Colonial Despatches

I have received the directions of the Secretary of State to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches noted in the margin forwarding copy of correspondence with Captain Gosset R.E. with reference to his application for the appointment of Colonial Secretary of British Columbia.

Mr Young's acceptance for the present of the office of Colonial Secretary renders it unnecessary to advert to CaptainCaptain Gosset's application for that situation. But with reference to the correspondence which has passed and particularly to the concluding sentence of Captain Gosset's letter of the 23rd of August the Secretary of State cannot refrain from observing that the Civil Service would be overwhelmed by personal controversies if every public Servant was entitled to demand a public examination into his general conduct in case the Governor of the Colony in which he served should consider him, and therefore represent him to the Secretary of State, as unfitted forfor any particular office. Such a refusal is quite consistent with a high respect for Captain Gosset's integrity and ability and a full appreciation of the manner in which he may have filled offices of a different character in other Colonies.

You will have the goodness to communicate the substance of this despatch to Captain Gosset.