No. 12

I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Despatch of the 16th
December last, No. 162 with reference to the issue of grants to certain
persons who purchased land in V.I. prior to the transfer of the Island
to the Crown.

I transmit to you, for your information a copy of a Report from the
Migration Commissioners whom I caused a copy of your Despatch to be
referred.

I concur in opinion with Sir Clinton Murdock that the titles to
the lands should be issued direct from the H.B.Co. and that if any
difficulties should be experienced by the Co. in completing the
contracts a short special Ordinance should be passed to remove them and
to bring the transactions within the scope of Ordinance No. 4 of 1870.