were contained in your despatch of the 4th October last. The result is a further Memorial from the Civil Officers, which I have now the honor to transmit. It points out the difficulty of any Civil servant availing himself of leave of absence during a vacation on account of the expense attending travelling here. This is quite true and it should be extremely glad if it were possible to obviate this difficulty generally.
Increase of salary to the Civil Officers is the most palpable expedient, but I need scarcely point out that at present such a scheme would be impossible. Vide also Govr to Secy of State Nr. 76, 8/10 July 1866. Para 169 comparatively small salaries received by the Civil servants compared with the advantages offered to persons employed in the service of Mercantile houses, combined with the reckless extravagant style of living introduced by the latter have so enhanced the price of the necessities of life, that the position of the Civil Officers is greatly deteriorated by those circumstances, which, it must be admitted, are beyond their control.
At the same time I feel bound to say that I do not think this climate deserving of the comments made on it by the English press. I believe it a better and safer residence on the whole than any in the West Indies - at least for Europeans. This colony is in many respects a marked exception to all others,