右
Mr Mercer
The Duke of Newcastle.
Hongkong, August, 1863.
15 March
1 Inclosure
Received
Applying for sanction
of the expenditure incurred in the construction of 2 Floating Stations.
1 Copy/
11:202
63
212
29th September, 1862
J. & Thourett, Esqre.
Dear Sir,
In compliance with your request of 27th, I this day visited the Tor & Police Boats stationed at East and West Points, numbered 2 and 3, and after a careful examination outside and inside, I find the bottoms of both boats completely riddled with holes through card worms, and leaking daily to the extent of two hundred tons, as reported by the crew; the upper topsides are one mass of dry rot. In fact, the boats in their present condition are most dangerous and might at any moment fill with water.