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and Colonel Commandant of Militia and Volunteers, West Coast of Africa, now residing in this colony, covering a letter addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies (with sub-enclosure), in which he applies for some decorative distinction for services performed during the period of his military career on the West Coast of Africa and in New Zealand. 2. As the name of Sir George Grey occurred in these documents, I have transmitted them to him for any remarks he might wish to make on the subject. I enclose a copy of his reply. I have, &c, Wm. c. drtjmmond jervois. The Right Hon. Colonel Stanley, M.P.

Enclosure 1. Colonel Bookes to Sir William Jervois. Sir, — Bemuera, Auckland, 15th September, 1885. I have the honour to request that you will be so kind as to forward the enclosed documents to the Bight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Should my former commanding officer, Sir George Grey, be in Wellington, he will be happy, I am sure, should your Excellency think it needful, to verify the authenticity of those despatches which relate to action taken in the field under his immediate command. I have, &c, Charles Cecil Bookes, Formerly Captain H. M. 2nd West India Begiment, and Colonel Commandant of Militia and Volunteers, West Coast of Africa and Gold Coast, 1854-55. His Excellency Governor Sir W. F. D. Jervois, G.C.M.G., &c.

Sub-Enclosure 1. Sir, — Bemuera, Auckland, New Zealand, 16th September, 1885. On the dates noted in the annex marked 1, I received letters of thanks for services rendered when in command of portions of Her Majesty's naval, military, and colonial forces and French Contingent on the West Coast of Africa, the Gold Coast, and Ashantee, from the Ministers of War of the day, the Duke of Newcastle and Lord Panmure, and the Commander-in-Chief, Lord Hardinge, and also from the late French Emperor, through his Private Secretary, General Fleury, and M. Pietre. A reference to the despatches from Governor Ingram, of the Gambia, to the Colonial Office in 1843-44 will show that, when in command of Her Majesty's colonial steamer " Wilberforce," I navigated that vessel from St. Mary's to the Palls of Barraconda, two hundred miles higher than our most advanced station, and where no vessel, either under steam or sail, had ever been before. This expedition, to which Captain Seagrave, 8.N., the Governor, shortly before his death appointed me, though disastrous to every European except myself and the chief engineer, either by death or shattered health, both the naval officers dying, and the doctor, was of immense benefit in opening out a new trade with the Western Soudan, as, on revisiting the Gambia in 1849, where formerly only one vessel carried on the trade, I found twenty-seven waiting for cargo. In those days I always considered it my duty neither to fear the effects, present or prospective, of the most deadly ciimate in the world. The expedition above-named was undertaken in August and September; and in 1854 1 commanded a colonially-armed vessel under the orders of the Governor of Sierra Leone, and captured several small Mandingoe vessels engaged in the slavetrade between the Isles de Los and the Shcrbro Eiver, in the rainy season. Some twenty years since I received from the local Legislature of this colony its thanks for services rendered when serving under that distinguished Governor Sir George Grey at the capture of the Wereroa Pa, near the Waitotara; and lam told by high official authority that I am the only officer of the colonial forces who has ever been so thanked. The late Lord Harris, formerly Governor of Trinidad and the Governor of the Bahamas, on whose personal staff I served as private secretary and aide-de-camp in 1845 to 1848 (see "Bed Book "of the period, and " Army List"), both interested themselves so much in the matter of my obtaining some decorative distinction that they obtained from Earl do Grey his promise that, if I made an application to him, and it was favourably indorsed by the Governor under whom, as commander-in-chief, I served, it would be favourably considered. The application was made and indorsed as required; but, unfortunately for me, a change of Ministers at the Colonial Office took place; and, although fulfilling all the conditions as to serving in the field under a general officer of Her Majesty's service, as is evidenced by Sir George Grey's despatches to the Secretary of State dated the 22nd July, 1865, it was considered that I had applied for the Victoria Cross, when such an act of folly and egotism never entered my mind.