Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Pelham-Clinton, Henry Pelham Fiennes to Douglas, James 11 May 1861, LAC RG7:G8C/9, 453.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
Newcastle informs Douglas that the Treasury is unwilling to
completely fund the Royal Engineers in British Columbia during 1861 and that the
colony will have to provide £4550 or curtail the Engineers' activities. Newcastle reminds Douglas
that when the Engineers were first sent to the colony, it was intended that British Columbia would cover their
cost entirely, with the exception of their
Regimental Pay.
No. 78
11 May 1861
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 18 of the 19th of February last transmitting an estimate of the expenditure
necessary for the maintenance of the Force of Royal Engineers in British Columbia for the year 1861 amounting to £16,750.
I regret that I am unableto
to comply with the earnest wish expressed
in your despatch that the Colony may be relieved of the whole of this
charge.
to comply with the earnest wish expressed
in your despatch that the Colony may be relieved of the whole of this
charge.
It is unnecessary that I should remind you of the motives which
induced my Predecessor in sending a Military force to British Columbia
to select for the purpose men of the Royal Engineers, nor of the
expectation which he entertained that the Services which they would
render to the Colony in Civil capacities would afford anequivalent
equivalent for the cost of the expedition. Hitherto it has not been possible to carry
into effect the intention then announced to you of charging the
expenditure of the Force, with the exception of their Regimental Pay, to
the Revenues of the Colony, and notwithstanding the large increase in
those Revenues which is exhibited by the financial Statements recently
received from you, I am reluctant to diminish materially the surplus
whichafter
after providing for the ordinary Civil Government is available for the execution
of Public Works essential in the present stage of the
Colony to the development of its resources. Provision has therefore
been made in the vote for British Columbia for the present year for the Colonial Pay of the Royal Engineers, and an item of
£12,000 which I find from the enclosure of yourdespatch
despatch to be even somewhat in excess of the actual pay itself, has been inserted
in the estimate on this account.
But the further expenditure which you have reported must be defrayed by
the Colony, and I am willing to believe that for the sum of £4550 which
will thus remain chargeable to it's Revenues, British Columbia will
obtain anample
ample equivalent in the experience and professional skills of the Royal Engineers.
equivalent for the cost of the expedition. Hitherto it has not been possible to carry
into effect the intention then announced to you of charging the
expenditure of the Force, with the exception of their Regimental Pay, to
the Revenues of the Colony, and notwithstanding the large increase in
those Revenues which is exhibited by the financial Statements recently
received from you, I am reluctant to diminish materially the surplus
whichafter
after providing for the ordinary Civil Government is available for the execution
of Public Works essential in the present stage of the
Colony to the development of its resources. Provision has therefore
been made in the vote for British Columbia for the present year for the Colonial Pay of the Royal Engineers, and an item of
£12,000 which I find from the enclosure of yourdespatch
despatch to be even somewhat in excess of the actual pay itself, has been inserted
in the estimate on this account.
But the further expenditure which you have reported must be defrayed by
the Colony, and I am willing to believe that for the sum of £4550 which
will thus remain chargeable to it's Revenues, British Columbia will
obtain anample
ample equivalent in the experience and professional skills of the Royal Engineers.