John Page letter to John Norton, 1773 July 21

John Page letter to John Norton, 1773 July 21

John Page of Rosewell letter to John Norton, merchant of London, England. Page writes that he is sending an invoice for goods and to introduce Thomas Davis, a candidate for holy orders. Page also writes about the difference in climate between Virginia and England and to discuss his and David Jameson's measurements of rainfall at Gloucester and York. Page's device for measuring rainfall, which was designed by Mr. Hunt and imported from England, was broken and Page requested Norton send a replacement.

MS1936.3.962
Folder 87

John Norton & Sons papers, MS1936.3

Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Ink on paper

Page 1

Rosewell July y^e 21^st. 1773

Dear Sir

I wrote to you a few Days since, by
Captⁿ. Outram; & amongst other
Things mentioned the large
Invoice, I should be under the
Necessity of sending you, by
the Virginia - I must now take
the Liberty of inclosing that
Invoice to you, & desire it as a
Favour that you will send the
Goods - I must beg leave to
introduce to you M^r. Thos^s. Davis
a Candidate for holy Orders &
a late Usher of our College. I
need say but little of him as I suppose
you were acquainted with his
Father, & I make no Doubt he
will carry many Recommenda=
=tions to you. I had observed
for several Years past a great Ine=
=equality in the Quantity of Rain
which fell; & judged that in the

Page 2

Gust of 1769 & some other heavy Showers
there fell as much as fell in the same
Time in any Part of Europe : & I had
fancied that our Dews were greater than
in most Parts of the World. I had also
supposed that not only our Crops, but
our Health must be greatly affected by
this Inequality of Moisture, & that both
must depend on a certain due Proportion
of Heat & Moisture - To be satisfied in this
Point, I contrived a simple Instrument by
which I could easily Mesaure to the 1/300^th
Part of an Inch of Rain. M^r David Jameson
by M^r. Hunt's Means procured such an
Inst^t from London. M^r. Hunt causing it
to be made after his Direction. M^r. Jameson
imported 2 & gave me one. We have now
for 13 Months kept an exact Journal of
the Weather, & most accurately measured
the Rain & Dews which fell. I measured
at Rosewell 40^I 346/1000 & M^r. Jameson at York
41 321/1000; which fell from Jun 14 1772 to 14 June 1773.
We several Times found near four

Page 3

Divisions of Dew in our Glasses, which
were equal 1/100;^th of an Inch on the Earth.
I have troubled you with this long Acc^t.
of our Observations partly, because I
thought it might be acceptable to you
& your curious Friends, as being I
believe the first that ever were
made of this Kind in America, &
I may say, with such an Inst^t., in the
World; & partly, because I must beg
the Favour of you to endeavour to
procure me another, as I have un=
=fortunately broke mine.

I have given M^r. Davis a Description of the
Instrument which he will deliver to you.
My Wife joins me in presenting our Comp^ts.
& best Wishes to you your Lady & Family.
I am d^r. Sir y^r. much obliged h^ble. Srv^t. &c
John Page Jun^r

Page 4

Virginia 21^st July 1773
John Page Jun^r.
Rec'd the 20^th Sep^r.
Goods Ent^d: pa: 323

Ans^d the   Ex'd
p Esten
wrote again   March
p Robertson