Admiralty
The cost of 20th foolscap charged is £25. 12.6; but the cost of the 18th foolscap sent out being only £22. 5.10, the difference of £3.6.8 included in the bill paid on the 2nd August last, will be deducted from your next bill sent to you.
In regard to the quality of the paper I can only say that it is approved by everybody here; and is marked as approved by your clerk to whom, in your absence, the selection of the paper is left. But as you know it is difficult to get any paper that will bear without injury such changes of climate as occur between England and Hong Kong.
In regard to the weight of paper generally I beg to state, that agreeably to rules of the trade, the weight of the paper in our invoices is set down at what it amounts to when brought from the Mill and delivered to us. But very frequently edges have to be cut or pared before it is needed; and in that case the actual paper will not be so heavy as its invoiced weight.
But as the paper is weighed, and sent to us rough, we charge it at the weights and prices we paid for it; the cost of cutting and making up the paper being much more than a set off against the weight lost in treating it.
Sometimes, also, we receive paper (for otherwise we would deal with us) though it be a little below the contract weight. But in that case we deduct the price of the deficient weight from the bill, so that we get the paper at a comparatively reduced rate.
I have to return the original closures.
Engines Mr Culloch
Comptroller
Board of Trade