No. 68, Military
14 November 1861
I have the honor to forward herewith for your consideration and instructions, an application which I have received from Colonel Moody for the sum of Thirty pounds a year and free Rations (about £85 per Annum in all) to be granted in aid of education for the Children of the men of theRoyalManuscript image Royal Engineers serving in British Columbia.
2. Colonel Moody does not furnish me with the authority which he states exists respecting grants of this nature, and I am therefore unable to form any decided opinion on the matter, but if Government aid be regular and customary under the circumstances set forth by Colonel Moody, I see no reason why the rule should not be followed here; but, if otherwise, I conceive the pay and allowances already enjoyed by theRoyalManuscript image Royal Engineers serving in this Colony should enable them to provide for the schooling of their children without further aid.
I have the honor to be
My Lord Duke,
Your Graces most obedient
and humble Servant
James Douglas
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Elliot
Refer to the War Office, and request to be apprized of the nature of the answer which should be returned? It is a question purely for the consideration of the Military Authorities.
VJ 13 Jan
Draft.
TFE 15/1
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
Moody to Colonial Secretary, 19 March 1861, forwarding request as per despatch. Transcribed below.
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft, Elliot to Under-Secretary, War Office, 22 January 1861, forwarding copy of the despatch for consideration.
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
Manuscript image
No 809/02
Colonel Moody to the Colonial Secretary

140
Royal Engineer Corp
New Westminster
19th March 1861

Sir,

I have the honor to request that you withdraw the attention of His Excellency the Governor to the total absence at present of education for the children of the men of the Royal Engineers serving in this colony.
The total number of children is seventy (70), of whom thirty-one (31) are of an age to attend school.
The young women who recently held the position of school-mistress, has, from misconduct of a nature provingManuscript imageproving her entire unfitness for the charge of children, rendered it necessary to dispense with her services. An unfortunatley misplaced sympathy on the part of many of the Detachment, arising however from the kindest feelings, makes it impracticable for me to obtain the services of another teacher unless at once assisted pecuniarily by the Government.
Hitherto the men of the Detachment, subscribing at a rate proportionate to the number of children sent by each, furnished an income of Thirty-six or Thirty-seven £36 or £37 Pounds, that of the Teacher bring guaranteed at Forty five £45 Pounds per annum.
InManuscript image In addition to this she enjoyed the privileges of living with her parents in the camp, her father being a sergeant. This remuneration was deemed by me sufficent without applying for Government aid.
I am made aware of the certainty that any other Teacher than the above will not receive the same amount of voluntary support from the sympathy towards the first to which I have above alluded; though I have no doubt that, by firmness with kindly forbearance on my part and the judicious selection of a successor, a wiser course will be adopted.
Under no circumstances, however,Manuscript imagehowever, can I sanction the employment of the unfortunate girl who lately filled the position of Teacher. I cannot find at present the circular or authority by which the War Department, under certain circumstances, grant pecuniary aid towards the schooling of soldier's children where there is no War Department Teacher, but I am sure such grants are made, and what I now solicit the sanction of His Excellency is to an advance from the Colonial Treasury of the sum of Thirty £30 Pounds per annum with free rations, Communicating the circumstance to the Colonial Department for consideration andManuscript imageand arrangement with the War Department in England.
With this small amount of assistance and, I trust, the gradual return of all the soldiers children with their Parents pecuniary contributions, we may early anticipate an income worth the acceptance of a respectable young Teacher.
I have &c &c
Signed R. C. Moody
Colonel N L Comds
To the Colonial Secretary
&c &c &c
Victoria
Footnotes
  1. This text is located in the left margin and runs perpendicular to the main body text. See image scan.
People in this document

Douglas, James

Elliot, Thomas Frederick

Jadis, Vane

Moody, Richard Clement

Pelham-Clinton, Henry Pelham Fiennes

Organizations in this document

Colonial Treasury

War Office

Places in this document

British Columbia

Victoria