Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, and thank you for giving instructions to the Crown Agents for the Colonies as to my half salary.

Referring to Mr Cardwell's letter of the 12th October last, I beg to state that regarding the letter as a whole, I considered that though the extended leave of absence from my duties, asked for by me, was not granted, owing to the expectation expressed by my Solicitor, that the legal proceedings in which I was engaged, would be previously completed; still, that should my Solicitor be wrong in this supposition (as events have proved he was, and mentioned in my letter of the 26th ult) additional leave would be granted. But as mentioned in the concluding paragraph of Mr Cardwell's communication, half salary could only be granted to me until the end of May—from which I inferred, that should I require further leave from my duties, it would be subject to the condition of remaining, without any emoluments.

I trust that this explanation may be deemed satisfactory, and that instructions may be given to the Crown Agents for the Colonies, to issue to me half salary for the five months ending 31st May.

I have the honor with the concurrence of Governor Seymour to request that my leave of absence may be extended until such time as the action of the Legislative Council of British Columbia, upon the subject of Immigration, may be known in England. Governor Seymour was pleased shortly before leaving London, to state that he considered I was well fitted to act as Agent General for Emigration for British Columbia in England, and that if the Council passed at their next sittings an Immigration Act, I should receive the appointment; he was further kind enough to state that if I would prolong my stay in this Country, my application for an extension of leave should have his cordial recommendation, upon condition that with the prospect of this promotion, I should remain, as I informed him I had been doing since May last, without half salary.

An old Colonist from Victoria who had called upon the Governor stated to me that his departure was postponed, and it was not until the afternoon of Saturday, the 15th ult, when I received a note from Governor Seymour, that I found he adhered to his original intention of leaving on the 17th. I immediately wrote an application for extended leave upon the grounds previously stated, and took it to the Governor's Palace in the evening. I found Governor Seymour very much occupied, but he kindly promised if possible to forward my application from Southampton. I requested him should he be prevented from doing this at that port, to kindly do so from Panama.

It was my intention to have waited until sufficient time had elapsed for me to receive a communication from Governor Seymour from Panama, and should I not hear, to forward this application, which I beg Your Lordship will take into your favorable consideration.

In corroboration of what I have thus ventured to lay before Your Lordship, perhaps I might be permitted to add—I am so fully under the impression Major General Moody may be aware of Governor Seymour's intentions on the above subject—that, if Your Lordship should think proper to cause a reference to General Moody, I am sure my statements would be substantiated.

I am assuming that on this particular subject Governor Seymour's views, may not as yet, have been at all submitted to Your Lordship.