Green Hive, London River, May 13/45

Loving wife,

            I received your last of the 9 Inst. Happay to see you and the young ones is well as this. Leaves me the same we left woolwich yesterday and well Remain hear a few days I hope you have Received my last of the 9 Inst with a ten pound note inclosed and yesterday I gave Mr. Laws king of Danmark Wapping £18. to put in the Bank in London and you to Receive the same through the British Linnin Comp /- Bankers— Aberdeen, which I inclose a Line of the same Houses when you Receive this you will call on the above Bankers If they have got no notice of the same you will write to Mr Laws king of Danmark Wapping he Received the mony from me In May and to the officers Mese I ware under the neccessaty of paying £65 “ “ some against my will. I wrote Sir John Franklin about it he told me it ware high but if Possiable to Pay it, it so not the wine nor the Spirets that is the Expen[X]^[1] it is other things, there is a Stoke of Every thing for three years—                       —

on that account I insured my Life for £100 @ 3 P^er Cent out of that I Received £30 from a Navy Agent @ 2 ½ P^r Cent which I gave him my will to sucure his £30—If I never Return he Receives his £30 — and you the Remaind — I inclose to you his name & his address no doubt he will write you him self the other Ice Master is from Whitby. the Name of Brinkly, he have don the same, the Monthly Line will bee sent to you from the Trinety House will bee drawn at the Custom House, this Has bean [a] very Expencif Joke, silver forks & spoons Every officer must find them— if it bee in your power call on Mr [Finlson] the Tailor and pay him a little and a Little when you Receive your months pay but that will bee some time before that Comes due. I wase Quite hapy when I saw John I gave him several things to the amount of £2 “ 12; each 5s. I am Rather surprised he did not take my chest with along with him it would saved 5s. —

Mr [Valentin] ware casten for the Scurvy in hes Leges and the Others for several things the Black Lade ware casten for his Leg being once Broken, —

I Received a Letter from aunty at Dundee mentioning she hade Received the four Pound I would Like to here if you have Received the Money in all sent £4[X] I will write before I Leave the River

Remains,
Your Loving Husband
James Reid

[1] Incomplete scan, likely ‘Expense’

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