| Collection | Correspondence of William IV |
| Description | Hotham claims that he did not have any information about the Prince's fitting out. A paper of necessaries was given to Hotham but without any explanation - the articles wanted were specified but not the expenses. When asked, Captain Elphinstone estimated the expense to amount roughly at £300 or £400.
He rules himself out to be in charge of the fitting out, which it seems the Prince had considered; Colonel Hotham's department is only in charge of issuing the money for the fitting out and that will be done promptly. Hotham can proudly say that no tradesman has ever waited to get his bill paid when he had the ability to discharge it. This Hotham is saying to make clear that delays in payments are not his department's fault; Prince William, therefore, made a mistake in sending to Hotham a harsh reprimand, which hurts Hotham even more as it was written not by the Prince himself but by his Purser - a stranger to Hotham. |