cwt. [hundred weight] when wanted, the weight of the Tenor Bell must be given & then the weight of the Peal may be easily computed from 5 to 12— The Stocks & Wheels are separate Charges & on an Average are about £7— per Bell— The Exportation of Bells is prohibited (for what reason God knows) but leave may be obtained to export them upon Application to the Treasury for a Fee of about £6— On an Average the weight of a Peal of Bells, more or less in No. is about 4 Times the weight of the Tenor, & there is no difference in the price per Cwt if the Peal be 6 or 12. Light or heavy Bells— A Peal of 6 Bells supposing the Tenor to weigh 12— Ct will weigh about 48 Ct & the Expence according to the above will be £366.12—6

I am very sorry I have not yet had it in my Power to furnish you with the Information respecting the Ships sent into Bergen7 & I much fear I never shall be able to procure it, my Correspondent at Liverpool cannot learn any thing about the amount of Insurance—

I thank you for your Complimts on my Success against the Secretarys of State— It was your Information (that the passes were delivered gratis,) that determined me to try the Cause,8 the money must now all be refunded ’twill make a great saving to the Merchants, I believe more than I stated it at, for I believe more than 200 passes were exchanged, with great & Sincere Respect I am Dr sir Yr most Obedt Hble Servant

William Hodgson

If you were to be wafted into this Country you wou’d think we were all run mad, stark staring mad for prerogative & our Loyalty & adoration for the best & most glorious of Kings, exceeds a Frenchman’s Vive le Roi— The Ton is, Honor the King—despise Parliament—especially the Commons—& what is scarcely credible the Dissenters allmost all join the Cry. I met your old Friend Dr. Price, yesterday, he has got as high a Prerogative Fever upon him as the veriest page of the back Stairs— In my poor Judgment they are stabbing the Constitution to the Heart—9

Addressed: To / His Excellency Benj. Franklin Esqr / Passy near / Paris

Notation: Wm. Hodgson, 17 Mars. 1784—

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

2This is the last extant letter from William Hodgson, who died on Oct. 20, 1784: Sheldon S. Cohen, British Supporters of the American Revolution, 1775–1783: the Role of the ‘Middling-level’ Activists (Woodbridge, Eng., 2004), pp. 22–3, 45–7.

3Not found.

4BF’s letter of Dec. 10, 1783, enclosed an honorary doctorate for the Rev. Thomas Wren from the College of New Jersey: XLI, 271. Wren expressed his thanks in a letter to Elias Boudinot of Feb. 12: Cohen, British Supporters, pp. 78–9.

5See BF to Withering, March 1.

6BF’s inquiry into church bells was prompted by his learning that the town of Franklin, Mass., wished for him to donate one: XLI, 476.

7Requested by BF in a now-missing letter of Dec. 26, 1783; see XLI, 495–6.

8For this suit, see XXXIX, XXIX, 209, 306.

9For the most recent conflict between the king and the House of Commons, see BF to Henry Laurens, March 12[—13], and the annotation there.

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