David S. Stanley to Charles Francis Adams, July 14, 1866

Lord Stanley to Mr. Adams.

Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I have ascertained that the lords commissioners If her Majesty’s treasury have either given, or are about to give instructions to the pay-master general to pay to you a sum of twenty-seven thousand eight hundred and two pounds the shilling and eight pence, (£27,802 1s. 8d.,) representing a sum of one hundred and thirty thousand eight hundred and thirty-three dollars and one-third,—viz.: special claim, 23,333⅓ ; general share, $107,500, making $130,833 ⅓ in respect of the first instalment of five hundred thousand dollars, ($500,000,) received from the Japanese government on account of the indemnity; and that as the lords of the treasury are not informed of the precise market value of the dollar when the amount of the instalment was first paid into the treasury chest, they have temporarily adopted the British official rate of exchange, with a new to a final adjustment of any fractional difference in the rate of exchange being made when the actual market value of the dollar has been ascertained at the several periods of payment.

I have the honor, &c., &c.,