Greenwood and Hodgson 12.7.1823

Greenwood and Hodgson 12.7.1823



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	Westmorland Gazette, 12 July 1823:-
letter from C Greenwood
	(ADVERTISEMENT.) TO THE EDITOR OF THE WESTMORLAND GAZETTE SIR, - Mr Hodgson commences his address, in your paper of last week, by stating, that I had charged him with dishonourable and insidious proceedings in the prosecution of his plan of Westmorland. Now I wish this Gentleman would endeavour to be a little more correct in his assertions; I am sure there is not a man in Westmorland who has seen any such statement from my pen, or ever heard me say a word about his method of proceeding with his Survey. Had I no better argument in my favour I should be silent; as I consider such a course both irregular and ungentlemanly. He goes on by endeavouring to clear himself of any knowledge of our having proposed the Survey of Westmorland previous to himself. However that may be, it does not alter the fact, that such was the case; and our having Subscribers to our Map of in Kendal, and different parts of Westmorland, as well as in Lancaster, and all over England, together with the circulation of our Prospectuses and Advertisements for many years, leaves a fair presumption that Mr. Hodgson was not altogether unacquainted with the circumstance. How there can be any absurdity or baseness in the assertion I before made, (and which I now repeat is a fact,) that Gentlemen had subscribed their names to Mr. Hodgson under the Idea they were doing so to our work, I am at a loss to know. This is a circumstance weighing too hard upon our concern for me to make a secret of; and his telling his Subscribers their perceptions and understanding are thus grossly insulted, is, in my humble opinion taking a liberty altogether unwarranted by endeavouring to create a feeling with them for his own private ends, founded on a construction which will not bear investigation. In conclusion Mr. Hodgson charges me with attempting to obtain the names of his Subscribers, by insinuating the probability of his abandoning his Survey to us, to which I shall plead Not Guilty; and defy him to produce evidence to that effect. There is a palpable contradiction in the very face of this statement, if I was endeavouring to create such an impression for such a purpose, what would it have availed me? The imposition could not have been concealed, and a detection of it would have dissolved all claim to a Subscriber obtained under the influence of such representation. I have the satisfaction to find that the Gentlemen of Westmorland, begin properly to appreciate the unfair advantage that has been taken of us; and when it is further considered that we have already expended upwards of One Thousand pounds in the Survey, Engraving, &c of our Map of Westmorland, it will not, I presume, be a subject of wonder or of novelty if we persevere in substantiating the legitimacy of our prior claim to their support. Within a few months our Map of Westmorland will be in the hands of the Subscribers; I have no hesitation in saying, it will be the most correct County Map ever published. To this observation it may be asked, will it be more correct than those already published? Certainly it will; for the best of all reasons - regularly progressive accumulating experience. There is not an Instrument applicable to the Science, which we have not used. Would it not therefore be presumption in us to say that our first Maps could be equally accurate with those we are now making, wit the advantages of ten years experience in all the various departments of our work. 'This all very well to talk about Fields of professional exertion, region of Science, and scooping out Empires, but I confess the style of these sentences so ill accord with the character of Mr. Hodgson's former Letter, that I doubt very much their being genuine effusions. My object is to lay the matter fairly before the public, with whom I will not trifle or attempt any deception. No man has laboured with more anxiety and I trust honourable and honest exertion, than I have done in pursuing an undertaking in which I can only be repaid by its final completion. I did not commence it in the character of a Monopolist, but in obedience to the solicitations of some of the first men in the country, and wherever at that time we could ascertain others had a prior claim with ourselves, (which in all England was only the case in two Counties, neither of which has paid the Surveyor,) we declined interfering, or made such arrangements as secured the parties against loss. It has ever been my maxim to avoid creating a loss to others by furthering my own views; and I trust no one will ultimately succeed against me, actuated by a different principle. I shall conclude by declaring, the Advertisements and Prospectuses of our proposed Map of Westmorland were before the public several years before Mr. Hodgson was known in the capacity of Surveyor of a County. I am, Sir, Your most obedient servant, C. GREENWOOD. King's Arms Inn, Kendal, July 11th, 1823.
	Summary from - C Greenwood to - the Editor, replying to T Hodgson

	SUBSCRIBERS	I did not accuse TH of cheating, nor imply the Gentlemen of Westmorland are stupid


	PRIOR CLAIM	of course we have a prior claim, but we are not monopolists, we try not to upset local surveyors


	SURVEYING METHODS	we have the very best instruments and have years of experience, TH is a beginner


	THE MAPS	our map will be better


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