unfortunately unable to get back
get back from Manila in time for the despatch of the Mail in question. Mr Chapman
the Officer upon whom this duty devolved, and whose explanation regarding Mr. Worldridge's complaint is respectfully submitted herewith. From a careful perusal of this Statement, and the Documents which accompany it, I am humbly of opinion that Lieutenant Worldridge's Report to His Excellency is unnecessarily severe, and in many essential points incorrect, as it is quite evident that there was ample time to have had the Mails closed and sent on board the Steamer long previous to the hour for the vessel's departure.
It must be borne in mind that Mr. Chapman, as well as the others of
the Officers,
of
127
were new to the duties, a fact well known to the Admiralty Agent. And it seems, under the circumstances, that it was the duty of Lieutenant Woldridge, in his position of Senior Agent, to aid, by every means in his power, young officers to carry out their duties, instead of pursuing the line of conduct he did, and thereby retarding the work of the office;
No inconvenience will recur from such present circumstances, over which the Office has no control, to preclude the possibility of the Mails being ready in time, even though the Admiralty Agent may not have proper time to leave the boxes conveyed on board the Steamer, with ten or fifteen minutes to spare, as required upon
V.