Booth to Merivale (Permanent Under-Secretary)
Office of Committee of Privy Council for Trade
Whitehall
9 March 1859
Sir,
I am directed by the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd January last transmitting for the consideration of this Committee a copy of a report from Captn Richards of Her Majesty's Ship "Plumper" on the Harbours of Vancouver's Island on the Coast of British Columbia.
In reply I am to request you to state to Secretary Sir E.B. Lytton, that as the Lights in question do not appear to belong to the class of Imperial lights itManuscript imageit does not fall within the province of this Department to form an opinion or to give any recommendation as to the propriety of their being established. I am however to transmit to you a copy of a memorandum which has been drawn up by Captn Sulivan, R.N. of this Department on the subject of these Lights.
I have etc.
James Booth
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
Copy to the Governor—for his infn with reference to the 26 Par: of Governor's desp. of the 26 Oct/58.
ABd 11/3
Lord Carnarvon
This report raises a serious question whether this country will go to an expense of about £14000 for the Manuscript imageerection of two lighthouses on the coast of Van. I. which according to the Bd of Trade "do not properly belong to the class of Imperial lights." They appear certainly to be much called for, and the island cannot possibly pay for them at present.
HM Mh 11
The total cost of the three lights appears to be £20,000—and considering the high price of labour it is fair to assume the full measure of expenditure—and of this the lanterns & materials are said to represent about 6000£.
It is clear that the Colony has not £20,000 at it's disposal & equally clear that the Lights are necessary. Perhaps therefore it wd not be an unfair arrangement to give the lanterns & apparatus £6000, and to advance towards the work 4000 [total] 10,000, the latter sum to be repaid by the Colony within a slated period say five years, bearing the remaining £10,000 to be defrayed from local resources. The Govrs opinion wd however be necessary as a Manuscript imagepreliminary.
Can dues be levied on ships passing wh wd provide for repairs or in part accumulate a fund for the repayment of the original expenses? Victoria is a free port and I am afraid therefore that no toll cd be taken for the light of the harbour?
C Mch 11
We can't increase estimates at present.
EBL M 12
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
B.J. Sulivan, 7 March 1859, memo discussing issues related to the proposed lighthouses on Vancouver Island.