With reference to your Letter of the 
24 Ultimo,
               upon the subject of the inadequacy of the present salary of
               the Governor of 
British Columbia, and 
Vancouver's Island,
               and recommending that an allowance of £1200 should be made
               to him in reimbursement of the expense he has been compelled
               to incur during the last year, in maintaining his position
               as Governor of
               
those
               
               those Colonies; I am directed by the 
Lords
                  Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, to acquaint you,
               for the information of the 
Duke of Newcastle, that They are
               of opinion that, in the present uncertain state of the
               Finances of 
British Columbia, it would be unadvisable, and
               probably difficult, to fix a permanent amount for the
               Salary of the Governor of that Colony and 
Vancouver's Island.
               
               Under the circumstances stated in the correspondence
               enclosed in your Letter, Their Lordships will not object to
               
Governor Douglas being authorized to appropriate the sum of
               
£1200
               
               £1200 out of the Revenues of 
British Columbia, as an
               Allowance for the year ending the 
31 December, leaving
               the question of the amount of his salary, for the future,
               to be hereafter considered, with reference to the
               circumstances of the Colony and the cost of living.