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S. S. "Peleus"
Port........Hong Kong
Date....January 14th, 1907
Dear Mr Guterres,
I can
I am very sorry to hear of your trouble which I can only put down to spite on the part of some so-called friend.
I have been trading to Hong Kong since 1874 and in command since 1885, and from the time (1895) that is since the Company have been carrying part Chinese "crews", and we have been engaging and paying off crews at Hong Kong, on an average of about 5 times in two years. I can only say that I have never, in any Shipping Office at home or abroad, seen the work carried on in a better or more systematic manner than has been done at Hong Kong, both at your office and on board.
As to the charges brought against you, having seen you carefully count up the amounts and pay the men to the last cent, and the money handed to each man in my presence and also of the Chief Engineer.
I can only hope that this slight testimony as to the way in which the work of your department is carried on may be of some use to you in refuting what in my experience of you I consider to be totally unfounded.
I send a copy to
Commander
Yours faithfully
(Signed) I. T. Pannell
Master....S.S. "Peleus"