I do myself the honor to request that you will be so good as to make arrangements appertaining more directly to the Naval Department to advertise for Tenders for freighting a Vessel of Four or Five Hundred Tons for a voyage to Manilla and back to Hong Kong.
You will no doubt provide in the Tenders for the usual Survey being had on the Vessel to be taken up and also for such periods as you may consider proper being allowed free of demurrage for the ship's being loaded at Manila and discharged on her return to Hong Kong; which it is desirable she should do with the least possible delay.
Major General Lord Saltoun has informed me that he will allow Lieut Ouchterlony, the Executive Engineer, to proceed in the Vessel to select and buy the Food, and it has occurred to me to suggest for your consideration whether it might not be desirable to send one or two experienced men, or Branch Officers from some of Her Majesty's Ships to assist Lieutenant Ouchterlony in the selection and Shipment of the Government Timber.
It is impossible at this moment to form anything like a correct Estimate of the quantity that will be wanted, but should there be eventually any overplus Timber, it will, I am told, sell here to great advantage, and the profit thereby obtained will add to the Saving which I anticipate from the measure I propose to adopt, and which I am satisfied is not only one of necessity, but of real economy.
I have the honor to be,
Signed Henry Pottinger
Certified Copy.
Michard Worsham
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