Hamilton to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)

I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's
Treasury to acquaint you for the information of the Duke of
Newcastle that under the circumstances represented in the
correspondence enclosed in your letter of the 5 Inst, My Lords
will not withhold their assent to the charge upon the Revenues
of British Columbia of the sum of £2,500 being one half of the sum required to fulfil the engagements made by the Attorney
General of Vancouvers Island for a fortnightly Steam Communication for the conveyance of the Mails between San Francisco and Victoria or Esquimalt for 6 Months from February to July, the
other half having been voted by the Legislature of Vancouver Island.

This charge will be an addition to the charge already
sanctioned upon the Revenue for 1862 according to the Estimate
submitted in your letter of 21 February last, and Their Lordships consider that the Governor should be instructed to limit the
amount of the expenditure provided therein for Public Works so
that the Revenue may be able to meet the additional charge.