Colonial Despatches

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No. 2 of the 13th of January last on the subject of a site for Barracks in Vancouver Island.

The project of sending a Regiment to Vancouver Island, which led to my request for the Report with which you have now furnished me, has for thepresent present been dropped: but there can be no doubt that it is proper to reserve a fit site for the future erection of Barracks for any of H. M's Troops who may be stationed in the Colony. Adverting to the large extent of the Lands recovered to the Crown under the recent agreement with the Hudsons Bay Company (of which a copy was transmitted to you with my despatch No. 84 of the 24th of January last) I confidently expect that youwill will be able, with Colonel Moody's assistance, to select a fitting spot for the purpose on ground belonging to the government. It would be highly unbecoming if, in a Colony which has been so recently formed, there would be a question of the necessity of buying the Land required to provide accommodation for the Queen's Troops.