337
I shall immediately call on Captain Balfour to give any explanation he may think fit; but as waiting for his reply would occasion a delay of perhaps two months, and I am most anxious to relieve myself of the smallest shadow of either of the imputations to which I refer above, I will not delay this Despatch for his answer.
It is perhaps proper I should further acquaint Your Lordship, that the Enclosures to my Dispatch No.11, of the 25th of August, which are signed by Captain Balfour, only reached me on the 20th of that month, although I perceive, on referring to them this day, that one of those Enclosures is dated on the 16th of May.
I have perused the printed Return without the Statements to which it refers, but this I may observe, that I am satisfied, from the very minuteness of some of its Entries, that it is calculated to give an erroneous impression, that it includes all property that was taken within the period mentioned in it. I positively assert, that this is not the case, nor did I ever hope, or imagine, that it would do so. A considerable quantity of the "Cash" or Coffer Coin, I am told, was lost in a Junk that sunk in Chusan Harbour, and the rest (which is estimated at 1000 for a Dollar) was sold at the rate of 1200 for a Dollar, by my Orders.
It