Sir,
Commissariat, Hongkong, 27th May 1866.
I have the honour to acknowledge your letter No. 310 of this date enclosing Memo., shewing that the sum of £18.3.9 had been paid in error by Mr. Rieunau(?) into the Commissariat Chest in July last, for transmission to Her Majesty's Treasury in London, and wishing me to refund the money on the Receipt of the Officers in charge of the Colonial Treasury.
In reply, I beg to state, that I conceive that in so doing I should incur an improper responsibility, inasmuch as the money in question
...
W. J. Mercer,
Colonial Secretary.