Colonial Despatches

I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of Your Grace's Despatch of the 1st September last No 143, expressing your surprise at no answer having been received from Captain Gossett [Gosset], the Treasurer of this Colony, in respect to the defalcations that had occurredduring during his tenure of the office of Surveyor General of Ceylon, and upon which Captain Gosset was called upon to report by Your Grace's Despatch of the 20th November 1860, No 62.

2. My Despatch No 42 of the 1st September last, will, ere this, have informed Your Grace of the steps I took to carry out your instructions as conveyed in Your Grace's Despatch last mentioned, and of the reasons Captain Gosset had to offer for neglecting to furnish the report desired. Itis is possible that Captain Gosset may have furnished the required information since his arrival in England, but I shall, nevertheless, forward to him by the present Mail, a copy of Your Grace's Despatch now under reply.