Gosset to Under-Secretary of State

Naturally apprehensive, without assurance to the contrary,
Gosset, Capt. William D.hopes for future preferment
lest the salary of my office should be regarded as an index to
my station, in British Columbia, or that His Excellency The
Governor, if vested with discretionary power, might exclude
me from his Council, from ignorance of my past experience in
Colonial legislation, I have the honour to express a hope, that
some definition may be given me of my future position in the
Government, or, if this should be productive of embarrassment in the
present stage of arrangements, that such intimation may be conveyed
to His Excellency as shall secure me that consideration, upon which,
(judging from the constitution of the Ceylon Government) I have
Gosset, Capt. William D.experience in Ceylon
relied, when accepting the post of Treasurer or Chief Officer of Finance.

2. And, valuing my services in Ceylon, (as not to do, would
be ungrateful on my part, towards His Excellency Sir Henry Ward
Ward, Sir Henry
& towards the people of Ceylon, European & Native, whose good
opinion both in my place in Council & as Surveyor General, it was
my great fortune to experience), I beg that the date of my entry
into Colonial Service may be quoted to the Governor of British 
Columbia, by which, the continuity of that service, may be
recorded, and preserved to me.

3. The peculiarities of a New Colony, requiring spécialtés
in the preparations, I have, at considerable expense, provided
myself with a house; unless however enabled to erect it, this
provision would be wasted; to secure therefore the reasonable
consideration of a roof over my head, I trust that it may seem
proper to you to direct, that thirty or 40 acres of land be granted
Gosset, Capt. William D.seeks consideration for land grant
me, should I be desirous of obtaining them, and on my paying for them
the upset price, whatever that price may be in the locality selected.

This I earnestly request, in order that I may be saved from
ruinous competition with speculative bidders, or spared the
discomfort and indignity which would accrue from being
compelled to retire from public Contests I might not be able to
maintain. The Commissioner of Lands and Works & his Military Officers
have been provided with houses at Government expense, which will
doubtless be erected on Government property: with me a Civil
officer the case is unfortunately different, yet in my humble opinion
private houses should stand in private grounds for the prevention
of doubts or disputes a future day.

4. By the custom of the Commissariat Department, the officers
acting as Commissaries are entitled to certain privileges in the
Gosset, Capt. William D.privileges as commisary
matter of rations for their families, horses &c &c; perhaps, as the
Governor of New Columbia may be unversed in such trifles, it may be
advisable that he should be apprised of my claims in this respect.