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position, to direct a House to be built for him forthwith by the Chief Engineer on the site within the Cantonment already selected for that purpose; the charge to be included in the Ordnance estimates.
07.
The M. General is led to this opinion by reflecting that if he waits for a decision from the Colonial Secretary, six or eight months at least must lapse, and if plans and estimates should then be called for, another delay of equal duration must ensue, and two or three years must necessarily pass before a residence could be built and ready for his reception.
In the mean-time he is paying (or rather Government paying) from the Military Chest, the exorbitant sum of Four Hundred dollars a month, or near Five thousand dollars a year for rent for the M. General's present accommodation a sum which taken only for three years certain, would probably be in itself sufficient to build a suitable residence for him and his successors.
On every ground of private comfort as well as public Economy, the M. General is led to this measure, but in communicating it to You for His Excellency Sir Henry Pottinger's information he begs to say that he has no wish whatever to draw from his Excellency any expression of approval or concurrence.
The M. General takes readily upon himself the entire responsibility and only acquaints his Excellency with the course he is adopting.