In regard to the period of commencement of the Salary it is not a sine qua non with Mr. Murray, but yet if your Lordship could allow it, it would be reasonable as the expence will be not a little in Holland while Mr. Murray is expressly preparing for the Colony; but your Lordship will no doubt do what is most proper. It is to be observed that Presbyterian clergymen have no fees whatever.

I have entered fully into this subject, a subject that may appear at first intricate; but the appointment of the clergymen who follow will be without any further explanation or trouble.

I hope your Lordship will be pleased to forward the letter to Earl Bathurst next week and the certificate or letter to me for Mr. Murray, as Mr. Goulburn says he cannot act without the former.

The letter on schoolmasters and schools I hope embraced your Lordship's wishes. I shall be looking out for fit persons as soon as I hear the decision of the Colonial Secretary, Earl Bathurst on this point.

Wishing your Lordship much happiness, I have &c.

Letter from LORD CHARLES SOMERSET to THOMAS
PEREGRINE COURTENAY, ESQRE.

February 4th 1821.

SIR,-Having found it necessary to purchase for the use of the Government of the Cape of Good Hope, a small thrashing machine, the cost of which is £91 18s. 1d., and to make some additions to the machine which was sent to the Cape some years back, I have to request that you will obtain Earl Bathurst's authority for defraying these charges. I am, &c.

[Original.]

Letter from T. P. COURTENAY, ESQRE, to HENRY
GOULBURN, ESQRE.

CANNON ROW, 5th February 1821.

SIR, I have the honor to transmit the enclosed letter from Lord Charles Somerset, directing me to obtain Earl Bathurst's authority for defraying the cost of a thrashing machine purchased for the use of the Government of the Cape of Good Hope, and the expense of repairing another; and I beg leave to request that you will move Earl Bathurst to convey to me his sanction for complying with this request. I have &c.

SIR,-There being at present two vacancies for Dutch Clergymen at the Country churches at the Cape of Good Hope and a third at Cape Town in consequence of the death of the Revd. Mr. Fleck (the senior minister of the Dutch Church there), and the very feeble state of Mr. Gebhart's health (minister at the Paarl) rendering it probable that further assistance will very shortly be requisite, I applied to the Revd. Mr. Thom (the minister of Caledon, who happens to be in England on leave) to make enquiries for competent and respectable persons for these situations, and have the honor to transmit to you a letter from that gentleman recommending the Revd. Alexr. Murray and enclosing unexceptionable certificates of Mr. M.'s Character.

I have this day received another letter from Mr. Thom, which I have the honor also to transmit for your perusal. I have consequently to solicit Earl Bathurst's authority to appoint Mr. A. Murray a minister at the Cape of Good Hope, as soon as he shall

have qualified himself by having obtained a competent knowledge of the Dutch language and be ready to embark.

You will perceive, Sir, by Mr. Thom's letter of the 3rd Inst. that a specific notification of the appointment is required by the Presbytery. I take the liberty therefore of requesting that Earl Bathurst's notification to me may answer that purpose, but I must add that I consider Mr. Thom's proposals that Mr. Murray should be nominated previous to his arrival at the Cape to any particular Station and that he should receive pay prior to his Embarkation, as well as the whole style of the blank appointment transmitted for my signature as inadmissible. I have &c.

(Signed)

CHARLES HENRY SOMERSET.

[Original.]

Letter from LORD CHARLES SOMERSET to
HENRY GOULBURN, ESQRE.

February 8th 1821.

SIR,-Not having received any reply to an application I made to Sir Herbert Taylor in November last to obtain the permission of His Royal Highness the Commander in Chief to propose to His Majesty's Government to pay the Troops at the Cape of Good Hope in the currency of the Colony, in lieu of Spanish Dollars, at the same rate of exchange as that at which the civil servants of the Government are paid, whose salaries are calculated in pounds sterling, I, a short time since, applied again to Sir H. Taylor on the subject and have received the answer I have the honor herewith to enclose.

Previous to my applying to His Royal Highness I had communicated with Mr. Vansittart, who consented that the measure should be tried.

I am anxious that instructions on this head should be given to Sir Rufane Donkin with as little delay as possible, as I understood from Mr. Vansittart in November last that from my representation, no further supply of Spanish Dollars for the payment of the Troops would be sent to the Cape, which will of course

have the effect of enhancing the value of the Spanish Dollar and consequently cause a proportionate loss to the British Treasury as long as the Troops shall be paid in Spanish Dollars. It is also extremely desirable to make this alteration at a moment when (from having a supply of Spanish Dollars in the Commissary's Chest) the value of the Spanish Dollar is low, as the soldier (always judging from the present moment) will be sensible of the benefit accruing to him from the new system, whereas were it made at a period when the Spanish Dollar should have acquired a temporary high value he might think his interests injured by the alteration, and cause (tho' ill founded) discontent in his mind.

SIR,-I did myself the honor to address you on the 20th of December last requesting that the Auditors for the Colonial Accounts might be furnished with a copy of Earl Bathurst's sanction of the purchase made (I think) in 1815 of Mr. Brand's House at Simon's Town for public offices, by which great convenience was afforded to the Public Service and a very considerable annual saving made. The purchase money was left at interest on the buildings, and it is the charge of the interest which the auditors object to allow, unless supplied with an attested copy of Earl Bathurst's sanction of the purchase. I have &c.

[Copy.]

Letter from MR. WILLIAM PARKER to RALPH ROGERSON, ESQRE. CAPE TOWN, 10th February 1821.

SIR,—In answer to your letter of this date I beg leave to state that I have had very sufficient reasons for not returning the names of some of the individuals alluded to in that letter in the list of those whom I wished to be paid out of the third Instalment of my deposit. The Revd. Mr. McCleland for instance has been paid by me for his own, John Archer's, Patrick Byrnes and James Johnston's proportion within 1s. 8d. Bt. St.

John Addey and Thomas Seton were already included among the names given to you while that of James Stone was erroneously included in the number entitled to receive their proportion but for which Stone has no sort of claim, as he did not pay his deposit in London.

The other individuals alluded to never could have applied to the Colonial Office unless through misrepresentation, as they know that they had accounts to settle with me connected with their deposits.

Indeed from the tenour of the Military Secretary's letter to you and the very culpable proceedings of the Colonial Secretaries, it is perfectly clear to me, that His Excellency the Commander of the Forces has listened to ex parte statements from some of my ill conducted Settlers, of whom I complained on my first arrival, while he has contrary to the regulations of the Earl Bathurst disregarded every just representation of mine, although I frequently solicited the most minute investigation into my conduct as the Head of a Party of Settlers, as did Lt. Wolrige of the Royal Navy into that of Mr. Thomas Seton.

The Colonial Secretaries being so derelict of their public duty, I have very strong grounds to apprehend that Sir Rufane Donkin knows but little of my correspondence with them. I therefore beg leave to inform you for His Excellency's information that I shall transmit a specific complaint to England on this very subject and that I shall have Major Rogers' letter to you called for in a proper place, when the character and feelings of individuals will not be permitted to be insulted and their families and