Willowbank
Gisborne
Sunday 7 February 1886
My dear Chris
Mater, Miss Reisky, Alec, and the children and the servants have been here for last fortnight, staying at W. R. Thomson’s country house, which he was good enough to offer to me for some weeks to get away from the extreme heat of Melbourne. Archie is here with me for a few days. Since they came here the weather has been cold and rather wet but has not prevented them driving out. Freau was here last week for a couple of days and we made an excursion to a remarkable hill on the mountain range called the Hanging Rock – twenty miles from here.
[is there a line above this which does not appear on my scan?]
Freau who you will recollect as having made two voyages with me is now a squatter some 600 miles back from Brisbane, and came up to Melbourne for a change.
The children and Alec are all well and strong. The last has improved in health and strength wonderfully since we left home. Mater is very well and so am I.
Before getting your last letter of 18 January I had determined to place Alec with a firm here for a time just to initiate him to work and as he has a taste for chemistry a drug store might prove the most suitable and useful to him afterwards. Felton & Grimwade would take him but Rocke Tompsitt is a younger and rapidly rising house. I think he would get more insight there than in the former and he could lodge with his cousin, who has a most comfortable place at a moderate price where he has been since he came here.
I am glad to see Chris Tatham has taken a good stand in Rocke Tompsitt’s. They gave him a double increase at the new year and speak highly of his improvement.
I am quite pleased and satisfied with your explanation and hope that you may have encouragement to continue in the house of Alpin & Brown until a turn of the wheel of fortune brings to the surface a chance of improving your position. Were it not that the climate is not one that you would choose to live in long, I would advise not to be in a hurry. You are sure to succeed but it is better that you do not meet with great success too soon as I told you before. I think that a period of adversity is about to come over the colonies. All must be affected largely. There has been too much speculation with borrowed money. A crash is impending and be sure the north will feel it severely. Labor has so completely asserted itself that capital must give in. It cannot stand the strain on it much longer. Business of all kinds is being carried on at a loss because of the keen competition and cost of labour.
I would advise you to realize on the investments of land and keep your spare cash in readiness for use when things come to their worst. The difficulty I foresee is what to do with the money. The banks will be the greatest sufferers when the crisis comes. Most of them probably will have to shut their doors for a time at least.
I have sold the piece of land that Macartney Cheyne held and got the money, but until I see what I want myself, I cannot send you any.
We shall not get away much before the end of the month for various reasons.
I bought a very good piece of land and house in Bromham road last summer, an old residence enclosed and a most valuable site for ₤1,000. I mean to sell my other residence as a school house. The new grammar school is to be built just at the back. The field of eight acres I shall hold until wanted for building which will not be long. It cost ₤1350. It will soon be worth ₤5000. On realizing on some of the above I would sooner come out to Queensland and look about for some way of putting the money out with you than put it into any investment at home.
I have to get rid of your cousins Jessie and Jean on my return. They have been a great deal of trouble to us. I intend to shake them off on my return and let them manage for themselves. Then if Edie gets married Mater can manage without much trouble or expense.
Our living at Bedford has been costly but the object obtaining education has been satisfactory. I have a good deal of money invested in Bedford and as its reputation advances I hope to realize well from that soon. I bought ?????
You will hear from me several times before we sail. I mean to send you a telegram tomorrow or the 9th because I have not written lately and if I have a hundred or two to spare when I square up will send it to you. But my advice is hold your hand and do not go into a business of any kind just now. Keep a secure hold on what you have.
That eye for selling allotments has gone to such an extent here, the syndicates have gone ten and twelve miles out where the land won’t be wanted for the next 50 or 100 years.
Address the review of book to:
Capt. George Bayly (be sure to spell the name Bayly), Trinity House.
Love from all and self.
Jas. A. Elmslie
I often think of old Captain Towns (?) of Sydney, better known as old Bobby Towns a great old friend of mine, who opened up all your part of Queensland and most of the land about Townsville was his for many years. He also had a number of the best stations when first selected. His two sons are paupers now and unable to take care of themselves. He was at one time worth millions and some years before his death he was all but bankrupt. Alexr. Stuart, late premier of NSW who he enlisted as a partner pulled him through but they had to part with all their valuable property in Queensland. The sons were dissolute scamps.
J. A. E.