740
seriousness and gravity of it, even up to the day of trial,
fearing on the one hand that the evidence might fail and that
I might be accused of bringing so serious a charge without suf-
-ficient care and on the other hand that I had perhaps taken
too much upon myself in the desire to save the Officer in
question.
I most respectfully submit that the
nervous strain to which I have lately been put together with
the serious fact of having incurred His Excellency's grave
displeasure is sufficient punishment for my faults in the
matter and 1 would humbly and earnestly request His Excellency
to reconsider his decision as contained in the second para-
-graph of your letter, so that I may be spared, if possible,
the still more serious punishment of a reprimand from the
Right Honourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
I have etc.,
(Sd.) J. Bell,
Superintendent.