Colonial Despatches

I transmit for your information copies of a correspondence between this Department and the War Office, which will place you in possession of the measures which have been taken for sending to British Columbia a Detachment of the Royal Engineers under the Command of a Field Officer.

Colonel Moody has beenappointed appointed to this command, and has also been selected for the Office of Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works in British Columbia, and I transmit a Copy of the Instructions which have been addressed to Colonel Moody with reference to the discharge of his duties in that capacity, and specifying the amount of Regimental pay and Colonial allowances to which he and the Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers and Sappers of the Detachment are entitled.

I may further observethat that a Ship has been chartered and is in course of preparation for the conveyance of the larger portion of this Detachment by the Horn; but as the passage will consume nearly four months and it is desirable that you should have the assistance and support of a part of this body without delay both to represent the Military force of this Country and to facilitate those Surveying and Engineering operations which it may be expedient to commence forthwith, I have made arrangements for the despatch of Twenty men and anan Officer by the Steamer which leaves this Country for Panama on the 2nd of next month.