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I beg to occupy Your Lordship's attention by recounting the various causes which led to the increase of the Harbour Master's salary from £600 as fixed in the Civil List Ordinance of 1860 to £1000.
It appears in the Blue Book for 1875 that this increase was made in remuneration for acknowledged increased duties and responsibilities, and that the same have either continued or increased in importance, in conjunction with the progress of the Colony, whereas the value of the £, on the other hand, has sensibly decreased owing to the fall of exchange and the vastly increased cost of living, which is recognized by Your Lordship in your despatch and which, I earnestly beg that you will remember, bears with equal pressure on Officers of my position in the Colony.
3. Your Lordship has been pleased to direct that you cannot sanction any increase of salary beyond that of the Madras Attendant at Singapore. I have earnest hope, seeing that Your Lordship qualifies this determination with the words "as at present advised", that your decision may not be final, and that you may see fit to reconsider it. I therefore beg most respectfully to lay my case before Your Lordship.