Storks to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
10 September 1858
Sir,
I have laid before the Secretary of State for War your letter of the 8th instant, 1 together with its enclosures from Colonel Moody, pointing out the difficulties which have arisen in consequence of the Vessel which has been engaged to convey the Detachment of Royal Engineers to British Columbia, being incapable of containing the whole of the Stores which it has been found necessary to provide.
Major General Peel desires me to request that you willManuscript image observe to Sir E.B. Lytton, that at the time when the "Thames City" was taken up, 2 it was not possible for this Department to furnish the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty with any accurate estimate of the total amount of Stores for which tonnage would be required, and indeed large additions to the original Requisition, have been made within the last few days. In consequence however of a representation which has been received from Colonel Moody, and which a copy is enclosed, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were requested on the 8th instant 3 to cause conveyance to be providedManuscript image for not less than 400 Tons of Stores, in addition to those which the Detachment will take with Them in the "Thames City." Major General Peel believes that no inconvenience will result from this arrangement, and he trusts that nothing will occur to prevent the speedy departure of the Party.
I have etc.
H.K. Storks
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
I am informed—unofficially, & therefore perhaps the inforn may not be to be depended upon—that both vessels will probably leave about the 20th of this month. Inform Colonel Moody of the arrangement.
ABd 11 Sepr
I suppose that this arrangement must be agreed to if we wish to see the detachment ever leave this Country for B. Columbia. But I cannot say that this division of men & stores is satisfactory. Granted even that the ships leave England about the same time a week's difference in the time when they reach the Horn may on so uncertain & stormy a passage create an ultimate difference in their arrival at V. Couvers I. of more than two months. Ships are often I believe delayed for two months in rounding the Horn.
Col. Moody sd I think be cautioned to pay particular attention to the division of the stores. The principle of the division sd be I think to leave each detachment on the two ships complete in itself & independant of the other.
C Sep 11
Inform Col Moody who will see to the division of Stores. I have already spoken to him on this subject.
EBL Sep 13
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
Moody to J.R. Godley, Assistant Under-Secretary of State for War, 3 September 1858, recommending that as many stores as possible be taken on the Thames City, and the remainder, not less than 400 tons, on a second vessel to sail as soon after the first as possible.
Footnotes
  1. CO-WO, 8 Sep 58, Thames City stores. A draft of this letter appears in 9097, Moody to Carnarvon, CO 6/28, p. 372.
  2. FIND?? when Thames City taken up?? CO 6/28??
  3. = WO-AD, 8 Sep 58, conveyance of stores FIND WO-AD, 8 Sep 58 re Moody's request for space for 400 tons of stores.
People in this document

Blackwood, Arthur Johnstone

Carnarvon, Earl

Godley, John Robert

Lytton, Edward George Earle Bulwer

Merivale, Herman

Moody, Richard Clement

Peel, Jonathan

Storks, Henry Knight

Organizations in this document

Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty

War Office

Vessels in this document

Thames City, 1856

Places in this document

British Columbia

Vancouver Island