Colonial Despatches

When Mr. Arthur N. Birch was appointed by the Duke of Newcastle to the Colonial Secretaryship of British Columbia it was stipulated that he was to retain his position in this Office unaffected in any respect by this appointment, except that he was not to draw any Salary from theColonial Colonial Office and that he was liable to be recalled at the expiration of two years from the date of taking up the appointment unless he then should elect (which I understand will not be the case) to give up his Clerkship here and to retain his Office in the Colony. It was at the same time understood that it would be open to him to apply for an extension of this period to three years if it could be granted without inconvenience to the Office.

Mr. Birch has already been informed privately that he will be called upon to return to thisOffice Office on your arrival in British Columbia. But I think it requisite to repeat this announcement and to request that Mr. Birch will lose no time in returning to this Country to resume his duties.