Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Correspondence (private letter)
Gosset, Captain William Driscoll to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 12 October 1858, CO 60:3, no. 10459, 99.
Abstract
Correspondence (private letter).
Minutes (4), Other documents (3).
Gosset observes that his proposed salary of £500 is insufficient but because he has “means
from other sources” he is still willing to “unreservedly” give Her Majesty’s Government
his services.
The minutes recognize that salaries for public officers have been fixed very low.
The CO notes that Gosset is merely reminding them of this circumstance in anticipation of a prosperous colony
and when the CO can “revise and improve the emoluments” he hopes his position will
not be overlooked.
Enclosed is a draft from Elliot to Gosset asking that he communicate with the Treasury and enter the necessary bonds for the
office of treasurer; Elliot to the Treasury requesting bonds be prepared for Gosset’s use; and Elliot to Gosset stating that salaries may be reconsidered when circumstances warrant but offering
no promise on the subject.
Gosset to Lytton
The Cloisters
Windsor
Octr 12, 1858
Windsor
Sir,
1. Obliged, as I beg you to believe me, for your
communication of yesterday's
date,
1
I must trespass further on your courtesy, by requesting that the
following remarks may be filed with the previous correspondencefor the
for the
purpose, (reasonable I trust to demonstrate) of possible reference a
future day. Were my income derivable from Official salary alone it would
be out of my power to accept the offer you have been kind enough to make
me, of transfer to an appointment in British Columbia on a salary of 500£
a year. Such a salary, in a country where by last accounts the wages of
a couple of servants would absorb 300£ of it, being apparently
insufficient to procurean officer
an officer more than the necessities of life,
certainly too limited to afford him the power of keeping up that ordinary
appearance of respectability, the exactions of society almost
render it one duty of an officer to maintain.
for the
purpose, (reasonable I trust to demonstrate) of possible reference a
future day. Were my income derivable from Official salary alone it would
be out of my power to accept the offer you have been kind enough to make
me, of transfer to an appointment in British Columbia on a salary of 500£
a year. Such a salary, in a country where by last accounts the wages of
a couple of servants would absorb 300£ of it, being apparently
insufficient to procurean officer
an officer more than the necessities of life,
certainly too limited to afford him the power of keeping up that ordinary
appearance of respectability, the exactions of society almost
render it one duty of an officer to maintain.
Means from other sources however, enable me to adhere to the
resolution, (formed when I was first consulted by Colonel Dawson on the
question of a Government for British Columbia) of placing my services
"unreservedly" at the disposal of Her Majesty's Government,with
with a firm
trust, that the matter of salary may be reconsidered so soon as the
condition of the New Colony may warrant attention to such subjects.
Admitting the necessity for extreme caution in all financial arrangements
for a Colony about to commence existence with a debt to the Imperial
Government, the Colonial Legislature would doubtless desire to liquidate
without delay; yet, as the prime ratio established between salaries, may,
on any general revision, influencefuture
future propositions, I deem it justice
to myself to express, (in no captious spirit, nor as scrutinizing your
award, but to place it on record now, lest present silence should be
misinterpreted a future day) my inability to recognize in 500£ a year,
that that remuneration, which a comparison of the duties and pecuniary
responsibilities attaching to each of the various offices in
the New Settlement, would have led me suppose, might have been
relatively awarded to the Chief Officer of Finance.
3. Adverting
with a firm
trust, that the matter of salary may be reconsidered so soon as the
condition of the New Colony may warrant attention to such subjects.
Admitting the necessity for extreme caution in all financial arrangements
for a Colony about to commence existence with a debt to the Imperial
Government, the Colonial Legislature would doubtless desire to liquidate
without delay; yet, as the prime ratio established between salaries, may,
on any general revision, influencefuture
future propositions, I deem it justice
to myself to express, (in no captious spirit, nor as scrutinizing your
award, but to place it on record now, lest present silence should be
misinterpreted a future day) my inability to recognize in 500£ a year,
that that remuneration, which a comparison of the duties and pecuniary
responsibilities attaching to each of the various offices in
the New Settlement, would have led me suppose, might have been
relatively awarded to the Chief Officer of Finance.
