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242
MARYLAND HISTORICAL MAGAZINE
trip abroad so " The Captain " sailed for Europe and Francis, leaving the family distillery and the Boston business in other hands, came in December to Baltimore.
Until that time George remained in charge of the brisk business of the firm. It was a good year for exports for George reported, " Such Strick attention is now paid by the Millers owing to their great losses by the Condemnation of their flour, last year, that Very little is now condemned. . . ." 64 If exports improved, imports did not. In October he wrote, " N. E. Rum a cursed Article likewise which the N. Englanders are crazy to be sending in every Vessell" 65 and vowed, " I have now done with all firsthand Imports & Exports except such articles as are almost Infallible here such as Potatoes, Cranberrys & I would try no more— Picked Salmon is a bad article, excessive dull & grows bad soon." 66 By December, he wrote in exasperation to one correspondent, ". . . the Codfish, Oyl, and Dumb fish are very unsaleable, the latter in particular, You have sent a sufficiency to stock the market & we have already on hand 30 Quintals/' 67
Despite these complaints, George obviously thought the Baltimore-New England trade was here to stay and intended to keep the firm as part of it, both for commission work and for trading on its own account, for in December he became part owner of a ship that was to engage regularly in the Boston-Baltimore run. By this time he felt more at home in the Baltimore market and in the course of his correspondence sent some excellent advice to New England merchants:
Merchise that appears likely to do well is frequently the worst by large Arrivals that in shipment from you Some Judgment must be found from ye number of Vessels sailed & Sailing for this port with the quality & quantity of their Cargoes.68 The place is yet so small [,] so small & so few speculators in it that a Cargo of unsaleable Merchandise or any unsaleable articles it is next to impossible to sell without great loss.89.
Unfortunately the letterbook stops before the reader can discover the extent to which George and his correspondents heeded his advice. It is known that, whatever the fortunes of the firm in Baltimore, eventually all three brothers returned to New England to live, marry, and die. In view of this fact, it is not inappropriate that one of the final letters in the letterbook should contain yet another comparison of the small town of Baltimore with the metropolis of Boston. " We would readily send you the smoaking Tobacco but it is not to be had here & tho a Tobo Country they Smoak & Chew far inferior to any generally used in Boston/'70
64 George Johonnot to McLure and Boies, November 25, 1784, JJLB.
65 George Johonnot to Henry Johnson and Francis Johonnot, October 2, 1784,
JJLB'
66 George Johonnot to Henry Johnson, October 15, 1784, JJLB.
67 George Johonnot to Daniel Sargent, December 11, 1784, JJLB.
68 George Johonnot to John Boies, December 17, 1784, JJLB.
69 George Johonnot to McLure and Boies, December 25, 1784, JJLB.
70 George Johonnot to McLure and Boies, January 31, 1785, JJLB.
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