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Important archive of letters written to one of the leading Yankee merchants in the heyday of the China Trade, from fellow merchants, business partners, and employees around the globe. William Shepard Wetmore (Jan. 26, 1801-June 16, 1862) was born in Vermont, and raised by his aunt and uncle in Connecticut following the death of his mother when he was one years old. William’s uncle, Samuel Wetmore, was a merchant and at age 14 William went to sea. In 1823, he was shipwrecked near Valparaiso, to which port he had gone as supercargo of one of the ships of Edward Carrington & Co., of Providence, a business partner of his uncle. In Valparaiso he went to work for the firm Richard Alsop of Middletown, Connecticut. This eventually led to a partnership of Alsop, Wetmore and Cryder in 1825 with John Cryder of Philadelphia. He retired from the firm around 1831, and, apparently on advice from his doctor, left for Canton, China where in 1833 he established the firm of Wetmore & Co. with Joseph Archer of Philadelphia. The company went on to be one of the largest mercantile houses in the East Indies brokering tea, tea papers, silks, spices, wines, ports, hemp, pearl buttons, copper and coffee, and on occasion opium, though apparently in lesser quantities than rival British houses. His many contacts in South America and elsewhere stood him in good stead, providing key information on business conditions. Seventeen of the letters are from his former colleagues in South America (14 from Lima, Peru), to Wetmore in Canton, and in addition to information on mercantile prospects there is much on the Revolution in Peru and conflict between Peru and Chile. In 1837 Wetmore took a hiatus from Canton, leaving his cousin Samuel Wetmore to take care of business, and traveling to England, where he married his cousin Esther Phillips Wetmore. Seventeen of the letters are written by Samuel Wetmore in Canton to William Wetmore in London and then New York, describing the progress of business in great detail, and adding information on the opium trade and the growing tension between the Chinese and the British which led to the First Opium War. Eight of the letters are from his former business partner John Cryder in London, offering keen observations on the mercantile business in general and making suggestions to Wetmore on business strategy. Many of the letters are docketed with the name of the ship on which it was shipped, making the letters into records of clipper ship voyages in the 1830s. A complete listing of the letters is available on request. Wetmore left Canton in 1839, leaving his cousin Samuel in charge of operations, and established a mercantile house in New York, Wetmore & Cryder. He retired in 1847, and moved to Newport, Rhode Island, where erected an elegant stone villa known as the Chateau Sur Mer, at which he resided until his death. Excerpts from selected letters follow: William Martin, Lima, Oct. 17, 1833 – “…[I] will thank you to give me the prices and any information of your market that would be useful to enable me in making up a voyage to China or elsewhere so if I undertake any voyage the owner will give me a carte blance as he done in this instance – Turkey opium at terms…how this article… sells for in Canton..” * Joseph Archer, Macao, to Wm. Wetmore in Canton, Sept. 19, 1834 – “…The news contained in the letter is very important and excites great interest here. I am afraid the troubles are not yet at an end. Perhaps it is the policy to oblige Lord N to leave Canton in the manner in which he arrived there – Smuggled. I would not e surprised if he were compeled to resort to such a course…” * Alsop & Co., Lima, to Wm. Wetmore in Canton, April 23, 1835 – “We have already written your house fully upon political and commercial affairs – our sales are completely stopped… May vessels have arrived here & sailed without coming to an entry. We have never seen business in so bad a state & have never known money so scarce… An earthquake has entirely destroyed Concepcion. The sea flowed several times over the ruins of the town…” * Samuel Larned, Lima, to Wm Wetmore in Canton, April 26, 1835 – “…The year commenced here with revolutionary movements & promises to be fruitful in them. On New Year’s day we were apprised, early in the morning, of an insurrection in the castle, in favor, as it turned out, of La Fuente, who had arrived three days before…” * John Leffles, Singapore, to Wm. Wetmore in Canton, Oct. 21st, 1835 – “The ‘Water Witch’ is just in from Calcutta… she brings 1,033 Chests Patna & Benares [opium] for your port, & 25 chests for this place…” * Samuel Wetmore, Canton, to Wm. Wetmore in New York, March 17, 1837 – “…The Cowage Family(?) arrived likewise yesterday from Calcutta with 200 cts opium. The India drug is daily declining. The deliveries to the 15th inst. Amount to Patna chests 124, Benares 72 & Malwa 558 total 754. It is reported that a chop is received by the authorities from the Emperor, granting permission to Captain Elliot to reside in Canton. It is to be regretted, we shall have nothing but meetings, followed by anarchy & discord. It is not the nature of John Bull to remain quiet long. There appears to be nothing from Pekin respecting the admission of opium, but it is thought by many that the Governor will prosecute, with double energy, measures to prevent smuggling – we, likewise, had a report, that preparations were making for attacking the Linten(?) fleet...” * Samuel Wetmore, Canton, to Wm. Wetmore in New York, April 5, 1837 – “…The deliveries of opium the past month are: Patna Old. 117 New 196 total 313; Benares “ 158 “ 23 “ 181; Malwa “ 758¾ “ 717 “ 1475¾. Total 1969¾. Stock on hand…Total Chests 8,364¾. Captain Macandrey writes… that orders were down that day, for Malwa, and 300 chests cleared. In British manufactures no change. We have no inquiries lately for Turkish opium…” * Samuel Wetmore, Canton, to Wm. Wetmore in London, Feb. 25th, 1838 – “…We hear that the Packet ship Susquehanna had been taken by a Pirate; byt no commercial news of importance has transpired.” * Samuel Wetmore, Canton, to Wm. Wetmore in London, March 26th, 1838 – Lists goods shipped, and ship upon which they were sent, most tea, plus other goods such as silk, matting, pearl buttons, spice oils, split rattans, China ware, etc. The discussion turns to tariffs: “The duty on cotton from Calcutta on British bottoms, to any other place, other than to Europe, U. Stats of America or British Provinces is 8 annas per maund; on foreign bottoms the duty is double… Opium purchased at the government sales is entirely free whether in British or foreign bottoms…” * Samuel Wetmore, Canton, to Wm. Wetmore in London, April 4th, 1838 – “Taking this trade as a whole I look upon it as being less hazardous in proportion to Capital and profits than any in the world. Admitting the state of the Hongs, past events & likely future ones, when is there in the course of yours or any man’s experience less liabilities? This trade possesses the great advantage that it is more in the export area(?) if I may so say, whilst in may other foreign countries, South America for instance, their business is principally in imports, which is nothing but giving Credits at great hazards…” * Samuel Wetmore, Canton, to Wm. Wetmore in New York, Jan. 27, 1840, about condition at the beginning of the First Opium War – “…Our late shipments have been made more as a matter of safety than any thing else. If we could feel any way certain of coming events in regard to Great Britain with this country we would not if pacifically inclined, have shipped at present prices. Of all states that of uncertainty is the worst – we are harassed & perplexed daily, to day, one course is the most promising, tomorrow, the contrary… It appears to us that something must be done to bring the Chinese to a treaty with Great Britain, the best mode, either by force or negotiation, is to be seen… The Commissioner will no doubt confiscate the Danish King, late Vansittart in the plea that she is English owned… The Valparaiso brought up eight boxes of Dollars & understood Captain Ritchie to say in all 11000+, this will go but a small way to buy a ???. It is said he intends to have boxed made to contain 10000+ each, to bring his funds up to 80,000+… To do this he intends to smuggle Dollars from on board of the Ann McKim…” A complete listing of the letters is available on request.