Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 35 of 7th September, transmitting Statement from the War Department relative to the advances made from the Colonial Treasury to Colonel Moody on account of the Pay and Subsistence of the Detachment of the Royal Engineers recently employed in this Colony.

2. I regret much that Earl de Grey'sletter letter of the 29th January last, addressed to the Governor of British Columbia, should have remained unanswered. It must have been received by my Predecessor previous to my arrival, and has never been brought under my notice.

3. As regards the differences between the claims and credits as shown in the account enclosed in Your despatch, I would observe, that the statement in question does not include the disbursements of Colonel Moody subsequent to March 1863, nor are the entire charges made to that Officer charged against him on the other side of the Account.

4. The enclosed statement prepared in the Audit Office of this Colony exhibits, I believe, the true position of the Regimental Pay Account, down to the time when the Detachment departed for England. A balance of two thousand nine hundred and sixty seven pounds 10s/6d (£2,967.10.6) is there shown to be due to the Colony. Perhaps you would be good enough to direct that amount to be paid to the Agents General of Crown Colonies to the Credit of British Columbia.