Thornhill, Christopher Camm

Cape Town 24 Feby 1824
At the request of your Excellency I beg
leave to Submit my motives for wishing to open
a Bank at Grahams Town.
There has and still exists a great inconvenience
to the Town at large and the Settlers in general. there
being a great many bills at one and two months
date Commissariat orders. Vendue Rolls, and a great
quantity of Small bills of Exchange drawn by the
Settlers on their friends in England which they
cannot negociate or get discounted in Grahams
Town, and are compelled to Send them to Cape
Town, but having no Agent, their Bills are returned
as not negociable, but should any get negociated
through the hand of an Agent, it is always attended
with a great expense &c loss. viz double Postage to
the Cape to enable the Bill, Agent Commission
a Exchange, and double Postage back again to
enclose the money. again when the Settler wants
to purchase a Bill to remit to his friends in
England, he has to forward his money to Some
Agent at Cape Town for the purpose of procuring
a bill on London, and very seldom indeed Small
bills to the amount they want, can be procured
These are inconveniences much felt by most
of the inhabitants in and about Grahams Town
and the whole of the Settlers. These inconveniences
may be obviated by the establishment
of a Bank, and much accomodation rendered
to the inhabitants and the Settlers, by the Bank
discounting their Paper _
I trust your will view
the subject

the subject in the light I have represented
it, and be pleased to forward my views
in granting my request
I have the honor to remain
with great respect
Your Excellencys most obedt humble Sert
C. T. Thornhill
To
His Excellency
Lord C. H. Somerset
&c &c &c