Dear Mr Guterres,
It was only after the Inquiry held at the Colonial Secretary's Office that I became acquainted with its cause, when I learned from other shipmasters who attended with myself, that the accusation brought against you are false, as I firmly believe they are. I sincerely sympathise with you, if you have always conducted affairs in connection with the discharging of Crews, as you have always done in my presence, there can be no cause for such accusations. I suppose you would require of others, as you always required of me, that is: The required amount only to pay off the crew, with sufficient small change to meet any necessity. I was always very particular on this point in order to avoid any possible error. Of the many times I have paid off my crews at your office, I don't know of any time when it has been necessary either to increase or reduce the amount first laid out for paying off. This money having been handed to the man to whom it was due in full view of the Masters, as it always was with me, it would be impossible for you to make any irregularity without being detected.
If I was so unfortunate as to be placed in the position you seem to be, the accusation itself would not trouble me one bit, but the knowledge that I had such a cowardly enemy as to make such an accusation against me, would worry me very much. However, I don't see how the matter can attain to any degree of importance.