NAVAL.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1720, 3 September 1862, Page 10

NAVAL.

Copy of a Despatch from Governor Sir George Grey to His Grace the Duke of Newcastle. Auckland, 30th January, 1862.

My Loud Duke, —Adverting to your Grace’s Despatch, No. 104, of the 22nd of November last, pointing out the difficulties which must arise from the existence of irregularities in the advantages granted to Regiments called upon to serve in different parts of the Empire, I have now the honor to transmit for your information the enclosed copies of correspondence relating to irregularities existing in the allowances granted to Her Majesty’s vessels serving on the coasts of these colonies, which subject appears to require the immediate consideration of Her Majesty’s Government. I have, &c.,

G. Grey. His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G.

Commodore Seymour to the Honorable the Colonial Secretary.

H.M.S. “Pelorus,” Sept. 11th, 1861. Sir, —His Excellency the Governor having communicated to me by letter, dated the 9th inst., that the House of Representatives has voted the sum of five thousand pounds as a colonial allowance to the crews of Her Majesty's ships under rny command on the New Zealand station, I beg you will be pleased to inform me how or from whom the money is to be obtained.

I have, &c., F. Beauchamp Seymour. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Auckland, New Zealand.

Copy of a Letter from the Honorable the Colonial Secretary to Commodore Seymour. Colonial Secretary’s Office, 16th Sept., 1861. Sin, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 11th inst., stating that His Excellency the Governor had communicated to you that the House of Representatives had voted the sum of five thousand pounds as a colonial allowance to the crews of Her Majesty’s ships under your command on the New Zealand station, and requesting to be informed how that money is to be obtained. In reply, I have to inform you that the Resolution of the House of Representatives was, “ the requisition of Commodore Seymour for a continuance of the colonial allowance to the ships now on service in New Zealand waters ought to be assented to, provided that an amount not exceeding (£5,000) five thousand pounds can be obtained for the purpose by advances Irom the Commissariat chest, under jfuwwte® °f fcho Colonial (tarenwpntr'

The precise amount required to “continue the colonial allowance” was not stated in your requisition, and heqce arose the uncertainty as to the terms of the Resolution ,(“ not ero eding £5,000”)- But it was the understanding of the House and that of Ministers in proposing the vote, that the same scale of allowance would be adhered to as the vote of last year was estimated upon. . , -Last year’s vote jncludeti the colonial steamer “ Victoria,” which is not now on this station] but I am informed that her place is supplied by one of Her Majesty's ships. This, however, would apparently only bring up the Force to the same total as last year, when the sum was (4,000) four thousand pounds. I have accordingly to request you to be good enough to furnish such data, as may enable the Colonial Government to decide whether any and what addition ought to be made to the (4,000) four thousand pounds of last year I have, also, to point out that last year’s vote was to cover the year ended the Ist of July, ]B6l, and that the present vote is to cover the year ending Ist July, 1862. Asitwould be premature and irregular to pay the whole amount in the first quarter of the year, 1 would submit as the most convenient course, that you should at the end of each quarter transmit A requisition for the amount due in respect of the Naval Force actually on this station during that quarter.

I have, &c., William Fox.

Commodore Seymour, R.N.

Commodore Seymour to Governor Goi-e

Browne. “ Pelorus,” Auckland, Sept. 17th, 1861. Sir, — 1 have the honor to forward to your Excellency a letter which has this moment reached me from the Colonial Secretary of New Zealand, and as I decline entering into any correspondence with the Colonial Authorities while your Excellency is at the Seat of Government, I request that you will be so good as to inform Mr. Fox that his proposal is inadmissable : that the amount of £SOOO will not give two months’ Colonial allowance, at the Melbourne rate, to the ships which were serving in New Zealand since June, 1881, and are now on this coast, and that, drawing for a smaller sum, as Mr. Fox proposes we should do quarterly; would be simply ridiculous, as the amount which each seaman would receive would be about 11s., a sum unworthy of their acceptance : also that the £4OOO voted in July last, with the understanding that no more was to be asked for a twelve-month gave two months’ allowance at the Sydney rate (an unfair one to the lower grades in my opinion) to the ships then on the station, and it was paid at once, and in one sura. With reference to Mr. box’s allusion to the Colonial steamer “ Victoria,” I beg to inform you that the number of her crew never exceeded 80 mea, that of the “• Harrier,” which has re-placed her, is 170. I have not the slightest objection to the Colonial Government being informed that the ships among which the allowance will be distributed, should I accept it, will be the “Pelorus,’, “Miranda,” “Harrier,” “Cordelia,” and “ Fawn,” (of these the “ Pelorus ” has served fifteen and a quarter months in New Zealand w-aters, the “ Cordelia ” fourteen months, the “Fawn” ten months, and each has received two months’ Colonial allowance, and the “ Miranda ” and “ Harrier ” have been on the station since May last, and have received \ no Collonial allowance whatsoever); but distribution must be left to myself, and vouchers for the several payments shall be sent in as they were on a former occasion. 1 will not trust myself to comment in detail upon the Colonial Secretary’s letter, or the spirit which it evinces, further than by saying that it presents a marked contrast to that in which the Royal Navy have invariably been treated by the Colonial authorities of New South Wales and Victoria, in similar matters, I am willing to accept the grant of £SOOO on the same terms as the grant of last year, namely, that no further claim shall be made until July of the following year. I have, &c.,

F. Beauchamp Seymour,

Memorandum by Mr. Fox. 18th Sept., 1861. Ministers are of opinion that, provided the Colony is guaranteed against any fresh demand on the score of Naval allowances for the current year, payment of the whole sum may be made to the Commodore, to be distributed by him at his own discretion, as the Colonial allowance for the whole year for all ships which, during the year, may be on the New Zealand station.

It appears that there are five ships at present in these waters : last year there were four of Her Majesty’s ships and the Colonial vessel of war, the “Victoria.” As Commodore Seymour appears to consider the larger complement of men in the “ Harrier” as justifying it, Ministers recommend the increased payment. Ministers take this opportunity of observing that nothing can be more unsatifactory than the present mode of paying Colonial allowances. They would suggest that the present corresdence be transmitted to the Home Authorities, pointing out the fact, and requesting 1 that the Colonial Government may be relieved from their present position by paying to the Imperial Government, or to such persons as they may appoint, any sum which may hereafter be voted by the Legislature, should such vote be made.

William Fox.

Memorandum by Mr. Fox.

18th Sept., 1861. In his letter to your Excellency of the 17th instant, Commodore Seymour “ declines entering into any correspondence with the Colonial Authorities while jour Excellency is at the seat of Government.”

The Colonial Authorities have no wish to correspond with Commodore Seymour, and would certainly’ not have done so, had he not himself (notwithstanding your Excellency’s being at the seat of Government) initiated a direct correspondence by addressing the Colonial Secretary in his letter of the 11th September instant.

On the last paragraph but one of Commodore Seymour’s letter to the Governor, of the 17th instant, in which he alludes to the “spirit evinced by the Colonial Secretary’s letter,” the Colonial Secretary will make no further remark than to request your Excellency to forward to the Lords of the Admiralty, and her Majesty’s Secretary of State for the Colonies, copies of Commodore’s Seymour’s letter to the Colonial Secretary, 11th September, ISC 1 ; the Colonial Secretary’s letter to Commodore Seymour, 1 Cth September, 1861; C ommodore Seymour’s letter to your Excellency, 17th September, Ih6l ; the Memorandum of Ministers of this day’s date, and this Memorandum.

WfUUU fto,