No. 35
27 November 1858
Sir
I have to communicate for your information, that I advised Capt. Grant, the Officer commanding the Detachment of Royal Engineers, who lately arrived here for the service of the Colony of British Columbia, to proceed without delay to Fort LangleyManuscript image Fraser's River and to put up buildings there for the accommodation of his own party and of the other troops expected from England, as by taking those steps I was of opinion he would be carrying out to the letter the wishes of Her Majesty's Government, the instructions of Col. Moody his Commanding Officer, and my own views with respect to the requirements of British Columbia.
2. Captain Grant coinciding with me in those views, it was arranged that the whole detachment of Royal Engineers shouldbeManuscript image be transported with all their stores, provisions for four months, and building materials for the construction of several wooden houses of respectable size to Fort Langley, an arrangement which was successfully, and at once, carried into effect.
3. I have further chartered the Hudson's Bay Company's Brigantine "Recovery" 1 used hitherto as a revenue-vessel, to lodge the troops, until houses are erected for their accommodation so that they are thoroughly protected from the weatherandManuscript image and made as comfortable as circumstances will permit.
4. The men are in high spirits and in perfect health.
5. I also made a requisition on Admiral Baynes for a Medical Officer 2 to remain with the troops.
Trusting these proceedings may meet with your approbation.
I have etc.
James Douglas
Governor
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
Signify approval?
ABd 29 Jany
HM Jan 29
Annex dt.
C Jany 29
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Lytton to Douglas, No. 14, 4 February 1859.
Footnotes
  1. = HBC brig Recovery The Recovery. Info needed. The ship was used as a revenue cutter in guarding the Fraser River against smuggling. See the Gazette 21 August 1858, 15 and 27 January 1859. ??
  2. The medical officer was Staff Assistant Surgeon John Vernon Seddall. No, wrong man. Baynes' officer.
People in this document

Baynes, Robert Lambert

Blackwood, Arthur Johnstone

Carnarvon, Earl

Douglas, James

Grant, John Marshall

Lytton, Edward George Earle Bulwer

Merivale, Herman

Moody, Richard Clement

Seddall, J. V.

Organizations in this document

Hudson's Bay Company

Vessels in this document

Orbit

Places in this document

British Columbia

Fraser River

Langley

Vancouver Island

Victoria