Moody to Carnarvon (Parliamentary Under-Secretary)
Very Pressing
Topographical Office, War Dept
4 New Street, Spring Garden
9th Octr 1858
My Lord,
I have the honor to enclose a letter I have received from the Brokers of the Briseis conveying stores to B. Columbia.
It is paramount that all parts of the Temporary Houses now in the Lighters alongside must be taken on board, no subdivision of parts in reference to them should be allowed on any account. And while on board doing all in my power to remove difficulties I satisfied myself this is impracticable except either by arrangements which would not be sanctioned by the Rules of the Admiralty and Horse Guards or else by transferring to the "Euphrates" (referred to in the enclosed letter) the few men it was contemplated to send in the Briseis.
I would recommend this course and beg that the Admiralty may be communicated with to sanction it. I would also recommend that the Twelvemonths Rations and reserve Ammunition be sent by that Vessel, the authorities at Woolwich 1 constructing on board the proper magazine for the latter.
Manuscript image
It is probable that the quantity of stores to go in the Euphrates may amount to 250 tons. I cannot state the exact quantity until the Briseis is filled.
In the above I am assuming that the Admiralty Surveyor will approve of the "Euphrates."
The short delay in receiving these particular stores, Twelvemonths' Provisions and Reserve Ammunition, will be an advantage as we shall be better prepared to receive and house them. I should not like the delay to exceed one month. On board the Thames City I have shipped 6 months Provisions and a fair proportion of ammunition.
May I request an early sanction of the above arrangement as I am most anxious to get away the "Briseis" with the Temporary Houses immediately.
I have the honor to be
Yr Lordship's Most obedient humble Servant
R.C. Moody
Col. R.E

Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
On Colonel Moody's assurance that it would be practicable, we directed that twelve months more rations should be put on board the Briseis and that she should also take out 5 non: com: officers & their families.
It now appears that the Briseis would be able to take all the stores but could not take the men also.
It is therefore proposed to transfer the men to the "Euphrates." The rate of passage appears moderate and I suppose this must be approved on Col Moody's recommendation.
But I do not quite understand why it is necessary to send 250 tons of Stores in the Euphrates. The owners distinctly say that if the men are not sent in the "Briseis" that vessel will hold all the stores. It is not Col Moody's proposal that the Admiralty should charter the Euphrates, but merely that the men shd go out in her as passengers and it looks either as if Col: Moody intended to make this an excuse for increasing the Stores to accompany the R. Engineers, or has altogether miscalculated the capacity of the "Briseis" in making his proposals to send the men & extra rations in her.
HT Irving 9th Oct
Mr Irving
I am not familiar with this subject. It must either be left for Ld Carnarvon & Mr Elliot on Monday, or, if absolutely pressing, we must rely on Col: Moody, for which I give my authority.
HM O 9
Manuscript image
Lord Carnarvon
I thought it best to keep this for you. It appears to me
1. That the men cannot go in the Briseis, and that the owners of that Vessel should be ordered to fill her up with stores.
2d That the men should be sent out in the "Euphrates" as suggested by Col Moody.
3d As regards the Stores, that the Admiralty might be told that there will probably be some amount of tonnage required in the Euphrates and that we will let them know the amount without delay, asking Col Moody for an explanation in the meantime.
The additional expense of sending probably 300 tons (Col Moody's Estimate of 250 is no doubt within the real amount) of stores by this 3d ship will create a formidable item in the costs of the expedition. And it might be a question whether the advantage ofsendingManuscript image sending the extra rations is worth this expense.
Sir Edward Lytton
Mr Irving has been good enough to go to the City in person and to see the Brokers, & he has greatly facilitated the arrangement of this matter. I annex a draft of letter to Col. Moody.
C Oct 11
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
Shaw, Savill and Company to Moody, 8 October 1858, stating they could not accommodate both stores and passengers on the Briseis, and recommending the passengers proceed on the Euphrates.
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft, Colonial Office to Admiralty, 11 October 1858, forwarding copy of letter from Shaw, Savill and Company and asking that directions be given to ship the stores on board the Briseis and the passengers on board the Euphrates.
Manuscript image
Draft, Carnarvon to Moody, 11 October 1858, expressing concern at the serious miscalculation in the amount of stores being sent to British Columbia, and directing that the stores should go on the Briseis, and the passengers await transport on the Euphrates.
Footnotes
  1. The Royal Army Ordnance Corp was located at Woolwich, on the south bank of the Thames about 15 kilometres east of London, as were also the headquarters of the Royal Arsenal, the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and the Royal Naval Ordnance Corps. Source??
People in this document

Carnarvon, Earl

Elliot, Thomas Frederick

Irving, Henry Turner

Lytton, Edward George Earle Bulwer

Merivale, Herman

Moody, Richard Clement

Organizations in this document

Colonial Office

Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty

Vessels in this document

Briseis

Euphrates

Thames City, 1856

Places in this document

British Columbia

London