Laird Brothers to Captain Inglefield, H. M. S. Majestic.
Sir: We beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 30th instant. informing us that you have taken the advice of Mr. Bond, the pilot, upon the subject of moving the El Monnassir, and that he states that it would be most imprudent to attempt to move that vessel into the river without a second anchor on board, unless she could be put to a buoy; that it will not be earlier than Monday that you can obtain the use of the latter; and that you are therefore obliged to postpone taking that vessel out of our graving dock to-morrow, as you cannot get an anchor on board in time.
In reply, we beg to state that, owing to the lowness of the neap tides during the next week, we cannot with safety float the caisson at the entrance of the dock, and therefore must decline doing so.
We are, sir, your obedient servants,
Captain Inglefield, R. N., H. M. S. Majestic.