No. 53

I have received the directions of the Secretary of State to
acknowledge the receipt of your despatches noted in the margin

*

forwarding copy of correspondence with
Captain Gosset R.E. with reference to his application for the
appointment of Colonial Secretary of British Columbia.

Mr Young's acceptance for the present of the office of Colonial
Secretary renders it unnecessary to advert to Captain Gosset's
application for that situation. But with reference to the
correspondence which has passed and particularly to the concluding
sentence of Captain Gosset's letter of the 23rd of August the
Secretary
of State cannot

refrain from observing that the Civil Service would be
overwhelmed by personal controversies if every public Servant was
entitled to demand a public examination into his general conduct in case
the Governor of the Colony in which he served should consider him, and
therefore represent him to the Secretary of State, as unfitted for any
particular office. Such a refusal is quite consistent with a high
respect for Captain Gosset's integrity and ability and a full
appreciation of the manner in which he may have filled offices of a
different character in other Colonies.

You will have the goodness to communicate the substance of this
despatch to Captain Gosset.