Franks to Buckingham
Langham Hotel
April 4th 1867
My Lord Duke,
I have the honour to report my arrival from British Columbia.
The copy letter herewith will make known to Your Grace the reason of my departure from that Colony.
In reply to that letter I addressed a respectful protest to the Governor against the abolition—so far as it concerned myself individually—of an Office to which I was appointed by Her Majesty, and which, when I accepted it, I had every reason to believe conferred upon me for life.
In a private note, dated 23d December, Mr Seymour says "Your protest I think very good, and I am forwarding a copy to Lord Carnarvon."
It appears however that, although Despatches have been received upto theManuscript image to the 31st Jany last, no correspondence on this, or any other point connected with the abolition of My office has been received at the Colonial Office.
I was appointed to the Treasurership in April 1864, and I assumed the duties of that Office on my arrival in the Colony on the 26th of August in that year.
I have drawn my Salary up to the 31st of December 1866.
According to the rule of the Colonial Office, officers whose Salaries are above £500 per annum are not entitled to an allowance for passage money, and I defrayed my expenses to the most distant of Her Majesty's Colonies out of my own pocket.
I haveManuscript image
I have further defrayed out of my own pocket the expenses of my passage to England.
I have not received, in any form whatever, gratuity or compensation for the very heavy outlay I incurred on accepting and relinquishing my appointment. A gratuity of two month's Salary was offered to me—but I declined it on the ground that it was wholly inadequate. An offer of one hundred pounds was made to me for the expenses of my passage home: but I declined this also, on the ground that the passage money fixed by the Crown Agents was one hundred and fifty pounds, and that one hundred pounds was insufficient to cover the cost. I have kept an account of my expensesand theyManuscript image and they show a total of £122.
I would therefore beg leave respectfully to submit to Your Grace that, in view of the short period during while I have received the Emoluments of my Office, the rule of the Colonial Office which disentitles Officers in my position to passage money cannot reasonably be held to apply—and to request that Your Grace will be pleased to direct that the usual amount be paid to me by the Crown Agents for my passage out to the Colony, as well as for my passage home.
With regard to any gratuity or compensation to which I may be deemed entitledonManuscript image on account of other expenses out of pocket, or the hardship inflicted upon me by the abolition of my life appointment, I am led to believe that it is considered impossible to deal with the matter prior to the receipt of Despatches from British Columbia.
But I would, in the meantime, take this occasion of expressing to Your Grace my hope that the abolition—for no other than reasons of State—of the office I have lately held, may be considered in a light favourable to the further employment which I have now the honour to solicit at Your Grace's hands.
I have the honour to be
My Lord Duke,
Your Grace's most obedient Servant
Charles W. Franks

His Grace
The Duke of Buckingham & Chandos
&c &c &c
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
I pass this Letter on at once; but I abstain from Minuting it on this occasion as some papers to which it is necessary to refer, are in the hands of the printer, & will not, I understand, be at liberty for a few days.
ABd 6 Apl
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In consequence not merely of the Union of the two Colonies but of financial difficulties which would at all events have made large reductions indispensable, Mr Franks's Office has been abolished.
HeManuscript image
He refused the usual gratuity which was offered him in the Colony of one month's salary for each year's service. He refused the sum of £100 which was offered him for his passage. And whatever decision may be taken on those points in England, he hopes that his loss of his Office by no fault will be considered a claim to reemployment.
Before giving him fresh employment, it would perhaps be deemed advisable to ascertain what information there may be as to his conduct and reputation in his late post.
For the present I suppose that his letter can only receive a very general acknowledgement.
TFE 8 April
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Need not be ackd till the Govrs Despes arrive?
CBA 9/4
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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A.N. Birch to Franks, 22 November 1866, advising that his office would be abolished in consequence of the union of the colonies and the present state of the finances.