2. Adverting to the allocation of those other duties, named in your
letter under acknowledgement, I beg to repeat my readiness to give them
my best attention, and to add, that should economical considerations
suggest the idea of placing the inter-colonial audit, in the first
instance, under the same direction as the Treasury, I will be happy to
take the charge and responsibility of arranging the combination so that
it shall work satisfactorily.
3. To your expectations as regards my departure by Novr
11th, I have I hope responded as you will approve, by this day
securing accommodation in a vessel advertized to sail on the 30th
of this month.
The Rt Honble
The Secy of State
for H.M. Colonies &c
The Secy of State
for H.M. Colonies &c
Minutes by CO staff
Mr Elliot
In the necessary desire to observe the utmost possible economy in all the arrangements which have been made for the formation of a Civil Establishment in B. Columbia the salaries to public Officers (excepting always Colonel Moody's) have been fixed very low—which after they have secured their Appointments the Officers take care to represent to us. Like the rest Captain Gossett now acts but he does not complain. He only wishes that in the event of the Colony becoming prosperous & able to revise and improve the emoluments of the public Officers his position may not be overlooked. Looking upon Capn Gossett as the best selection that has been yet made for this new settlement I think we should by no means neglect his just interests; & I would recommend that a copy of this representation be sent to Govr Douglas with instructions to take his case into consideration should there ever be an oppy of improving his position.
In the necessary desire to observe the utmost possible economy in all the arrangements which have been made for the formation of a Civil Establishment in B. Columbia the salaries to public Officers (excepting always Colonel Moody's) have been fixed very low—which after they have secured their Appointments the Officers take care to represent to us. Like the rest Captain Gossett now acts but he does not complain. He only wishes that in the event of the Colony becoming prosperous & able to revise and improve the emoluments of the public Officers his position may not be overlooked. Looking upon Capn Gossett as the best selection that has been yet made for this new settlement I think we should by no means neglect his just interests; & I would recommend that a copy of this representation be sent to Govr Douglas with instructions to take his case into consideration should there ever be an oppy of improving his position.
If Sir Edd Lytton approves this view, write accy & to Capn Gossett acquainting him with the course taken.
ABd
14 Oct
I see no objection to so forwarding to the Govr
but the letter to Capn Gossett shd be most guarded & say only, I think, that no promise whatever can be held out, but that his application will be borne in mind if the future circumstances of the
Settlement
should justify entertaining questions of an increase of Salary?
but the letter to Capn Gossett shd be most guarded & say only, I think, that no promise whatever can be held out, but that his application will be borne in mind if the future circumstances of the
Settlement
should justify entertaining questions of an increase of Salary?
TFE
14 Octr
I feel that where the salary in B. Columbia has been fixed
most low, both in proportion to the responsible duties to be
discharged and to the capacity of the individual is in the case of
the Govr; and I think that the first augmentation wh is
possible sd be to him.
Answer however as proposed?
C
Oct 14
Answer as proposed—& do not yet send copy to Govr. I am
informed today by a good authority that up to the 14th August only 2000£ worth of Gold had been actually discovered in B. Columbia all this year.
informed today by a good authority that up to the 14th August only 2000£ worth of Gold had been actually discovered in B. Columbia all this year.
EBL
Oct 14
Other documents included in the file
Draft, Elliot to C.E. Trevelyan, Treasury, 20 October 1858,
requesting bonds be prepared for Gosset's use.
Footnotes
- = L-Gosset, 11 Oct 58 [Find??] For a copy of Carnarvon to Gosset, 11 October 1858, see Great Britain, Colonial Office, Despatches to British Columbia, C AB 10.2 1, British Columbia Archives.
People in this document
Gosset, Captain William Driscoll
Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer