With reference to your letter of the 
11 inst. forwarding a
               Copy of a despatch from the Governor of 
British Columbia
               relative to 
Captain W.A. Delacombe commanding the Royal Marines
               at 
San Juan, being granted the local rank of Lieutenant Colonel
               while so employed, I am commanded by My Lords Commissioners of
               the 
Admiralty to acquaint you for the information
of
 of the
               Secretary of State for the Colonies that My Lords cannot
               recommend such a step.
               
               3. My Lords further consider that it would form an undesirable
               precedent to Give
the
 the local rank to successive Captains of
               Marines of six or seven years
               seniority who should chance to be in Command of the detachment
               numbering between eighty or a hundred men. Under these
               Circumstances, unless the 
Earl of Kimberley should see any
               urgent reason for compliance My Lords are prepared to decline
               acceding to this proposition.