Colonial Despatches

With reference to your letter of the 12 Ultimo, enclosing the copy of a further despatch from the Officer Administering the Government of British Columbia, respecting the claim of Messrs Clarke and Skinner for compensation for alleged losses sustained by them through the sudden termination of a Contract for the supply of Beef and Vegetables to the Detachment of Royal Engineers stationed in that Colony in 1863; I am directed by the Secretary of State for War to transmit to you, to be laid before Mr Secretary Cardwell, a copy of a report on the subject which has been received from Major General Moody, who commanded the Detachment at the time, and who made the Contract in question.

It would appear from this report, that before any satisfactory conclusion can be arrived at in this case, it will be necessary to obtain from the Colony the information suggested by General Moody.

The Marquis of Hartington however desires me to state that, inasmuch as all the expenses connected with this Detachment, with the exception of the Regimental Pay, were defrayed either out of special Parliamentary Votes on account of the Colony, or by the Colony itself, His Lordship is of opinion that the claim is not one which affects this Department; and that in the event of any compensation being held to be due, it will have to be arranged between Mr Secretary Cardwell and the Lords of the Treasury whether the amount should be defrayed from Imperial Funds, or charged to the revenues of the Colony.