Tait, Bishop of London Archibald Campbell to Lytton, Sir Edward George Earle Bulwer 29 March 1859, CO 60:6, no. 3310, 585.

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Correspondence (private letter)
Tait, Archibald Campbell to Lytton, Edward George Earle Bulwer 29 March 1859, CO 60:6, no. 3310, 585.

Abstract

Correspondence (private letter). Minutes (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (1), Other documents (2).

The Bishop of London clarifies the credentials he vetted for ministers from the Colonial Church and School Society and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel headed to British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

The minutes discuss possible hierarchical disputes between clergymen in the colonies.

Included in this document is a draft from Merivale to Bishop of Columbia, 9 April 1859, forwarding correspondence with the Bishop of London relating to the relative positions of the different missionaries in the colony; a draft from Lytton to Douglas, 21 May 1859, transferring the Bishop of London's letters; and an example of the license granted by the Bishop of London to Crickmer upon his appointment, as per despatch.

Bishop of London to Lytton

London House S.W.

29th March 1859

Sir

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 24th inst, enclosing a copy of a letter addressed by the Revd W. Burton Crickmer to the Governor of British Columbia, on his arrival in that Colony.

I send you herewith the form, (if not an

exact copy) of the License which according to the usual practice, I granted to Mr Crickmer, on his being nominated and recommended to me by the Colonial Church and School Society, as one of their Chaplains.

In the previous month (September) the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel applied to me, not for the usual license, but for letters of introduction, for two of their Missionaries, namely, the Revd J. Gammage and the Revd H. Dowson, to the Governor of Vancouver's

Island; of these informal credentials I find, upon enquiry, that no copies were kept.

I shall regret if any misunderstanding has arisen from the difference of form in which the two Societies desired that the character of their Chaplains should be guaranteed by me, as being at the time the only Bishop authorised to exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction within the Colony.

I beg to apologize for the delay which has taken place, before I could answer your letter of the 24th inst owing to the necessity of making

search in the Register of the Diocese.

I have the honor to be Sir
Your most obedt humble Servt
A.C. London

The Rt Honble
Sir Edward G.E.L. Bulwer Lytton Bart
etc etc etc

Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)

Example of the license granted by the Bishop of London to Crickmer upon his appointment, as per despatch.

Minutes by CO staff

Mr Merivale
I think that before writing to the Governor it is due to the B. of Columbia that we shd Communicate this correspondence to his Ldship & enquire if he has any observations to offer upon the subject.

It is proper that I shd add that this affair has brought back to my recollection a question which Mr Gammage—the Clergyman who was first appointed to B. Columbia—put to me at an interview I had here with me [him]. He asked whether he might not consider himself in the light of Govt Chaplain, & take rank accly. I ansd that no such office was in contemplation—on which he enquired how he shd stand with regard to other Clergymen in the Colony. I declined to ansr the question—but, speaking quite unofficially, presumed that the first appd Clergyman would take precedence over Clergymen last appointed.

ABd 31/3

Ld Carnarvon
I think so?

HM Mch 31

This conversation shows further the inconvenience likely to arise from this unfortunate mistake