Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Douglas, James to Lytton, Edward George Earle Bulwer 26 May 1859, CO 60:4, no. 6956, 401.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1).
Douglas forwards
a communication from Mr Youngthat
declines accepting the appointmentfor the position of
Colonial Secretary for British Columbia,for
the reason that the proposed salary of five hundred pounds (£500) per annum . . . is altogether insufficient to maintain him in this expensive Country.Newcastle minutes that he
cannot find anybody here to accept £500for the position, adding that he
shall be ready to entertain any proposal for increase of salary when the Colonial Revenue will bear it.
No. 159
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch
No 28 of the 3rd of March last in which you have signified
your approval of Mr Young's appointment as Colonial Secretary
Secretary
for British Columbia.
Secretary
for British Columbia.
2. I was fortunate in having the opportunity of securing for
the Public service of the Colony, a gentleman so well known and
in all respects so highly qualified by his talents, experience,
and thoroughly practical acquaintance with the details of public
business. I know and appreciate the value of his services, and
therefore have the more regret in forwarding a
a communication from
Mr Young, in which you will observe he declines accepting the
appointment, not because he overlooks the high position offered
him, but simply for the reason that the proposed salary of five
hundred pounds (£500) per annum, which you alone authorize me to offer,
is altogether insufficient to maintain him in this expensive
Country, and really places him in a worse position than he now occupies.
a communication from
Mr Young, in which you will observe he declines accepting the
appointment, not because he overlooks the high position offered
him, but simply for the reason that the proposed salary of five
hundred pounds (£500) per annum, which you alone authorize me to offer,
is altogether insufficient to maintain him in this expensive
Country, and really places him in a worse position than he now occupies.
3. Gentlemen of education and
and high character may probably
be found in England to accept Official appointments in this
Country at the present rates of Salary, which may there be
sufficient for their decent support, but they will not be long
in discovering that those sums are wholly inadequate to the support
of their social position in this country.
and high character may probably
be found in England to accept Official appointments in this
Country at the present rates of Salary, which may there be
sufficient for their decent support, but they will not be long
in discovering that those sums are wholly inadequate to the support
of their social position in this country.
4. The Treasurer and Collector of Customs, have, as you will
observe by another
another communication transmitted by the present Mail,
both applied to me for relief, as they cannot live on their present
salaries a state of things which it must be admitted is at once
degrading and dangerous to the public service.
another communication transmitted by the present Mail,
both applied to me for relief, as they cannot live on their present
salaries a state of things which it must be admitted is at once
degrading and dangerous to the public service.
5. I will retain Mr Young in the service of the Government,
until a successor is appointed to
to relieve him, and if it were
possible, I should gladly retain his services altogether, as I
know his sterling worth and can work cordially with him.
to relieve him, and if it were
possible, I should gladly retain his services altogether, as I
know his sterling worth and can work cordially with him.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Young declines to accept the place of Secretary at £500 a
year. I am persuaded that if the Governor had so chosen it
he might have found several English Gentlemen, who have gone
out to the Colony with Letters of introduction from Sir E.
Lytton, who wd gladly have accepted the office on the terms
named. I 
think it would be impossible to blend the Colonial
Secretaryship with any other appointment; otherwise such
combination might have been worth entertaining. But a
Secretary is too much of a personal officer to a Govr who has
so much on his hands as Mr Douglas has to justify the
depriving him in any degree of assistance of which he stands
in need. It is not quite clear whether or not he expects a
Successor to be found at home, & sent out to him. See
Minutes on 1919/59.
think it would be impossible to blend the Colonial
Secretaryship with any other appointment; otherwise such
combination might have been worth entertaining. But a
Secretary is too much of a personal officer to a Govr who has
so much on his hands as Mr Douglas has to justify the
depriving him in any degree of assistance of which he stands
in need. It is not quite clear whether or not he expects a
Successor to be found at home, & sent out to him. See
Minutes on 1919/59.
ABd
13 July
See 6954. I rather believe the Colonial Secretary is also
Auditor, there being no separate officer of that title; and
I agree with Mr Blackwood that there seems no opening for
farther consolidation.
HM
Jy 13
Duke of Newcastle
It seems plain enough that these officials (see 6954) cannot live decently in such an extravagant place as Vancouver's Island upon the Salaries paid by Sir E. Lytton. You wd. of course make no alteration in the Estimate for the present year, but if the Salaries were revised, the Govr might be directed to pay the increase out of Colonial revenue. I see Mr Merivale originally proposed £800 for the Col Secretary (on 544)—and Govr Douglas
£1800 per ann each for Col. Sec., Attorney General and
Treasurer—with £700 for an "Accountant," an office performed
by the Col. Sec. In your answer of the other day (23 June)
to Col. Moody's application, you declined to entertain
individual cases—but Col. M., at all events, is far the best
paid functionary in B. Columbia.
It seems plain enough that these officials (see 6954) cannot live decently in such an extravagant place as Vancouver's Island upon the Salaries paid by Sir E. Lytton. You wd. of course make no alteration in the Estimate for the present year, but if the Salaries were revised, the Govr might be directed to pay the increase out of Colonial revenue. I see Mr Merivale originally proposed £800 for the Col Secretary (on 544)—and Govr Douglas
£1800 per ann each for Col. Sec., Attorney General and
Treasurer—with £700 for an "Accountant," an office performed
by the Col. Sec. In your answer of the other day (23 June)
to Col. Moody's application, you declined to entertain
individual cases—but Col. M., at all events, is far the best
paid functionary in B. Columbia.
CF
15
I am satisfied that the salaries fixed for the Officers of
this Colony are too low, & we shall either be very insufficiently
served or what is worse robbed. The temptation to raise their
income by unfair means is such as Men ought on no account to
be exposed to.
It is impossible however to raise the estimate this year. I
believe indeed it was voted last night. I see nothing for it
but to authorize the Govr to offer that Secship to the
best man now in the Colony—I cannot find anybody here to
accept £500—and say I shall be ready to entertain any proposal
for increase of salary when the Colonial Revenue will bear it—and
I would give the same answer to 6954.
N
16
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
W.A.G. Young to Douglas, 16 May 1859, on his tentative
appointment as colonial secretary and salary expected.