Sargeaunt to Elliot (Assistant Under-Secretary)
Office of the Agents-General for Crown Colonies
6, Adelphi Terrace, London, W.C.
23 May 1863
Sir,
In compliance with the request contained in your letter of the 20th Instant, I transmit to you for the information of the Duke of Newcastle an abstract shewing the state of the Vancouver Island Government Account with the Agents General to this date.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient
Humble Servant
W.C. Sargeaunt
Minutes by CO staff
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Mr Elliot
I understand that this letter was received after you had left the Office on Saturday.
VJ 25 May
The abstract furnished with this letter shows the present state of the account between the Agents General and the GovernorofManuscript image of Vancouver Island. A sum of £667 is due to the Agents General and a sum of £231.19s/- to the Board of Trade. Mr Douglas is so careless (on the best construction) and so unreliable about his pecuniary arrangements, that I believe that it is not only just in itself, but desirable as a lesson, to repay out of the Vancouver money now in our hands the money which has been disbursed for that Colony. I would recommend that the Agents be instructed to repay to themselves the sum which is due to them of £667, and to pay to the Board of Trade the sum which is due to that Department. I should transmit to the Governor a copy of the present account, I should inform him that the above course has been taken, and I should point out that after providing for the Bills from him now under acceptance, and for the liability of £6,000 for the Steam Tug which the Colonial Govt is about to purchase, as well as about £74 for incidental expenses, the balance that remains available is reduced to £14,975. I should tell him that up to that limit such Bills as may arrive from him will be accepted and paid, but that he is to understand that he is strictly prohibited from drawing for any more, and that if Bills arrive from him beyond the above mentioned amount, so that there will be no disposable funds in this Country to meet them,thoseManuscript image those Bills will be refused and the Colonial Govt will have to bear all the consequences.
TFE 5 June
I agree.
CF 6
N 8
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Mr Elliot
I think if you refer again to the minutes on Agents/5070 and the statement enclosed in the Same letter that you will find that there is no sum of £667.1.4 due to the Agents from Vancouver I. but that they have paid this sum out of their receipts and that it has been covered as far as £600 by sums remitted from the Colony. If this is so, in drafting your minute on 5070 would not a slight deviation from it be necessary. I have written two drafts with the deviation in question and send them direct to you before sending them on in the usual way.
RE 11 June
Mr Ebden
Much obliged. Your way of putting it is the correct one.
TFE 11 June
Other documents included in the file
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Draft reply, Newcastle to Douglas, No. 24, 11 June 1863.
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Elliot to Agents General, 13 June 1863, discussing the financial arrangements of the colony and providing instructions regarding future disbursements.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
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Abstract showing the status of "The Government of Vancouver Island in Account with The Agents General for Crown Colonies, for the period from the 1st Janry to the 22nd May 1863 inclusive.