Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Public Offices document
Romaine, William Govett to
Carnarvon, Earl 27 September 1858, CO 60:2, no. 9879, 11.
Abstract
Public Offices document.
Minutes (2), Other documents (1).
Romaine delivers the Admiralty’s approval of Douglas’s action to increase the pay to the crewmen of the “Plumper” and the “Satellite.”
The minutes noted that they must be “just” before they are “generous.” The CO wants
the Admiralty to know that this arrangement cannot become a regular occurrence.
Enclosed is a draft from the CO to the Admiralty explaining their position.
Romaine to Under-Secretary of State
Admiralty
27 September 1858
Sir
With reference to your Letter of the 23rd
Instant,
1
with its Enclosures from the Governor of Vancouvers Island, I am
commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint you that
they quite approve of the Increase of Pay granted to the Crews of Her
Majestys Ships Satellite, & Plumper, and my Lords trust a similar grant
will be made for the Crews of any of HM Ships, which may arrive at
Vancouvers Island, during the period of their detention there.
My Lords request that you willmove
move Secretary Sir E.B. Lytton to
favor them with his opinion as to this request in sufficient time to
enable them to write to the Commander in Chief on the Pacific Station by
the next Mail.
move Secretary Sir E.B. Lytton to
favor them with his opinion as to this request in sufficient time to
enable them to write to the Commander in Chief on the Pacific Station by
the next Mail.
Minutes by CO staff
Lord Carnarvon
I think we must be just before we are generous. It may have been very proper on the part of the Governor to grant extra-pay to the Ships companies of the Satellite & Plumper, who being sent to the Gulf of Georgia for a special surveying service have been employed on a Colonial service, which afforded them abundant opportunities for desertion; but to extend the same bounty "to the Crews of any of HM ships visiting VanCouver's Island," proper also as that step might be, would be adding greatly to our
already heavy bill for B. Columbia.
All the expenses we have been receiving here for the R. Engineers—all
the salaries of the Estt we have unavoidably created—must,
as we believe, & hope be repaid to us. To secure that important
object is our first consn: & I wd dissuade encouraging the Admy
to expect that anything more can be done for the Navy than has been done.
In my opinion the ansr to this Letter should be to the effect that
[the extra pay to wh allusion is made was granted under peculiar
circumstances of difficulty & to guard against the risk of desertion
wh was then imminent. That as such it had Sir E's approval as a
wise precaution.
Further]
2
if the Colonial Authorities have the means of increasing the pay of the
Sailors in HMS visiting B. Columbia, and if the circes of the case should
in the opinion of the Authorities justify such a step Sir E. Lytton
would not object to sanctioning it. But that the Admiralty must
distinctly understand that exceedingly heavy charges will devolve at once
upon the Colonial resources on account of the establishment of the
Colony—that these charges must be first defrayed, and that extra
pay to the Crews cannot, under any circes, be given, if by
so doing the ways & means of the new settlement are crippled.
I think we must be just before we are generous. It may have been very proper on the part of the Governor to grant extra-pay to the Ships companies of the Satellite & Plumper, who being sent to the Gulf of Georgia for a special surveying service have been employed on a Colonial service, which afforded them abundant opportunities for desertion; but to extend the same bounty "to the Crews of any of HM ships visiting VanCouver's Island," proper also as that step might be, would be adding greatly to our
already heavy bill for B. Columbia.
All the expenses we have been receiving here for the R. Engineers—all
the salaries of the Estt we have unavoidably created—must,
as we believe, & hope be repaid to us. To secure that important
object is our first consn: & I wd dissuade encouraging the Admy
to expect that anything more can be done for the Navy than has been done.
In my opinion the ansr to this Letter should be to the effect that
[the extra pay to wh allusion is made was granted under peculiar
circumstances of difficulty & to guard against the risk of desertion
wh was then imminent. That as such it had Sir E's approval as a
wise precaution.
Further]
2
if the Colonial Authorities have the means of increasing the pay of the
Sailors in HMS visiting B. Columbia, and if the circes of the case should
in the opinion of the Authorities justify such a step Sir E. Lytton
would not object to sanctioning it. But that the Admiralty must
distinctly understand that exceedingly heavy charges will devolve at once
upon the Colonial resources on account of the establishment of the
Colony—that these charges must be first defrayed, and that extra
pay to the Crews cannot, under any circes, be given, if by
so doing the ways & means of the new settlement are crippled.
ABd
28 Sepr
I quite agree. I suggest a few words in addition. Annex draft.
C
S. 28
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Colonial Office to Secretary to the Admiralty, 30 September
1858, as per minute above.