No. 15

With reference to your despatch No. 53 of the 18th of November
last transmitting a list of articles required by the Assay Department I
have the honour to acquaint you that I have authorized the Agents
General for Crown Colonies to procure these articles and to forward them
to British Columbia by an early opportunity.

The prime cost of these articles will be £289.10.5 viz £222.16.0
for those obtained from Messrs Johnson, Matthey and Co and £66.14.5 for
those supplied by Mr. Claudet.

Although I have taken upon myself to sanction this course I must
take the opportunity of strongly calling your attention to the large
amount in which the Colony of British Columbia has become indebted to
the Colonial Agents General.

I enclose a statement which  I deemed it necessary to demand from
the Agents of their account with the Colony and I have to instruct
you forthwith to remit the sum of £776.5.5 in which the Colony is
already indebted to them with an additional amount of about £200 to meet
current or future orders.

I must insist on prompt attention to this requisition as I cannot
permit the Colonial Agents General to have to draw upon the funds of
other Colonies in order to perform the services of British Columbia or
of any other Colony which does not provide money for its own wants, and
I must warn you that unless the good faith of your government is kept by
discharging without delay the debt incurred for complying with its
requisitions, I shall be compelled to refuse to allow  the Agents General
to comply with any further Requisitions however urgent may be the
services for which they are made.