[ Dip in Australian trade, 1830. ] Manuscript Letter, signed for the Sydney agents Crombie Maclaren & Co., to Edinburgh merchants Andrew Scott & Co., regarding the bad market for his recent shipments, and its cause.

2pp., 4to. Bifolium, addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Andrew Scott Esqre | Edinburgh', with two postmarks and wafer, and directed to be sent 'Pacific via Liverpool'. In fair condition, on lightly-aged paper. Signed for the firm 'Crombie Maclaren & Co'. The firm begins by informing him that 'our market for your shipments have been very bad, indeed we could not move them at almost any price'. In explanation the firm writes: 'In consequence of the large profits formerly obtained in these Colonies it has induced for many to ship and the result has been that they have overdone the market.' The firm is 'very sanguine indeed of an improvement taking place soon as our Imports are certainly falling off a little and the price of certain descriptions of Goods has improved in proportion.' They still have 'a few articles of A. S. & Cos. shipment on Hand', and they propose to sell these off by auction 'to close the shipment'. Records indicate that Scott had the previous year sent a speculative cargo of sugar, tobacco, coffee, rum and brandy from the West Indies via the Hind. The present item is the office copy of the letter, bearing at the head in faint red ink: 'Duplicate | Original Katherine Stewart Forbes | via London'. As stated, the original letter was carried back to England aboard the Katherine Stewart Forbes, which on its outward voyage had carried 200 male convicts, having left Spithead in October 1829 and arriving in Sydney 18 February 1830.