Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Carnarvon, Earl 11 January 1867, CO 60:27, no. 1944, 50.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (5), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (2).
Seymour, in reference to an earlier despatch, reminds Carnarvon
that the sum of ￡9,051.18.1 is due by the Imperial Governmentto the united colony of British Columbia. Elliot’s minute describes how this debt is related to the stationing and provisioning of Royal Engineers, and that the Treasury mistakenly acknowledged owing a debt to the colony of British Columbia. Buckingham minutes his approval for informing Seymour of the Treasury’s mistake.
No. 19
11th January 1867
My Lord,
I beg to refer Your Lordship to Mr Secretary Cardwell's
despatch No. 32 of 7th June 1866, admitting that the sum
of £9,051.18.1 is due by the Imperial Governmentto
to this
Colony, and stating the measures which the Lords of the Treasury
intended to take for its repayment.
to this
Colony, and stating the measures which the Lords of the Treasury
intended to take for its repayment.
2. I beg likewise to refer your Lordship to the enclosed
Memorandum of the Auditor General's from which it would appear
that the amount has not yet been paid.
3. As the Colony is borrowing money at the rate of 12
per cent: it is highly desirable that we should possess any
fundsjustly
justly due to us.
justly due to us.
Minutes by CO staff
This is rather an unpleasant case.
British Columbia used to have an account current with
this Country in respect of the disbursements for the Royal
Engineers, paying the money to the men there, and receiving
repayment from the Treasury in England.
In February 1862, the Governor having estimated the
total annual cost of the Royal Engineers at £22,000, the
Secretary of State announced that the Colony would for the
future be called upon to defray one moiety of that estimated
expense, vizt £11,000, and that the other moiety would be
paid from Imperial funds. But it was explained that £3800
werealready
already borne on the Army Estimates for the Regimental
pay of the Engineers, so that only the balances of £7,200
would be placed on a Parliamentary Estimates which then
existed for British Columbia.
already borne on the Army Estimates for the Regimental
pay of the Engineers, so that only the balances of £7,200
would be placed on a Parliamentary Estimates which then
existed for British Columbia.
In Novr 1865, the Governor sent home an account extending
from 1859 to 1863 which purported to show that the Treasury
was in debt to the Colony to the extent of £9021.
In May 1866 the Treasury acknowledged the correctness of
the account and promised payment.
But in a letter of 22 Decr 1866, the Treasury represent
that it made the admission in error. It says that the Colonial
Authorities have neglected to take into their account theRegimental
Regimental pay defrayed out of Army Estimates and also certain
Colonial pay to Coll Moody paid to him by the Treasury. This
gives the following items in favor of the Imperial Government:
Regimental pay defrayed out of Army Estimates and also certain
Colonial pay to Coll Moody paid to him by the Treasury. This
gives the following items in favor of the Imperial Government:
| Regimental Pay in 1862 | £4,597.1.5 |
| Do Do 1863 | £3,625.0.7 |
| Coll Moody's Pay in 1862 | £1,200.0.0 |
| Do to 14 Novr, 1863 (say) | £1,050.0.0 |
| £10,472.2.0 |
This is more than the amount which previously appeared to
be due from this Country. The Treasury state however that they
are unwilling altogether to revoke their previous admission,
and that having already paid to the Crown Agents £6714, they
will not reclaim it, but consider that no further issue should be made.
The
The Governor in the meanwhile has written to ask when the
money will be paid.
In the main the Treasury now appears to be correct, and
I suppose that it should be sent to the Governor for his information.
But I may observe that there appears to me a slip in
one part of the Treasury letter. They say that the greater
portion of the claim of the Colony arises in respect of the
expenses of the Engineers in 1862-63. This seems to me a
mistake. The counter-claim of the Treasury arises in respect
of those expenses; but an inspection of the account sent
from the Colony in 1865 will showthat
that they made out a
Deficiency in the Imperial payments of about £7000 in 1861
and of only £3000 in the years 1862 and 1863. Perhaps this
might be privately mentioned to the Treasury, in order that
unless they have some reason to the contrary which has escaped
us, they may be able to amend their letter accordingly.
that they made out a
Deficiency in the Imperial payments of about £7000 in 1861
and of only £3000 in the years 1862 and 1863. Perhaps this
might be privately mentioned to the Treasury, in order that
unless they have some reason to the contrary which has escaped
us, they may be able to amend their letter accordingly.
TFE
14 March
Duke of Buckingham
I suppose with Mr Elliot the Treasury should be asked to revise their letter; & then the Govr should be informed. But it is unsatisfactory as he is, under an erroneous impression, raising money at 12 per cent.
I suppose with Mr Elliot the Treasury should be asked to revise their letter; & then the Govr should be informed. But it is unsatisfactory as he is, under an erroneous impression, raising money at 12 per cent.
CBA
14/3
I do not see any other course in the unsatisfactory state of
the accounts—the sooner it is closed the better.
B&C
14/3
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Robert Ker, Auditor General, to Colonial Secretary, 11
January 1867, reporting non-receipt of funds.
Other documents included in the file
Colonial Office to Secretary to the Treasury, 21 March 1867,
forwarding copy of the despatch for information.
