Arbuthnot to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)

With reference to your Letters of the 10th Septr
last, and 22nd Instant, relative to a Claim preferred by
the Admiralty for the repayment of £3.643.2.8 on account of
the passage to British Columbia in the Ship "Thames City,"
of a Party of Royal Engineers, and of a Chaplain and his Wife,
and the Collector of Customs; I am directed by the Lords
Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, to acquaint you,
for the information of the Duke of Newcastle, that pending the

consideration of this question, They have suspended the
transfer to the credit of Naval Services, of the amount of the Claim.

They presume that His Grace will Communicate His opinion
in regard to this charge, in which Their Lordships concur, to
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, with a view to the
withdrawal
of the portion of the Claim relating to the Conveyance of Troops.

On being informed of the amount due to Naval Services in
respect of the Passages of the Chaplain and his wife (provided
that he is not a Military Chaplain) and of the Collector of
Customs, Their Lordships will direct the transfer thereof to the
Credit of Naval Services, from the Grant for British Columbia.