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at present; and of course the serious epidemic by which the island is now being visited can only strengthen this view.
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Reference is made by the Committee to a proposal
to fix the contribution in dollars instead of sterling.
If such an arrangement were to be adopted, My Lords could
not agree to any less sum in dollars than £40,000 would represent at the current low price of silver; and although this would have the advantage of protecting the Colony against a further fall in silver, so far as the Military contribution is concerned, it would equally deprive the
Colony of the benefit of a possible rise. Under all the
circumstances, My Lords are indisposed to depart from the
principle that the contribution of a dependency, in aid of
the sterling expenditure of the Mother Country for the
defence of that. dependency, should itself be fixed in
sterling.
I am,
Sir,
Your obedient, servant,
Zancis Insett
A
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