Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 15h Instant, in reply to my application of the 4h Instant, for an extension of my leave of absence from the Colony of Vancouver's Island.

It is with extreme concern I learn that the Secretary of State does not deem it expedient to accede to my request, for I anticipated that after my long service in the Colony, I would be classed as entitled to the indulgences generally extended to Colonial Officers, as laid down in the Colonial Regulations with respect to leave of absence, and I had made my arrangements accordingly; themore more expecially as my advices from the Colony led me confidently to believe that my post during my absence was efficiently filled, and much to the satisfaction of the Governor. The decision of the Secretary of State causes me, I regret to say, serious embarrassment, and will entail pecuniary loss, but while bowing to it with all due submission, I would most earnestly but respectfully solicit an extension of leave for six or seven weeks even, to enable me now somewhat more satisfactorily to arrange my private affairs.

I can assure the Secretary of State that after his decision against an extension of leave for the period I first asked, I would not again venture to trespass upon his attention were I not compelled to do so by sheer necessity to avoid considerable personal sacrifice: nor would I do so were I alone concerned, but I have a large family, which renders so long a journey as we have to take a most serious matter, andwhich which, of course, considerably complicates all my personal affairs. I hope it may be remembered that I have been absent from England for a period of eight years, that in the great distance I have travelled and shall have to travel from and to my Colony—nearly Eighteen thousand miles—a large portion—quite, if not more than one third—of my leave is consumed; that the expense of travelling so far with a family is very heavy indeed, and will preclude my visiting England again for many years to come; and also that during the period I have hitherto served in the Colony I have not only never before had one single days leave of absence but that I, to the injury of my health, performed my arduous duties under circumstances of unusual pressure, continuously, and without scarcely ever seeking the least relaxation. The Colony too, through me, has greatly benefitted pecuniarily, by not only being relieved from the cost ofmy my passage out in the first instance, but by my only taking for five years half the amount of Salary allotted to my office.

I earnestly trust that what I have represented, and these facts, which are capable of easy proof, and which I only allude to, most reluctantly, for the reason that they may, perhaps, not be known to the Secretary of State, will cause him to view my request with favourable consideration, and that should he be not disposed to reconsider his decision upon my first application, he will so far assist me as to sanction my departure from this Country being deferred until the end of April or beginning of May next.