Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - To dredge the River Ely - 1860's

'I enclose your copy of Hardie's letter. Perhaps you would instruct Mr. Mathews to reply after he and you have gone into the question. Mr. Mathews has I think all particulars. Yours truly, Booth Bacon, Cardiff.'

On the 28th August 1862, Mr. Hardie replied in a letter addressed for the attention of Booth Bacon Esq. in which he says 'Sir, Mr. Mathews the Solicitor to the Penarth Harbour Company requests me to reply to his letter of the 22nd through you - so that you may lay it before the Board of Directors - And in answer I beg to say that I have no objection to enter into another contract with the Company but before doing so must be settled with you for the work done on the previous one -

It is absurd to say that the Company have sustained loss, or have been put to any inconvenience by the non-completion of the contract - the Engineer and most of the Directors know to the contrary and some of them are well aware that if it had been done as at first intended that much mischief and loss would have occurred by the slipping of the opposite bank.

I am sorry to say that I consider that I have been most unkindly used by the Company - and have to beg a definite reply as to a settlement for it is now time that something should be done - if paid all I ask for I will still be a great loser. I remain, Sir, Yours Obediently, Thos. G. Hardie.'