Romaine to Rogers (Permanent Under-Secretary)

I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you
herewith, for the information of Her Majesty's Secretary of State for
the Colonies, a Copy of a Letter from Rear Admiral Baynes, dated the
28th March, No 42, enclosing a Copy of his Correspondence with the
Governor of Vancouver Island relative to the withdrawal of the Royal
Marines employed as a Military Guard at Fort Victoria for service on the
Island of San Juan, and pointing out that whilst the Royal Engineers
serving in Vancouver Island and British Columbia are paid very
highly, the Officers and men of the Royal Marines have not received
any Colonial Pay since the Commencement of August 1859.

My Lords consider that the conduct of Admiral Baynes in this matter
should be approved; he has acted in strict accordance with the
general spirit of his Instructions, and with reference to the general
question as to the mode in which Military Protection is to be
afforded to Victoria and to other portions of the Territory of
British Columbia their Lordships can only advert to the observations
contained in their Letter of the 9th June 1859 to the Secretary of
State for War, a Copy of which Letter appears to have been sent on
the 16 June to the Colonial Office from the War Department.