Colonial Despatches

I transmit to you, herewith, for your information the Copy of a letter which I have addressed to Colonel Moody on the subject of granting land on certain conditions to the Non Commissioned Officers and Men of the Royal Engineers, who are now going to British Columbia. 1

2. I take this opportunity of instructing you to report to me your opinion whether it wouldbe be desirable for the interests of the Colony to grant remissions on the purchase of land to retired Officers of the Army and Navy, as was formerly the custom in many of the British Colonies. Care might be taken if ever Representative Institutions are established in the Colony, and arrangements are made for securing a Civil List in return for the Lands of the Crown, that the privileges I suggest should, for a certain length of time at least, be secured to Military Settlers. You will report to me your careful and deliberate views uponthis this subject.

3. You will furnish me, at your early convenience, with a list of such Officers for Civil situations together with the rates of pay which you think they should receive, as the circumstances of the Colony shall, in your opinion render it desirable for me to send from England. I shall be happy to assist you to the best of my ability in making proper selections; for I think that considering the great number of Foreigners who are resorting to British Columbia it is on every account proper to give encouragementto to Englishmen of character and respectability to go out to the Colony.

4. You will report to me officially by each successive Mail, and by every safe opportunity that presents itself, on all matters of interest, and importance to the Colony. At present Her Majesty's Government only receive such accounts through the Newspapers or through the courtesy of the Hudson's Bay Company and private individuals.