Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer to
Douglas, Sir James 10 November 1858, LAC :, 367.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
Lytton forwards to Douglas a letter of requests from Gosset. He instructs Douglas to appoint Gosset to his council, to provide “all reasonable opportunities” for the purchase of land,
and to provide him with finances and “rations” appropriate to his rank that are “compatible
with the Financial state of the Colonial Revenues.”
No. 37
Downing Street,
10 November 1858
Sir,
I transmit to you herewith, the Copy of a Letter which I have
received from Captain Gosset on the eve of his departure from this
Country, and I request you will communicate to him a Copy of this
Despatch in
answer.
1
I have no hesitation in mentioning to you that CaptainGosset
Gosset has
performed the duties of the Office of Surveyor General of Ceylon with
credit to himself and to the great advantage of the Colony, and
considering the Colonial experience which he has acquired I am of
opinion that, subject always to your discretion, he would appear a very
proper and useful person to introduce into the Council whenever the
proper time for forming such a body arrives.
Gosset has
performed the duties of the Office of Surveyor General of Ceylon with
credit to himself and to the great advantage of the Colony, and
considering the Colonial experience which he has acquired I am of
opinion that, subject always to your discretion, he would appear a very
proper and useful person to introduce into the Council whenever the
proper time for forming such a body arrives.
2. At his request, as you will observe, I have to state that
Captain Gosset entered the Civil Service of Ceylon on the 14th September 1855.
3.
3. With respect to his third request, though all public Officers
in British Columbia must in the acquisition of land stand on the same
footing as the mass of the community I feel assured that Captain Gosset
will obtain from you all reasonable opportunities for the purchase of
the land which is necessary to his personal comfort or to the efficient
discharge of his Official duties.
4. With respect to Captain Gosset's claim to rations &c on
account
of his performance of the duties of the Commissariat Officer, I have to
state that subjectto
to yours and Colonel Moody's concurrence I shall have
no objection to facilities being accorded to him in that respect provided
they are of a reasonable and moderate nature. It is manifest that on
the small scale on which this Military Force has been sent to British
Columbia it would be out of the question to grant Captain Gosset
indulgences which his rank in the Army, if he were in the Field and
performing Commissariat duties might otherwise have strictly entitled
him to; and I hope he will only prefer a claimon
on this account which you
and Colonel Moody may feel it right and compatible with the Financial state of the Colonial Revenues
to comply with.
to yours and Colonel Moody's concurrence I shall have
no objection to facilities being accorded to him in that respect provided
they are of a reasonable and moderate nature. It is manifest that on
the small scale on which this Military Force has been sent to British
Columbia it would be out of the question to grant Captain Gosset
indulgences which his rank in the Army, if he were in the Field and
performing Commissariat duties might otherwise have strictly entitled
him to; and I hope he will only prefer a claimon
on this account which you
and Colonel Moody may feel it right and compatible with the Financial state of the Colonial Revenues
to comply with.