Stamp to Carnarvon (Parliamentary Under-Secretary)
4 Mansion House Place
London
11th March 1859 To The Right Honorable The Earl of Carnarvon Under Secretary of State for the Colonies &c &c &c

My Lord
I beg leave to address your Lordship respecting an application which I am now making to My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty copy of which I herewith inclose.
I am aware this matter does not come within the jurisdiction of the Colonial Office, but believing that whatever is likely to benefit and open the resources of the young and promising colony of British Columbia, will meet with a favourable reception from your Lordship, I respectfully beg your kind intercession with My Lords of the Admiralty—I only ask permission to supply the Admiralty with Spars at the usual price, and of better quality than can be got from any other part of the world. Manuscript imageAs a proof of my ability to carry out a contract of this kind, I beg to state that there are three cargo's now in London sent home by myself, which are admitted by our best judges of timber, to be superior to any spars they have ever seen.
I have the honor to be My Lord
Your Lordship's Obt Humble Servt
Edwd Stamp
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Merivale
Ack: rect.
I do not know in what way we can help the writer; for I apprehend we are ignorant of the merits, except from report, of this Timber.
ABd 12/3
Add, I think, that Sir E Lytton would gladly see the resources of B Columbia developed, & hopes the undertaking may prove successful, but that he cannot interfere with the judgment of the Ls of the Admty on so important a point as the supply of naval timber.
HM Mh 14
C Mch 16
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Merivale to Stamp, 23 March 1859, declining to become involved in the matter, with explanation.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
Stamp to Secretary of the Admiralty, 9 March 1859, making application to supply spars for the service of the Royal Navy.