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The Commissioners of Sable Island feel great reluctance in bringing to the notice of the Government, any complaints against the Superintendant of the Establishment, Capt Joseph Darby, inasmuch, as his general conduct in the managemt of it has, hitherto, as far as their knowledge extended, with some exceptions, been satisfactory.

These exceptions have invariably received the requisite investigation, on the part of the Commissioners and they had hoped that the reproval given him on, these occasions, would have had the effect of preventing a recurrence of any further deviation from his line of duty. The isolated position of the Island, the consequent unfrequent opportunities of communicating with it, and the impossibility of ascertaining correctly from servants, who are sometimes actuated by fear of offending, or a desire to injure or conciliate the Superintendant, render it difficult to ascertain the exact truth of any information imparted to them with reference to the Island.

Great reliance must necessarily be placed upon the character, integrity, & experience of the person placed in charge. The Commissioners regret exceedingly, that they now, from facts which have recently come to their knowledge, are compelled by an imperative sense of duty, to bring forward the following charges against the superintendant, which they hope he may be enabled to disprove and thus again render him worthy of their confidence.

The Commissioners will therefore name in the first instance, the case of [initials: R.C.?] Nicholls. This man, a servant of the Establishment, forwarded last autumn a memorial (No 1) to His Excellency who transmitted the same to the Commissioners for their report. they recommended the payment of one half amount of his wages until an opportunity was afforded for the superintendants reply. this reply consisted of documents Nos 2.3.&4. these documents comprising the affidavit of Stephens, Mr Darby's brother in law, and that of Martin Clye, and the statements