12
the Colonial Secretary during that Officer's absence or ilinece, would be more conveniently left to the discretion of the Governon; and
reting on this
principle when
rieutenant Colonel Caine preceded
to Macas in August last for a intnight, it was with
my sanction
understood that the ruties of the Secretariat would devrive upon Mr Mercer, and to this arrangement is to be attributed the remonstrance of Mr D'Almada e Castro addressed
Grace.
te
ueen
your
Mr D'Almada e Castro has
fit to report to your
Grace
some verbal conversation he states
50
to have taken place between myself
and him in reference to this matter;
مة
also to allude to come discussion
which took place between 113 Mercer
and himself during
in
un absence
my
England from March 1852 to As regards that
February 1853.-
portion of his statement with whien I am concerned, I have merely to say, that it is quite possible, all that Mr J'Almada e Castro alleges
L
to have taken place, did take pince, for having a personal good will towards him, I was anxions to soothe
which however I must
his
feelings
say appeared to me most
unnecessarily irritated, and