(No copy of original document available)
Bedford
18 June 1885
My Dear Chris,
Your letter of 14 April came yesterday.
We came home on 30 May – made a long run to the Cape, but did well from then. The voyage was an exceedingly pleasant one.
Archie and myself are both quite well and we found all well here, although the young children had been very poorly some time before.
The country looks beautiful. Crops of all kinds promise to be abundant. The weather is now all that could be desired with a promise of a very fine summer. Our garden is fuller of fruit than has ever been in our time.
I think of letting the house furnished and taking Mater and the young children to sea for a voyage.
Edie’s young man is still idle and no chance of being able to marry. He is a sad example of the truth of the old adage: ‘never to let go of the step of the ladder you are on until you get your feet firmly planted upon the next one upwards’. Please to keep this in your remembrance. He gave up a fine place making cocksure he would have no difficulty of getting a better in the present state of farming in England. He has not the ghost of a chance of getting any employment at present. If Edie had wisdom she would look out for another ‘bloak’.
Gladstone’s Ministry has been turned out and no one can tell what will be the outcome of the change – but I don’t think there will be war. Russia will cave in when she has a determined man like Lord Salisbury at the helm of the Empire. The Country, Liberals, Radicals and Tories are all equally tired and disgusted with Mr Gladstone’s shuffling and disgraceful mismanagement of affairs, and would prefer war to a continuation of such degrading yielding to every nation in Europe.
Don’t you think in the present state of uncertainty, and when your great industry is so much depressed that it would be unwise to invest money in property as you seem to wish. I cannot send you money for that purpose because my income is precarious in the extreme while shipping is as fearfully depressed. All of the ships have sunk money on their last voyages and are going out at once with a next to nothing freight to get them out of the way.
I have done no good, although I don’t lose money. Our expenses restoring and redecking were so heavy last two years the voyage profits are all swallowed up, and the prospect now before us is the worst by far I have seen.
You must remain as you are for some little time longer, and be content to get ahead by degrees. A better time will come soon. I hope sincerely that you will do all in your power to maintain your health and good name, and bide your opportunity.
I have had besides my own large household and your two cousins. Had to help Bisset – he has now a ship and will I suppose pay me back by instalments if he can keep afloat.
The price of land that I bought for one of Mater’s brothers has increased in value and I have told him he must either buy it or I will sell it when I come out again. Possibly I might then send you some money. But first you must give me a clear statement of your places of investment and a tangible security. Your present ideas are too visionary to satisfy any but yourself. My advice to you now is that you should keep a secure hold of the small capital you have and only use it in such a way that you can realise at once but a small profit, pending coming events.
I am glad you keep your health and with love from myself and Mater,
I remain your loving Father
Jas A Elmslie
(INSERT):
Sugar has taken a great spurt here lately – has gone up £5 a ton. The Separation affair will take a long time bringing about but perhaps something else will happen to prop it up meantime. I am afraid Mr Jeffray is in a very uneasy position with so much capital sunk. It is much like several men I know here who have a fortune in shipping and can neither realize nor work profitably. Those are the happiest who have least to care for in the cash way – like me. JAE