Series 4 > William Melrose in China, 1845-1855

157
1851
thought they would from your former calculation. But I am not
greatly disappointed as they still leave a good profit, and [I] made
allowances for your first statement in case the news was ‘ our gude
to be true’. In case I forget I will just say here that I have been trying
to get compensation for the articles missing.
You say you have put $20.80 or £4 15s. 4d. to my debit as that
amount is overcharged in the invoice or, as you say, extended wrong.
On looking at my invoice book I find the amount extended just
the same as you state them to be in the invoice sent, and appear
quite correct, except
M 86.87 where, as you say, I have charged 12 sets of sieves
at 80 cents instead of 11 sets - overcharge 80 cents - which is right.
You say M 85 is charged in the invoice $64.00 and should be
$63.00 and I see by the list of what you say was in it that I have
omitted to specify two caps at 50 cents or $1.00 which makes that
all right. Add two caps at 50 cents to $63.00 and you have $64.00.
M 135 you say is extended $140.00 and should be $122.00
(difference $18.00). You also specify the articles the box contains
and I see where the discrepancy is: the one set of chessmen you
specify as charged $2.00 should be $20.00, making exactly the
$18.00 difference.
So you will see that the only item which should really go to my
debit is 80 cents for the set of sieves, that really being a mistake in
the extension; the others were not mistakes in the extension, the
amounts being extended properly but from the articles not being
properly specified, the mistake occurred. So much for that!
I have got $24.00 compensation for the missing packages in M
parcel. I cannot get more, the camphor wood trunks etc. the China¬
men won’t allow at all and swear they were shipped. The $24.00
are allowed for the fans and images and the hat and cap which they
say might have been forgotten. In M 31, as you mentioned, I have
charged 12 pairs of jars too many and of course must allow you for
them. It should have been in the invoice 24 jars at $1.50 per pair,
and not 24 pairs as wrongly stated and extended. This being the
case, you will require to rub out the £4 15s. 4d. you have put to
my debit already and put instead of it, say:
overcharge on sieve 80 cents,
allowance by the Chinamen $24.00,