No. 12

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch No. 71
of 25th November, enclosing a Report furnished by Mr. Arthur Birch, the
Colonial Secretary, of his visit to the Kootenay Gold Mines.

I have to request that you will inform Mr. Birch that I have had
much gratification in perusing his interesting and no doubt valuable
account of his expedition into the Kootenay Country.