Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch to London
Seymour, Frederick to Grenville, Richard 1 July 1867, CO 60:28, no. 8550, 140.
Abstract
Despatch to London.
Minutes (4), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (1), Marginalia (1).
Seymour forwards Cooper’s letter stating Cooper’s
emoluments are insufficientand requesting to be
transferred to some other Colony,and Seymour discusses Cooper’s merits and the impact of British Columbia’s financial situation on increasing
emoluments.Cox’s minute notes that there is no letter supporting Cooper’s claims in Cooper’s letter. Elliot minutes remarks on promotions and why claims need to be verified in writing.
No. 75
Victoria
1st July 1867
My Lord Duke,
I have the honor to forward a letter addressed to Your
Grace by Mr James Cooper, Harbour Master of this Colony,
recapitulating the circumstances under whichhe
he accepted his
present office from the Secretary of State; Reporting that
his emoluments are insufficient for his maintainance in a
state of respectability, and requesting that he might be
transferred to some other Colony.
he accepted his
present office from the Secretary of State; Reporting that
his emoluments are insufficient for his maintainance in a
state of respectability, and requesting that he might be
transferred to some other Colony.
2. The particulars of Mr Cooper's appointment to
Office are probably well known to Your Grace's Department.
I believe his statements on the subject to be correct.
It thereforeonly
only remains for me to testify that Mr Cooper
has been a very useful Public Officer since the Union of the
Colonies has increased his labours, which, through no fault
of his, were formerly very light. He was, however, always
ready and willing to undertake any duties which might be
required of him.
only remains for me to testify that Mr Cooper
has been a very useful Public Officer since the Union of the
Colonies has increased his labours, which, through no fault
of his, were formerly very light. He was, however, always
ready and willing to undertake any duties which might be
required of him.
3. I regret to say that the financial condition of the
Colony does not allowof
of my holding out to Mr Cooper any
hope of my being able to increase his emoluments. Indeed I
fear that considerable reductions will have to be made
next year in all the Departments of the Government if the
condition of the Colony does not improve.
of my holding out to Mr Cooper any
hope of my being able to increase his emoluments. Indeed I
fear that considerable reductions will have to be made
next year in all the Departments of the Government if the
condition of the Colony does not improve.
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
I send you Lord Lytton's despatch appointing Mr Cooper. There is no trace of his letter of 21 Aug 1865 to which he refers.
I send you Lord Lytton's despatch appointing Mr Cooper. There is no trace of his letter of 21 Aug 1865 to which he refers.
It is very natural that Mr Cooper or anybody else should
wish to get promoted. But it cannot be said
that he has any
special claim to promotion on account of services rendered by
him, for he happens to have had very little to do. As to his
claim founded on an alleged promise to him that his present
Office should be equal in value to another one which he had
lost, not a trace appears of any promise to that effect (of
which the improbability need hardly be mentioned) in writing,
and there would be no lack of claims on the public
if they could be supported by alleged impressions derived from
conversations 9 years old.
that he has any
special claim to promotion on account of services rendered by
him, for he happens to have had very little to do. As to his
claim founded on an alleged promise to him that his present
Office should be equal in value to another one which he had
lost, not a trace appears of any promise to that effect (of
which the improbability need hardly be mentioned) in writing,
and there would be no lack of claims on the public
if they could be supported by alleged impressions derived from
conversations 9 years old.
Governor Seymour rids himself of troublesome applicants,
but is ready enough to endorse their claims on this Office.
In the present instance he
2
says that he believes Mr Cooper's statement to be correct.
What possible means can Mr Seymour have
of knowledge about expectations supposed to have been
held out by Lord Lytton to Mr Cooper 9 years ago at a time
when Mr Seymour was in the Colony of Honduras?
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
James Cooper, Harbour Master, to Buckingham, 1 July 1867,
requesting transfer to another colony, with explanation of his
situation and claims upon the colonial office.
Minutes by CO staff
This is a convenient, but a vague phrase. If given to
understand in a letter, why does he not specify it? If he
means given to understand in conversation, what is a
statement of that kind worth from the interested party 9 years
after after the date?
TFE
6/9
Other documents included in the file
Draft reply, Buckingham to Seymour, No. 63, 17 September 1867 notifying Seymour that the Colonial Office cannot offer Cooper another position and advising Seymour to provide evidence when supporting claims.