In the previous series of extracts we gave the report of the recruiting committee which seemed to hold out hopes of continued life for the Volunteer Corps if not new wave of prosperity. That these hopes were not justified will be seen from the following, and intemvoven with the narrative of the liquidation, will appear references to the debt of the Corps.
It will be interesting first of all to mention the accounts of the Corps for 1864, These show a total expenditure of Tls. 3,321.30, and there was a balance due to the treasurer on the year's working of Tls. 676.84. A volunteer bail had been held this year, resulting in a loss of Tls. 902.94, whivn seems to have been made up by Mir. Antrobus the commandant.
The Corps was already financially out of its depth, for bearing the date 1865 is a very weather beaten letter, (partially obliterated, which roust have disturbed the honorary treasurer's sleep for many a night. It seems to have been written by Dent. & Cc., and where decipherable asks whether, as Mr. Antrobus was going home, any steps had been taken to liquidate the debt of over Tls. 11,000 owed by the Volunteer Corps to "cur Mr. Edward Webb." The letter suggested the appointment of a committee to go into the matter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.