Colonial Despatches

I am directed by the Secretary of State to request that you will inform Colonel Moody that he has received the Duplicate copies of two letters which he had addressed to you, the first of the 20th of August relating to your having instructed the Magistrate of the Hope District to select the site, and lay out a Town on the Similkameen River, the second of the 22nd of August respecting the provision made in the Estimates ofof 1860-61 to meet the expenses of the Royal Engineers in British Columbia.

As Colonel Moody requested you to forward these letters to this Department, the Secretary of State takes it for granted that he will shortly receive copies of them through you with any observations which you may think necessary in explanation of them.

I am however to point out that Colonel Moody having been sent out from England as Commissioner of Lands and Works, any steps which would withdraw thesethese subjects from his effectual superintendence would defeat the whole object of his appointment. You must distinctly understand that while on the one hand Her Majesty's Government will always be ready to maintain the just authority of the Governor in relation to subordinate officers, they are distinctly of opinion that the business of every Department (except on grounds almost amounting to a case of necessity) should be transacted by the head of that Department; who cannot be held responsible for the proper discharge of the duties committed to him if material parts of these duties are taken out of his hands.

You will understand however that in expressing this opinion the Secretary of State does not in any degree prejudge any questions at issue between yourself and Colonel Moody if such there are. But he is desirous that you should be fully aware of the principles on which Her Majesty's Government consider that the Government of a Colony should in these respects be carried on.