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with Irgon's Patent Destructors, and I have availed myself of all Matheson's previous offers to obtain from him for the Governor's information a descriptive report and Estimates of the apparatus which he has. I believe, erected several at home. I enclose a copy of Mr. Matheson's letter in reply. His Excellency will perceive that he undertakes on behalf of his firm to provide this Government with a Destructor complete, and he submits an Estimate.
I should point out, however, with reference to Mr. Matheson's Estimate of £2000, that the items £340 and £300 represent the cost of a multitubular steam boiler and a steam disinfecting apparatus respectively. The boiler and disinfector do not, of course, form any part of a Destructor, and they might, if desired, be altogether omitted. They have, however, been included at my own instance, because a public disinfecter has long been an admitted want in this Colony and because, if a Destructor is erected, the heat radiated from the furnaces may, without extra cost, be utilized to generate steam for the purposes of the disinfection of clothes and bedding from the Hospitals and jails, and from private residences in cases of infectious sickness and in times of epidemic.
If the Governor concurs generally in these proposals, I would advise that...