331 
may think desirable. Many officers have been required to do so, 
and there will be no difficulty in laying down the rule which you 
nae in the case of Curators 
3 copy of your letter and of this reply will be sent to the 
Governors of the four West African Colonies, for their information 
and guidance. 
4. I am to add that Mr. F. E. Willey, the Curator of the 
Botanical Station at Sierra Leone, has recently arrived in this 
j — and that he will be told to zepon himself to you, with a 
view to his devoting two months out of his time in England to 
the ois of such subjects as you may indicate to him 
am, &c., 
(Signed) EDWARD WINGFIELD. 
The Director, 
Royal Gardens, Kew. 
COLONIAL OFFICE TO ROYAL GARDENS, KEW. 
Downing Street, 6th July, 1897. 
SIR, 
I AM directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain 2 acknowledge 
the receipt of your letter of the 24th of June, in which you 
suggest that Cantons of West African Botanical Stations, who are 
called upon to pursue a course of study at Kew during their 
leave of absence, shouid receive an allowance of £10 to cover all 
travelling and other expenses 
9. It has occurred to Mr. Chamberlain that hardship might be 
aused in individual cases by the grant of a fixed sum to cover 
travelling expenses, which must of course vary greatly. He would 
suggest, therefore, emn unless you see any objection, the allowance 
should bea fixed sum of £1 for every week spent at Kew, and 
that the travelling expenses actually incurred should be paid to 
men who do not live in or near London. 
3. The tiong would odty 65 paid on the receipt of a certificate 
from you that the officer M completed his studies at the Royal 
Gardens to your satisfacti 
4. It would be worin that the allowance of £1 a week 
was made to cover all expenses save those of travelling, end that 
the only additional payment would be for railway fare from 
the officer’s usual place of abode to Kew, and back again, on the 
completion of the course. 
5. It may be assumed that the total payment to be made would 
unless an officer is forced to pay heavy gps edis 
(Signed) 'SoHw: "BRAMSTON. 
The Director, 
Royal Gardens, Kew. 
During this summer, Mr. F. E. Willey, Curator of the Botanic 
Station at Sierra Leone, and Mr. Walter Haydon, Curator of the 
Botanic Station at the Gambia, have deus gest weeks of their 
leave (July 5th—A ugust 25th) to a course udy of economic 
subjects at Kew. They have carefully mcd. the West African 
