Watson to Adderley (Parliamentary Under-Secretary)
               
            
            
               
               
                     Edinburgh
                     
                  
               3rd August 1867
               
               Sir,
                
            
            
               I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch
               dated the First Instant acquainting me, in reply to my letter of the
               
16th of July last on the subject of my appointment as Colonial
               Treasurer of 
Vancouver Island, that His Grace The Secretary of State
               cannot hold out any prospect of re-employment.
               
               In reply, I have the honor to request that You will submit for
               the consideration
of
 of His Grace, my application for such Pension or
               other compensation as Her Majesty's Government may deem suitable in
               consideration of the loss of office which I at present hold under the
               Royal Commission dated the 
28th day of April 1862.
               
               You will observe by reference to the copy of a letter of
               guarantee which I received from the Colonial Secretary, previous to
               the resignation of my former employment, dated the 28th December
                  1861—Enclosure No 1 with my letter of the 16th of July—that the
               emoluments of office guaranteed to me at that time were as follows,
               namely,
               
               
            
            
               1.  Four hundred pounds per annum to be paid out of the General
               Revenue under
the
 the authority of the 
Vancouver Island Civil List Act of
               
28th August 1860 which has not yet been repealed.
               
               2.  One hundred pounds per annum to be provided out of the Sales
               of Public Land.
               
               
            
            
               I am fully aware that the control of the General Revenues of
               
Vancouver Island has passed, by the Act of Union, into the hands of
               the Legislature of 
British Columbia, without any provision having
               been made for the officers composing the Fixed Establishment of
               
Vancouver Island; but as the control of the Crown Revenues of the
               late Colony is still vested in the Crown I presume that, in any
               adjustment which may take place under the new administration, my
               claim of One Hundred Pounds
per
 per annum will be recognized.
               
               I have the honor to be,
               Sir,
               Your most obedient
               and humble Servant
               
Alexander Watson
               
               
               
               The Right Honourable
               
               C.B. Adderley
               
               Under Secretary of State
               
               for the Colonies
               
               Downing Street
               Minutes by CO staff
               
                
                  
                  
                     Mr Elliot
                     Mr Watson has no claim as he threw up an app
t given to him of
                     equal Salary when he lost his former one—& in addition he had 6
                     month's leave of absence to enable him to come home, on full Salary.
                     
 
                  
                  
                     See your Minute on 5080.
                     
                  
                  
                   
                  
                  
                     I should remind him that another appointment in the Colony, with
                     the same Emolument as he was previously receiving, was offered to
                     him, & that he declined.
                     
                  
                  
                     The vacancies which occur in the Colonies are rare, & the
                     claimants numerous, & the S. of State regrets that he has no prospect
                     of being able to offer 
Mr Watson other employment.
                     
 
            
            
               Other documents included in the file
               
                
                  
                  
                     Elliot to 
Watson, 
21 August 1867, reminding him that he had
                     given up an offer of employment with equal salary to his previous
                     office, and that the Secretary of State could offer no prospect
                     of being able to offer him other employment.