With reference to those portions of your Letter of the 
22
                  November, and its enclosure, from 
Lieutenant Colonel Foster,
               Commanding the 
Vancouver Island Volunteers, which relate to the mode
               of appointing officers of the Corps, I am directed by the Secretary
               of State for War to request that you will acquaint the 
Duke of
                  Newcastle that 
Sir George Lewis is of opinion that it would not be
               expedient to adopt the suggestion of inserting the names of
officers
 officers
               belonging to Colonial militia or Volunteer Corps, in the 
London
               Gazette. They are doubtless duly notified in the Local Gazette.
               
               With regard to 
Colonel Foster's further suggestion that the
               appointments should have permanent effect, and be subject to the
               rules and regulations promulgated for the guidance of the Volunteer
               Corps in this Country, I am to state that 
Sir George Lewis conceives
               that it must rest with the Local Authorities to decide how far those
               rules can properly be adopted in the several Colonies.