Sargeaunt to Elliot (Assistant Under-Secretary)
Offices of the Crown Agents for the Colonies
Spring Gardens, London, S.W.
January 13 1865
Sir,
Referring to your letter of the 20th instant, I transmit to you for the information of Mr Secretary Cardwell, the enclosed copy of a correspondence which has passed between Messrs Brown, Lenox & Co (Admiralty Contractors for Chain Cables & Anchors) and myself, from which it appears that the cost of supplying the Government of British Columbia with the Buoys, Sinkers and Chains enumerated in Mr Seymour's despatch No 34 of 7th September last, is estimated toamountManuscript image amount to £1557.5.0 exclusive of freight.
As this amount is greatly in excess of the estimate of the Harbour Master at New Westminster, and as that Officer in his letter of the 6th September states that "the buoys actually required are nine in number" it appears to me that in place of sending the thirty Buoys asked for that half that number would be sufficient for the purposes mentioned, and to furnish the necessary relay.
At any rate a dozen orfifteenManuscript image fifteen buoys, with a corresponding number of cables and sinkers, might be sent out in the first instance should Mr Cardwell approve of the adoption of such a course.
I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your obedient ervant,
W.C. Sargeaunt
Minutes by CO staff
Manuscript image
Mr Elliot
It is very important to properly buoy the entrance to Fraser River, the navigation of which is so full of risk, and to do so promptly. I shd be in favor of ordering the 12 or 15 buoys suggested by Mr Sargeaunt at once, and sending the rest afterwards, if, after receiving this report from the Crown Agent, the Authorities say that they can't dispense with the 30 they have asked for & that they can pay for them.
ABd 14-1
TFE 14/1
EC 14
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Manuscript image
Brown, Lenox & Co. to Crown Agents, 2 January 1865, giving detailed estimate for buoys.
Manuscript image
Sargeaunt to Brown, Lenox and Company, 4 January 1865, advising that the cost quoted far exceeded that formed in the colony, and asking for an explanation of the discrepancy.
Manuscript image
Brown, Lenox and Company to Crown Agents, 6 January 1865, explaining that the circumstances required heavier equipment than was estimated in the colony.
Other documents included in the file
Manuscript image
Colonial Office to Sargeaunt, 17 January 1865, authorizing the purchase of fifteen buoys for shipment to the colony.
Manuscript image
Draft reply, Cardwell to Seymour, No. 4, 18 January 1865.