No. 2, Military

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Grace's Despatch
No 62 of the 25th of June last, enclosing Copy of a Correspondence
with the War office relative to the Erection of Barracks in Vancouver
Island, and directing me to report upon the question of a site for
those Buildings.

2. As the object of Your Grace's enquiries has more especially
reference to the question whether the land for the site of the
Barracks will have to be purchased, or if unsold land be available
for the purpose, I beg to offer the following remarks.

3. It will no doubt seem to Your Grace a very extraordinary
circumstance that at this early stage of the Colony's Existence, when
so much of the public land remains at the disposal of the Crown, and
so small a proportion of the actual area of the Colony is occupied by
settlers, Her Majesty's Government should be put to the Expense of
purchasing a site for Barracks; such is nevertheless the case; no
precautions having been taken in the early days of the Colony to
reserve land in the District of Victoria for that purpose: a remark
which I would observe applies only to Victoria, and not to the other
Districts, in all of which large reserves of land have been made for
public use. The latter being sparsely settled are hardly yet of
sufficient importance to attract an Enemy's attention, it being more
probable that his efforts would be directed to the capture of the
Town and District of Victoria, the present centre of wealth and
population; and it should be mainly our object to protect that part
of the Colony from attack.

4. For these reasons Colonel Moody proposes to quarter the Troops in
the neighbourhood of Victoria, and mentions two eligible sites near
the public Park, on one of which he recommends the Barracks should be
placed, having it in view to use the Park as a Drill and Parade
Ground; the space requisite for the Buildings would therefore not
exceed 10 Acres.

5. To that extent it will be necessary to purchase land, as all the
property in that neighbourhood belongs to the Hudson's Bay Company
and to private individuals; unless Her Majesty's Government should
approve of holding the site under a lease for a period of not less
than 21 years with the option of purchase at a fixed price.

6. An arrangement on that basis could be effected which would not
involve an annual charge of more than Sixty Pounds (£60) and would
not press heavily upon our resources, even should the Colony be
called upon to provide the sum.

7. As it may be assumed that Troops will ere long be stationed here,
I am of opinion that it would be a wise and proper step to secure a
suitable site for Barracks at once, before the land rises in price.
It would not, I think, be advisable to delay the acquisition until
the decision of the question pending with the Hudsons Bay Company;
for in the case of their claim not being confirmed by the Privy
Council, the outlay on the site may be re-imbursed by the sale of
part of the land which will thereby fall to the Crown.

8. I have further the honour of transmitting herewith for Your
Grace's information, a Communication from Colonel Moody on the
subject of this Despatch.