xxxix] MONEY MATTERS 377 



" Principal Librarian and Secretary's Office. 



" British Museum, W.C., June 24, 1867. 

 ■ Sir, 



" If you will send your own stamped receipt to this 

 Office, you will be paid the amount due to you by the 

 Trustees of the British Museum, £5 ay. od. 

 " I am, sir, 



" Your very obedient Servant, 



"Thomas Butler, 



" Assist Secretary." 

 " Mr. A. R. Wallace." 



I, of course, complied with the request and sent the 

 stamped receipt, and by return of post had the following 

 written communication : — 



" Mr. Butler begs to transmit the enclosed P.O. order for 

 £4 igs. 6d. to Mr. Wallace, and the amount of it, with the 

 cost of the order (6d), makes up the sum due by the Trustees 

 to Mr. Wallace. 



" British Museum, June 25, 1867." 



This amazing little dodge (for I can call it nothing else) 

 completely staggered me. I was at first inclined to return 

 the P.O. order, or to write asking for the 6d., and if necessary 

 summon Mr. Butler (cr the Trustees) to a County Court for 

 the 6d. due. But I was busy, and did not want to enter upon 

 what I felt sure would be a long correspondence and endless 

 trouble and expense. I therefore determined to keep the 

 two incriminating documents, and some day print them. 

 That day has now come ; and it may be interesting to learn 

 whether this preposterous and utterly dishonest method of 

 paying part of an admitted debt, after obtaining a receipt for 

 the whole, continues to be practised in this or any other 

 public institution. 



It was while these troubles in the Hampden affair were at 

 their thickest that my earnings invested in railways and mines 



