King to Under-Secretary of State
Carmarthen
16th August 1858
Sir—
In doing myself the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 14th inst. and with reference to it, and former communications upon the same subject, I beg most respectfully to state, that I am by no means particular as to whether any appointment which the Right Honble Sir E. Lytton may feel disposed to confer upon me, is at "Vancouvers Island", or the newly created colony of British Columbia. Being anxious for employment abroad, and feeling confident that I should (from my experience as an Army & Police officer, as certified in the Testimonials originally forwarded, and copies of which are still at the Colonial office, as well as my acquaintance with several foreign Languages)—be able to render some assistance in a new Colony situated as the above mentioned ones are, I should be grateful for his patronage. And altho' I have lost a responsible situation in this Country through an unfortunate misconstruction of the purport of his Letter of 14th Ultimo, still, my letter of 30th Ultimo was not written with a view to intrude my qualifications upon his notice to the detriment of other and perhaps better qualified candidates, but merely that I might, if possible, ascertain what prospect of my employment existed, in order that I might know how to actManuscript image under my present Circumstances and that I might intimate to a large body of qualified Police constables recently under my command and in adjoining counties, whether there was any prospect of their wishes to accompany me being realized.
In conclusion I beg again most respectfully to solicit employment, if my services are likely to be useful or needed, and at the same time to intimate that it is my intention (unless I should receive an appointment in the mean time) to proceed to "Vancouvers Island" in about six weeks from the present time in hopes that I may find employment there or in "British Columbia."
Apologizing for again troubling the Right Honble the Secretary of State upon the subject.
I have the honor to be Sir,
Your Obedient Servant
E. Hammond King
late Superintendent of the Carmarthenshire Constabulary
P.S. May I request that should I be honord with any future communication it may be addressed to No 5 Norfolk Street, Park Lane, London.

The Under Secretary of State For the Colonies Colonial Office Downing Street
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
Close this correspondence by putting this Letter by.
ABd 16 Augt
HM Augt 17
EBL Aug 18