498
1
until the whole of their share equal to one third of the
total cost is paid off.
4.
As this proposal of the General Officer Command-
ing presented some evident advantages, a letter was
addressed to the Treasury asking the views of the Lords
Commissioners upon the question.
5. A reply has now been received to that letter
agreeing generally to the proposal, on the understanding
that it will not affect the arrangement that the Colony
are to bear one third of the total cost whatever it may
whether in sterling or in dollars.
be,
6. Copies of the General Officer Commanding's
letter, of the War Office letter to the Treasury and of
the Treasury reply thereto are forwarded herewith.
7. It is evident that although the original Esti-
mates were made as accurate as the information available
would allow, yet the actual cost may come to a little
less or a little more than the estimated cost, and it is
understood that in either case the Colony would bear the
charge of one third of the total actual cost.
8. I am to request that you will be good enough
to state whether the Secretary of State for the Colonies
would be willing to agree to this change in the original
arrangement