# Manx Primary Source Archive — Transcription

**Source image:** `20260219_142149.jpg`  
**Transcribed:** 2026-02-25 19:26  
**Method:** Automated (Claude Batch API — claude-opus-4-6)

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My Lord

We have received Your Grace's letter of the 20^th of
August in answer to that We wrote to you on the 25^th of
July in which We informed Your Grace that in pursuance
of the powers vested in Us by the 12^th George 1^st We were
willing to treat with you for the purchase of the Isle of
Man, and to receive from you a Proposal for that purpose,
Your Grace acquaints Us that uninformed, as you are at
present from the short possession you have had of this
Island, it is impossible for you to fix upon what you
should think an adequate price for it; that you cannot
therefore at present make any proposal but that you shall
always be ready to receive such as shall come to you from
Us.

Your Grace must be sensible, that this objection,
which you allege against making a proposal on your part
must operate much more strongly to prevent our making
any to you, and that We, who have not even an opportunity
of informing ourselves of the value of this possession, cannot
possibly fix upon a price; which as Trustees to the Public
We should think ourselves authorized to propose; but as
Your Grace informs Us [above line: that] when the purchase of this Island
was on former occasions under consideration, The late
Duke of Athol gave to M^r Pelham and the Duke of

Newcastle

[bottom left:] Duke of Athol
MS 09707/6/335

[bottom right:] AP 42B-13