tated the amount required. Sterling and also in Dollars. Taking for instance the year 1886, the requisitions were for $217,901.45,
and the amount given papers in Sterling
the
same-
£39,230. 0. His Excellency is therefore unable to
accept as
binding
on the Colonial Government the Memorandum put forward over four years ~
afterwards by the Colonel Commanding the Royal Engineers that the Sterling only equivalent was £35,315.9.10.
stated in a Memorandum of May 13, 1890 by the Commanding Royal Engineer)
Had the requisitions only contained certain sums in dollars this last contention might have had some force, but when it is noted that the vouchers containing the amounts in dollars endorsed in Sterling are by the Colonel Commanding Royal Engineers and the Chief Paymaster for China, and are ~ forwarded by the Assistant Military Secretary by direction of His Excellency the Major General Commanding, for the information of the Governor, His Excellency is not prepared at this late date, without the authority of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies, to allow the accounts for the last Government six years to be re-opened:
4.
At variance with the above, it is directed from Government to add that the Colonial Government has accepted without question the rate of exchange used by the Military Authorities when they have had to disburse to the Colonial Government the equivalent in dollars of sums specified to be paid in Sterling.
I have re.
Sof. H. M. Deane.