# Manx Primary Source Archive — Transcription

**Source image:** `20260219_142055.jpg`  
**Transcribed:** 2026-02-25 19:26  
**Method:** Automated (Claude Batch API — claude-opus-4-6)

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Atholl Houſe 29^th. Auguſt 1764

My Lords

I have Received the Honour of Your Lordſhips
Letter of the 25^th July informing me that in Purſuance
of the Act of the 12^th George the 1^st You are willing
to Treat with me for the Purchaſe of the Iſle of
Mann.

I am very ſory to hear there has been
ſo many Complaints of Smugling from thence which
is a practice I give no manner of Encouragement to,
my Revenues ariſing from a fair Duty Collected upon
the Importation of Goods.

I have the ſame Ideas with regard
to the Sale of the Iſland that the Late Duke of Atholl
had; who always declared that no Temptation of Gain
could induce him to give up ſo Ancient, ſo Honourable,
and ſo Noble, a Birthright; ſuch as no Subject of the
Crown of England now has, or ever had; Which has
been in our Family near four Centuries; and that he
thought Nothing could be an Equivalent to one of
His Rank and Circumſtances, for ſo great a Patrimony;
at the ſame time His Duty and Attachment to
The King was ſuch, that if it was Eſteem'd upon a
Full Conſideration an Important Point for His Majeſtys
Service and for the Good of the Publick, He in that
Event was willing to Enter into a Treaty for the
diſpoſal of it, and theſe are the only Reaſons
that can induce me to do the ſame.

The Purchaſe of the Iſle of Mann has
been frequently thought off by former Adminiſtrations
but

[margin: MS 09707/6/334/i]
[margin: AP 426-11]