Hawes to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
6 July 1859
Sir,
I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to enclose a copy of a letter received from Colonel Moody, Royal Engineers, dated Vancouver's Island, 9th April last, in which he requests that Colonial pay may be issued to himself and other Officers composing the British Columbian Expedition from the date of Commencing Colonial duty in this Country, and not from the date of embarkation.
As the Pay of the Officers in question will cease to be defrayed fromManuscript imagefrom Imperial funds from the period from which they were available for Colonial duty, I am to request that you will acquaint me with the date upon which each Officer commenced such duty, so that the Imperial pay may be adjusted accordingly.
I have etc.
B. Hawes
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Merivale
The Answer I imagine is that Colonel Moody commenced his Colonial duties on the day he mentions viz: the 18th of last August, when, if you remember, he was summoned from Edinburgh by Telegraph, & kept incessantly at work till the day he left these shores. That with respect to the other Officers this Dt has not the means of furnishing the Manuscript imageinformation, (as they were not selected or appointed by us,) beyond what is contained in Colonel Moody's (annexed) Letter. Under these circes, as the information is not possessed by the War Office, the only means of procuring it is by ascertaining at Chatham, as Colonel Moody suggests, on what day these Officers were relieved of their duties there. Add that when the information is obtained we should be glad to receive it in order that the Governor may be instructed to pay these Officers the balance of Colonial pay due to them between these to be ascertained dates, & the day of their embarcation.
ABd 7 July
Annex dt.
HM Jy 8
Other documents included in the file
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Draft, Colonial Office to Under-Secretary, War Office, 16 July 1859, advising they had no information concerning employment dates for the officers, and suggesting their last day at Chatham be taken as a guideline.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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R.C. Moody, to Adjutant General, Royal Engineers, 9 April 1859, advising receipt of letter from Colonial Office and giving 18 August 1858 as date from which payment from War Department should commence; and advising of inability to give dates for other officers.
People in this document

Blackwood, Arthur Johnstone

Hawes, Benjamin

Merivale, Herman

Moody, Richard Clement

Organizations in this document

Colonial Office

War Office

Places in this document

Vancouver Island