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My Lord,

No. 20.

Sir Howard Douglas to the Marquess of Normanby.

Corfu, March 29, 1839. TAKING advantage of the desire expressed in your circular of the 20th February, "to communicate with me on all subjects connected with the administration of the affairs of the united states of the Ionian Islands, in the spirit of confidence so essential to the success of Her Majesty's service," I beg most earnestly to press upon your Lordship's attention and consideration my private and separate despatch addressed to Lord Glenelg on the 21st of June, 1838, and my despatch, No. 19, of the 15th February of the present year. The necessity for taking measures in relation to them becomes every day more pressing, and has lately forced itself upon me in a shape as formidable as it was unex- pected.

In the year 1834 the fifth Parliament of these States, then in its first session, placed at the disposal of the Lord High Commissioner the sum of £15,000 per annum for the pay- ment of his Civil Establishment, of his Residents, and of those British functionaries the nomination of whom is reserved by the provisions of the Constitution to the representative of the Protecting Power.

This measure had its origin in the Legislative Assembly, where it was carried with scarcely a dissentient voice, and, having been cordially approved by the Senate, was accepted by the Lord High Commissioner. When the Acts passed during the Session were, at its close, reported to the Secretary of State, Mr. Rice, who then held the seals of the Colonial Office, expressed an objection in principle to the measure, in a despatch dated 17th Sep- tember, 1834, and called upon my predecessor for information.

Lord Nugent, in supplying this information, requested instructions as to whether the Bill should be repealed or allowed to remain in force; and as the Secretary of State neither returned an answer to this request, nor advised His Majesty to disallow the Act, in con- formity with Article XXIV, section 3, chapter 3, of the Charter, his Lordship concluded that his explanations were satisfactory, and I naturally have always been of the same opinion.

A few days since Signor Dondi, who, during the quinquennium which has just finished, was Regent of Corfu, and in that capacity professed himself a zealous supporter of the British connection, being anxious, now that he is out of employment, either to force himself back into office, or to acquire popularity by opposing the Government, moved in the Assembly the repeal of this Act, and Dr. Plessa, the late Senator for Zante, although, when in the senate, he had expressed his approbation of the measure, seconded the motion, which, upon a division, was rejected by a majority of 22 against 13.

Having duly considered all that has taken place in regard to this enactment, I should not at this time, and under present circumstances, deem it expedient to consent to the repeal of that Bill, until some other arrangement should be made for providing perma- nently for the Civil Establishment of the Lord High Commissioner, his Residents, and the principal British functionaries; because such a repeal would throw the whole of these functionaries into dependence upon a vote of the Ionian Parliament, and by consenting I should co-operate with those who, however they may disguise their intentions, are, in fact, deliberately attacking British protection and British administration.

The recent attempt, however, may be taken to be ample evidence of the necessity of doing something to prevent this scheme from being carried into effect, and if your Lordship thinks that there is any constitutional objection to the principle of the Act in question, this is another reason for taking into serious consideration what I would recommend as the only safe way of disposing of this question, and at the same time for extending relief to these States by diminishing the heavy fixed charges for British protection and British administration, which at present amount to no less than £50,000 sterling, out of a revenue It is this, my Lord, to relin- which cannot be rated higher than £165,000 per annum. quish the £15,000 placed by the Act in question at the disposal of the Lord High Com- missioner, and to charge the salaries and expenses defrayed out of that sum to the £35,000 a year, and thus bring them under the control of the British Parliament,

I shall trouble your Lordship as little as possible at present, and for some time, with the business of these States, for I well know how much you must be occupied. I shall only state my firm conviction that the measure which I recommend will tend im- mensely to the contentinent and advantage of these States, to the honour of our country, and most signally to your Lordship's credit; and I most carnestly recommend this measure to the inmediate and favourable consideration of Her Majesty's Government.

The Marquess of Normanby.

[

I have, &c.

(Signed)

HOWARD DOUGLAS.

Sir,

JAMAICA.

No. 21.

Lord Fitzroy Somerset to J. Stephen, Esq.

Horse Guards, April 11, 1839. ADVERTING to the communications which have for some months past taken place between the offices of the Secretary of State and General Commanding-in-Chief, respecting the distribution of the force in the Jamaica command, and more especially to that of the 2nd West India Regiment, I am directed to acquaint you, for the information of the Marquess of Normanby, that two despatches have been received from Lieutenant-General Sir Lionel Smith, dated February 25th and 26th, in the latter of which it is stated, that the 37th Regiment had not yet left his command, awaiting the arrival of the ships of war, the Pique and Madagascar, from the coast of Mexico, and that they were hourly ex- pected.

In the former despatch the Lieutenant-General states it to be his intention to send also the 8th Regiment to Canada, as soon as the necessary arrangements can be made for placing five companies of the 2nd West India Regiment in Jamaica, and which it is pro- posed to do in the following manner, viz.—

Three companies from the Bahamas to Jamaica, including the head quarters, thus reducing the present force, at the Bahamas, from six to three companies.

Two companies from Honduras to Jamaica.

When this shall have been effected, the distribution of the 2nd West India Regiment will be thus:-

Jamaica, 5 companies of 100 men each.

do. Honduras, 2 Bahamas 3 do. Africa

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of 100 men each. of 100 men each., Recruiting Detachment.

The Lieutenant-General, has, however, stated that he shall require 700 rank and file

of black troops to replace white troops in their unhealthy and objectionable quarters, and that to carry into effect his original proposition of reducing the white garrison to three regiments, he shall require one complete regiment of Africans of 1,000 men at Jamaica ; it follows, therefore, that according to the arrangement above stated, and reducing the garrison of Bahamas by exactly one half, there should be an augmentation of five companies of 100 rank and file each, made immediately to the 2nd West India Regiment. If Her Majesty's Government shall accede to this arrangement as now proposed by Lieutenant-General Sir Lionel Smith, the final distribution will be, when the whole of the augmentation shall have been completed, as follows;—

Jamaica, The 6 service companies of 3 European regiments.

Honduras, Bahamas, Africa

10 companies of 100 each of 2nd West India Regiment.

2 companies of 2nd West India Regiment.

3 companies of do. do, instead of 6 as at present.

1 skeleton recruiting company.

The General Commanding-in-Chief trusts that it will be distinctly understood that

the Lieutenant-General commanding in Jamaica, does not contemplate the permanent reduction of the European Force from four regiments to three regiments, until the whole of his proposed augmentation of the 2nd West India Regiment shall have been completely carried into effect, so that he may have 1,000 rank and file of black troops within the Island of Jamaica.

Having thus shown the distribution of the whole force, European and black, in the Jamaica command, it will remain, if the present proposition of the Lieutenant-General shall be carried into effect, and whereby the force in the Bahamas will be reduced by exactly one half, viz. to three companies of black troops instead of six as at present, it is necessary to bring to the notice of the Secretary of State the communications which have taken place with Her Majesty's Government in regard to the force necessary to he maintained in garrison at the Bahamas.

It appears from a letter received from you dated August 18, 1836, transmitting copy of a despatch from the Lieutenant-Governor of the Bahamas, dated June 15, 1836, in which he brings under the notice of the Government the state of those Islands in regard to their defence, and adverts to the nature and distribution of the troops stationed there: he has distinctly reported, the garrison, consisting at present of five companies of the 2nd West India Reginent, and a detachment of ten artillerymen under a Lieutenant, in inadequate for the service of the Colony, and that to provide for the duties of the garrison, and furnish the outposts required, it would be necessary to have seven companies 100

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