No. 46
9 December 1858
Sir,
1. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No 24 of the 24th of September 1 in which you kindly approve under the peculiar circumstances in which I was placed, of the allowance of pay to the companies of H.M. Ships "Satellite" and "Plumper", from the local revenue equal to their rate of pay from the Crown.
2. That.Manuscript image
2. That extra allowance of pay was made for three months up to the 30th September last, when it was not considered necessary to continue it for a longer time, and with the knowledge and approval of Admiral Baynes, who concurred with me regarding the allowance as unusual and forming a troublesome and inconvenient precedent, that decision was made known to Captains Prevost and Richards, to announce to their respective ships companies.
3. The charge for that quarter was as follows—
"Satellite" £2253.14.8
"Plumper" £1118.11.7
£3372. 6.3
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4. I have already liquidated one third of that sum; I propose to pay a second instalment very shortly, and the third will be paid as soon as circumstances permit.
5. Had the extra allowance been limited to the ships companies, the amount of pay would have been moderate; but applying as it did to the Captain and Officers, the charge became an intolerable burden on our limited income, and to me a source of ceaseless trouble and anxiety.
I have etc.
James Douglas
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
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Admiralty. L[ithographed] F[orm].
ABd 29 Jany
HM Jan 29
The first part of this desp. sd be printed for Parlt?
C Jany 29
EBL Feb 1
Other documents included in the file
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Merivale to Secretary to the Admiralty, 2 February 1859, forwarding copy of the despatch for information.