Confidential

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch No 23 of the
20th of July last, in answer to which I need only now observe that the
Public Seal appointed by the Queen for the Colony of Vancouver's Island
should be reserved for authenticating all Laws, Public Instruments and
other documents of Importance and should not be applied indiscriminately
to all documents of every description. Those which partake of the
character of Acts of Office, such as certificates of birth, life,
marriage or burial, minor appointments made by you in pursuance of
special authority vested in you and alterations in signatures and should
be authenticated under the Governor's Seal of Arms.